The new Sultan of Pahang is in line to be elected Malaysia’s king, replacing Sultan Muhammad V
- Crown Prince Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, taking over from his father, will be the state’s new ruler from January 15
- The move puts him in line for the throne, a position that will be decided on January 24 by the Conference of Rulers
In a new twist in Malaysia’s journey to crown a new Agong, or king, Pahang state’s Sultan Ahmad Shah has stepped down to make way for his son, Crown Prince Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who will be the state’s new sultan from January 15.
“Pahang is facing an unusual challenge. My father is undergoing intensive medical treatment,” said the crown prince’s brother, Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah, at a special press conference at the palace, according to local media reports.
“It is with sadness that my family and I accept the reality that my father can no longer shoulder the responsibility of being a ruler.
“Realising this, my family and I proposed that our brother, the Regent of Pahang, be appointed his successor and the sixth Sultan of Pahang.”
The Sultan-to-be, 59, is a popular figure in the sports scene and is currently president of the Asian Hockey Federation and a council member of soccer’s world governing body, Fifa.
The move puts the crown prince next in line to be Malaysia’s head of state. Under the country’s unique system of constitutional monarchy, its nine sultans, each overseeing a different state, take turns to be Agong for five-year stints.
The rotational system is in place to ensure the royal family of each state has a turn at the crown.