New King grants audience to Anwar

JOHOR BARU: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim began his first day as the 17th King of Malaysia by granting an audience to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The meeting between Sultan Ibrahim and Anwar was held at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (Feb 1).

A picture of them was uploaded on His Majesty’s official Facebook page.

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On Wednesday (Jan 31), Sultan Ibrahim was sworn in as the new King of Malaysia in a ceremony steeped in tradition at Istana Negara.

At the same ceremony, Perak Ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah took the oath of office as the Deputy King.

Their Majesties were elected to the office, respectively, by the Malay Rulers at the 263rd (Special) Meeting of the Conference of Rulers in October last year to reign for a five-year term from Wednesday.

Malaysia is one of 43 nations which practise the system of a constitutional monarchy, but the rotational system of electing a king from among nine Malay rulers is the only one of its kind in the world.

ALSO READ: Sultan Ibrahim is now the King

Sultan Ibrahim, 65, and Sultan Nazrin Shah, 67, took their oaths and signed the instruments of office before the other Malay Rulers from Terengganu, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Perak and Kedah, the Regents of Johor, Pahang and Perlis and Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan, the Governors of Melaka, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak as well as dignitaries from the executive, legislative and judiciary.

The ceremony at the Balairung Seri (Throne Room) was held during the 264th (Special) Meeting of the Conference of Rulers presided over by Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu.

Sultan Ibrahim also signed the proclamation of assuming the office of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Sultan Nazrin, the office of the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Sultan Ibrahim replaced Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah of Pahang whose five-year reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong ended Tuesday (Jan 30).