Malaysia named Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar as new king

• Malaysia named Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar as new king.
• The role of the king in Malaysia is predominantly ceremonial.
• Al-Sultan employed these powers during a period of political instability.

Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar from the southern state of Johor has been elected by Malaysia’s royal families to become the country’s next king.

The role of the king in Malaysia is predominantly ceremonial, but in recent years, the monarchy’s influence has grown due to prolonged political instability, leading the incumbent king to exercise rarely used discretionary powers.

Malaysia follows a distinctive system in which the heads of its nine royal families take turns serving as the monarch for a five-year term.

The monarch holds the position of head of state in this Southeast Asian parliamentary democracy. Sultan Ibrahim is set to assume the role on January 31, 2024, succeeding the current King, Al-Sultan Abdullah, as announced by the keeper of the rulers’ seal in a statement.

Sultan Ibrahim stands out among traditional Malaysian rulers for his active involvement in political matters and his reported good relationship with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

His extensive business interests span from real estate to mining, and he is known for his substantial collection of luxury cars and motorcycles.

The previous King, Al-Sultan, played an unusually active role in Malaysian politics, having a say in the selection of the country’s last three prime ministers.

The federal constitution grants the monarch a limited set of discretionary powers, with the king generally expected to act based on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet.

One of the few powers the king has is the authority to appoint a prime minister with a parliamentary majority, a power that was not exercised until 2020, as prime ministers were typically chosen through elections.

Al-Sultan employed these powers during a period of political instability that arose from the defeat of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which had governed Malaysia continuously since its independence until 2018.

The king also possesses the authority to grant pardons to convicted individuals.

Al-Sultan’s predecessor, Sultan Muhammad V, pardoned Anwar Ibrahim, who was imprisoned on charges of sodomy and corruption that he contended were politically motivated in 2018.

Former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was incarcerated last year for a graft conviction linked to the 1MDB state fund scandal, has applied for a royal pardon, a request that may be considered by the new king.

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