Malaysia
Malaysia, 1963 to today. Draft, not yet reviewed
A federal constitutional monarchy, it consists of 13 states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia on Mainland Southeast Asia and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. On 16 September 1963, independent Malaya united with the then British crown colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore to become Malaysia. In August 1965, Singapore was separated from the federation and became an independent country. The head of state is an elected monarch, chosen among the nine state rulers every five years.
Seat of power: Kuala Lumpur
Rulers
Syed Putra of Perlis
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1960–1965
At 18, he joined the Perlis administrative service, becoming a magistrate and in 1940, was transferred to Kuala Lumpur to serve as Second Magistrate in the Criminal Court.
Portrait of Syed Putra of Perlis: Istana Negara, Public domain, file
Ismail Nasiruddin Shah of Terengganu
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1965–1970
He was the Sultan of Terengganu from 1945 until his death in 1979, and the fourth Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia), from 1965 to 1970.
Portrait of Ismail Nasiruddin Shah of Terengganu: Istana Negara, Public domain, file
Abdul Halim of Kedah
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1970–1975
He was Sultan of Kedah from 1958 until his death in 2017, and served twice as the King of Malaysia from 1970 to 1975 and from 2011 to 2016.
Portrait of Abdul Halim of Kedah: Kepresidenan Indonesia, Public domain, file
Yahya Petra of Kelantan
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1975–1979
He was the 27th sultan of Kelantan from 1960, and the sixth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional monarch of Malaysia, from 1975, until his death in 1979.
Portrait of Yahya Petra of Kelantan: pejsultankelantan, Public domain, file
Ahmad Shah III of Pahang
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1979–1984
He was Sultan of Pahang from 1974 until his abdication in 2019, and the seventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia), from 1979 to 1984.
Iskandar I of Johor
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1984–1989
He reigned as the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional monarch of Malaysia, from 1984 to 1989.
Portrait of Iskandar I of Johor: Masami Takakuwa, Attribution, file
Azlan Shah I of Perak
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1989–1994
He was Sultan of Perak from 1984 until his death in 2014, the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia), from 1989 to 1994, and the 5th Lord President of the Supreme Court, from 1982 to 1984.
Portrait of Azlan Shah I of Perak: [2], CC BY-SA 2.0, file
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Ja’afar I of Negeri Sembilan
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1994–1999
He was the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan from 1967 until his death in 2008, and the tenth Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia), from 1994 to 1999.
Portrait of Ja’afar I of Negeri Sembilan: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg), CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Salahuddin of Selangor
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1999–2001
He was the Sultan of Selangor from 1960, and the eleventh king of Malaysia from 1999, until his death in 2001.
Portrait of Salahuddin of Selangor: Malacanang Photo. Cropped by User:Andrew Dalby, Public domain, file
Sirajuddin I of Perlis
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 2001–2006
He is the current Raja of Perlis, reigning since 2000, and reigned as the king of Malaysia from 2001 to 2006.
Portrait of Sirajuddin I of Perlis: United States Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Public domain, file
Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 2006–2011
He is the Sultan of Terengganu, reigning since 1998, and previously reigned as the King of Malaysia, from 2006 to 2011.
Portrait of Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu: Eshar, CC BY 2.0, file
Abdul Halim of Kedah
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 2011–2016
He was the first and only ruler to reign as king twice, as well as the oldest elected to the office.
Portrait of Abdul Halim of Kedah: Kepresidenan Indonesia, Public domain, file
Muhammad V of Kelantan
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 2016–2019
He has been the 29th sultan of Kelantan since ascending to the throne in 2010 and reigned as King of Malaysia from 2016 until his abdication in 2019. On 6 January 2019, he became the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong to abdicate from the federal throne.
Portrait of Muhammad V of Kelantan: RTV Kelantan, CC BY 3.0, file
Abdullah of Pahang
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 2019–2024
He has been the sixth sultan of Pahang since ascending to the throne in 2019 and reigned as the King of Malaysia from 2019 until 2024.
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Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 2024 to today
He is King of Malaysia and Sultan of Johor. On 31 January 2024, Ibrahim was sworn in as the King of Malaysia, having been elected to a five-year term on 27 October 2023.
Portrait of Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor: Mikhail Tereshchenko, CC BY 4.0, file
Culture
- The country is multiethnic and multicultural, which has a significant effect on its politics.
- About half the population is ethnically Malay, with minorities of Chinese, Indians, and indigenous peoples.
- While recognising Islam as the official religion, the constitution grants freedom of religion to non-Muslims though conversion out of Islam is forbidden while conversion to it is allowed.
- From 1998 to 2004, they were the tallest buildings in the world until they were surpassed by the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan.
Picture
The Petronas Towers are an interlinked pair of 88-storey supertall skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, standing at 451.9 m.
Image: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.