Malaysia: Malaysia’s royal family has selected a prominent sultan from Johor in the south as the nation’s next king.
While largely ceremonial, the role involves significant duties such as appointing the prime minister and serving as the head of Islam in the Muslim-majority country, as well as being the commander-in-chief of its armed forces.
Malaysia follows a constitutional monarchy system with a distinctive practice where the throne rotates every five years among the rulers of the nine Malaysian states, each led by longstanding Islamic royalty.
Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar was designated as the 17th king of Malaysia following a meeting of rulers held in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
The 64-year-old will take the oath of office after the current king’s term concludes on January 31 next year, followed by a coronation ceremony a few months later. This system has been in practice since Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The departing king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, assumed the throne in 2019.
Sultan Ibrahim comes from the affluent and influential Johor royal family, whose leader oversees a private army. He maintains a close association with Prime Minister Mr. Anwar Ibrahim and frequently provides insights on Malaysian politics.
The next king is an actively involved monarch and a fully trained officer in the army, navy, and air force, having pursued education in the United States.
The position of the king in Malaysia holds significant prestige, particularly among the nation’s Malay Muslim majority. Criticism that is seen as inciting disrespect towards the king can lead to imprisonment.
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