The King’s monarchical journey

Sultan Abdullah receiving the ‘Titah Ikrar’ text speech as the Sixth Sultan of Pahang, from his brother Tengku Abdul Rahman during the ceremony held in Istana Abu Bakar, Pekan.

AS Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah ends his term as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, we take a look back at how His Majesty ascended to the position.

Malaysia is one of the few sovereign states in the world that has a true elective monarchy where the nation’s Yang di-Pertuan Agong is chosen from among the nine Malay rulers.

Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah honouring his father after being proclaimed as the Tengku Mahkota Pahang in Istana Abu Bakar, Pekan.

The system was set into motion on Jan 6, 2019, when in a shocking turn of events, Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan abruptly stepped down from his post as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong without finishing his tenure.

Under the rotation order of the nine Malay rulers, the Sultan of Pahang should be the next to reign as King.

Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah arriving at the Bunga Raya Complex, KLIA, for the welcome ceremony in Parliament on Jan 31, 2019. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The star.

However, the then reigning Sultan of Pahang Almarhum Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Ahmad Shah was ill and in no condition to fill the vacancy.

This kicked off a whirlwind process in Pahang to place Sultan Abdullah on the throne as the next Sultan of Pahang.

Sultan Abdullah trying the sumpit during a visit to the Kadazandusun Cultural Association Complex (KDCA) and (below) with a baby Bornean elephant known as Taburi at the Orang Utan Conservation Centre in Sepilok in conjunction with the Kembara Kenali Borneo programme. With His Majesty is Tunku Azizah. — Bernama

In a matter of days, an amendment to the state constitution was made to allow the Pahang royal council to conduct Sultan Ahmad Shah’s abdication.

As the heir to the Pahang throne, Sultan Abdullah was subsequently proclaimed the sixth Sultan of Pahang of the modern era on Jan 15, 2019, paving the way for him to become King.

On Jan 24, 2019, the Conference of Rulers chose Sultan Abdullah as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Sultan Abdullah thus had the distinction as having only reigned as the Sultan of Pahang for less than two weeks before it was decided by the Conference of Rulers that he would be King. His five-year term took effect on Jan 31, 2019.