Malaysia has sworn in its new king on Jan. 31, 2024.

Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, 65, was sworn in as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur.

He succeeded the outgoing Agong, Sultan Abdullah Shah of Pahang, who stepped down a day earlier on Jan. 30.

M'sia's new king & queen

Earlier in the morning, Sultan Ibrahim departed from Istana Bukit Serene in Johor Bahru, where many people thronged the streets, as seen on his Facebook page.

After walking through a guard of honour by officers and men of the military forces in Johor, he boarded his private plane, accompanied by his son and heir, Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Idris Sultan Ibrahim.

He arrived at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base in Subang, near KL.

During the ceremony, Sultan Ibrahim took the oath and signed the proclamation of assuming the office as the country’s new Agong.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim then read the contents of the proclamation, officially marking Sultan Ibrahim as Malaysia’s new head of state.

The new Agong was joined by Perak’s Sultan Nazrin Shah, 67, who was sworn in as the deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The post of the Agong is shared among the heads of the nine royal families in Malaysia, each Agong serving a five-year term.

The Agong is selected by a secret ballot among the royal rulers.

Earlier in October 2023, the two sultans were selected at the special meeting of the Conference of Rulers.

Who’s the new Agong?

Based on information from Bernama, Sultan Ibrahim was born on Nov. 22, 1958, in Johor Bahru.

Born as the eldest son, he was appointed heir and Johor’s crown prince on Jul. 3, 1981.

In 1982, he married Raja Zarith Sofiah, who is from a royal family in Perak, and the royal couple had six children throughout their marriage.

From 1984 to 1989, he became Johor's regent when his late father Sultan Iskandar ascended to the federal throne as the eighth king of Malaysia.

After his father's passing, Ibrahim was proclaimed as Johor's Sultan on Jan. 23, 2010. He was officially coronated with the title on Mar. 23, 2015.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s new queen is Raja Zarith Sofiah, the wife of Sultan Ibrahim.

Crown Prince Ismail is now appointed as Johor's regent.

Congratulatory messages from S'pore leaders

Singapore leaders have extended their congratulations to the new Agong, according to a press statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the same day.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said,

"Your Majesty's dedication to the welfare and prosperity of your subjects is well known. I am confident that under Your Majesty's counsel and guidance, Malaysia will be brought to even greater heights."

He also spoke about the "close friendship" between both countries, and "close cooperation" between their governments and "long-standing" business relations.

He expressed his hope that "these bonds continue to flourish, for the mutual benefit of both our peoples", before extending an invitation to the Agong and the queen to visit Singapore.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said,

"Your vision of a cohesive and forward-looking Malaysia augurs well for the country’s next bound of development. I am confident that Your Majesty will discharge the functions of the highest office in Malaysia with distinction and commitment."

He commented on the "multi-faceted and enduring" relationship between both countries, and close cooperation bilaterally and within Asean.

In addition, he emphasised the significance of their partnership "for the continued prosperity and security of our peoples" despite facing an "uncertain world".

You can view more details of the ceremony in Sultan Ibrahim's Facebook posts below:

Top image from Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar/Facebook.

Related stories