Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, who will be turning 66 in November 2024, has been sworn in as Malaysia’s 17th King.
Today, January 31, 2024, a solemn event was held at the national palace to commemorate a momentous moment in the history of Malaysia’s constitutional monarchies.
Sultan Ibrahim was chosen as the 17th King to govern Malaysia at the 263rd Special Meeting of the Conference of Rulers on October 27, 2023. He will replace Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who officially ended his five-year reign on January 30, 2024.
Sultan Ibrahim, who was born on November 22, 1958, was formally crowned the Sultan of Johor on March 23, 2015, after Sultan Iskandar passed away on January 23, 2010.
After inspecting the guard of honour, Sultan Ibrahim proceeded to the national palace in Kuala Lumpur to attend the 264th Special Meeting of the Conference of Rulers in conjunction with the swearing-in ceremony of the 17th King.
Before the coronation event, Sultan Ibrahim stated in an interview with The Straits Times his strong determination is to actively participate in Malaysia’s growth and the battle against corruption.
The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, also took the oath of office as the Deputy King of Malaysia for a 5-year term.
Sultan Ibrahim hails from the southern state of Johor and is known for his outspoken views on governance. The monarchy in Malaysia plays a largely ceremonial role, and the king is the nominal head of the government and the armed forces, as well as the protector of Islam and Malay tradition.
The king is elected every five years from among the nine rulers of Malaysia’s royal families, who take turns serving in this role.
