This is what we know about Malaysia’s new king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah
Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah – the hereditary ruler of the central Malaysian state of Pahang – will be sworn in as Malaysia’s 16th Yang di Pertuan Agong (or king) today, January 31, replacing Sultan Muhammad V who abdicated on January 6.
The 59-year-old was elected to serve a five-year term by eight other Malay sultans in the country’s Conference of Rulers. Malaysia follows a rotation system involving the nine royal houses.
Sultan Abdullah became Pahang’s sixth monarch, a week before the decision was made to crown him king. He replaced his ailing 88-year-old father Ahmad Shah, who reigned for nearly 45 years, The Star newspaper reported.
This is what we know about Malaysia’s next king.
Educated in Malaysia and Britain
Born on July 30, 1959 at Istana Mangga Tunggal, Malaysia’s incoming king attended school in Malaysia until he completed secondary school, and then went to Britain to further his studies.
He attended preschool at Clifford School in Kuala Lipis (1965), primary school at Sekolah Kebangsaan Ahmad in Pekan and Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan St Thomas in Kuantan (1966-69), and secondary school at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan St Thomas (1970-74), according to Bernama.
After graduating, he enrolled at Aldenham School, Elstree, Hertfordshire and Davies College in London (1975-77).
Sultan Abdullah then entered The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (1978-79), Worcester College and Queen Elizabeth College (1980-81), where he attained a diploma in international relations and diplomacy.
Heavily involved in sport
Sultan Abdullah is actively involved in sport – especially soccer. According to a Bernama report carried by New Straits Times, besides playing polo and soccer, he is a council member of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) and a Fifa executive committee member. He served as president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) from 2014 to 2017.
Bernama reported that he is president of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), and president of the Royal Malaysian Polo Association, Royal Pahang Polo Club, Pahang Squash Club, Royal Pahang Golf Club and Royal Pahang Shooting Club.
Many military titles to his name
Sultan Abdullah has also carved a name for himself in the military.
At The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he was made a Second Lieutenant and commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II in 1980, according to Bernama.
He was also previously the Captain of the Malaysian Royal Cavalry Corps and appointed as Lieutenant Colonel of the 505 Territorial Army Regiment in 1999. In 2000, he was appointed Colonel of the 505 Territorial Army Regiment, and became the Brigadier General of the 505 Territorial Army Regiment in 2004.
He has nine children
Sultan Abdullah – the fourth child and eldest prince of Sultan Ahmad Shah and the late Tengku Ampuan Afzan Tengku Muhammad – is married to 59-year-old TunkuAzizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, reported Bernama.
The royal couple have nine children – four sons and five daughters.
One of his daughters – Pahang Princess Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan – posted pictures of her parents on Instagram after Sultan Abdullah was elected the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The 25-year-old wrote in the caption of a photo of her parents: “Daulat Tuanku (long live the king)” with the hashtag #YDPA16.
Sultan Abdullah’s eldest son Tengku Panglima Besar Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah – who is undergoing training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Britain – also posted on his Instagram account, “For Allah, For King and for the country”, reported The Star.
He is set to be proclaimed as Tengku Mahkota Pahang.
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The ruler of the central state of Pahang is heavily involved in sport and has carved a name for himself in the military