The First Ceremonial Commanders of the Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the title for the King who reigns over the Kingdom of Malaysia. The appointment is rotated every five years among the nine Rulers who are the Sovereigns of the Malay States only. For the states formerly known as the Straits Settlements—or more accurately, the British Crown Colonies—and the Unfederated Malay States or Borneo, the Rulers of those states are not eligible to be elected or to elect the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, even though they are members of the Council. In other words, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri are not eligible to participate in the election process of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong; the election of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong actually refers only to the nine states that have sovereign and reigning Rulers.
Only the Rulers may elect and be elected. The law also states that a Ruler is not eligible to be elected as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong if they are a young Ruler, and if a Ruler declares that they do not wish to be elected, they are also excluded. If the Conference of Rulers unanimously declares that a Ruler is unfit to be King due to mental health factors or illness that prevents the Ruler from governing optimally, they are ineligible. The initial step in the nomination process is to request a date for the Election Meeting. If a vacancy occurs in the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the election process must be conducted no later than four weeks from the date the vacancy occurred.
The election is conducted via secret ballot. The electors simply write the voting number and place it into the ballot box. Only the Rulers, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal, and the Assistant Secretary of the Conference of Rulers are involved in the election. The Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the representative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is also elected during the election of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, but only after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has been chosen. The Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong serves as the King who fills the role of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong while the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is ill or for other reasons. The Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong does not automatically become the Yang di-Pertuan Agong when the throne is vacant; the Deputy acts as the temporary Head of State until the election of a new Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong fills the vacancy.
After both election processes are completed, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal will send a letter confirming the election results in writing to the Dewan Negara, the Dewan Rakyat, and the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will issue a press statement regarding the election results for the positions of Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong may only perform official duties after taking the oath of office in a ceremony before the Conference of Rulers and the Chief Justice of the Federal Court, signed by two Rulers appointed by the Conference of Rulers as witnesses. Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad was the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and the first Raja Permaisuri Agong was Tuanku Puan Besar Kurshiah binti Almarhum Tuanku Besar Burhanuddin. The nation's history began on September 2, 1957, when a Head of State titled Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong was crowned. The Federation of Malaya, which had just achieved independence on August 31, 1957, opened a new dimension with a government administration based on a Constitutional Monarchy. His Majesty Tuanku Sir Abdul Rahman Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad, the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, was elected as the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong of the Federation.
This coronation ceremony was held for the first time for a newly independent nation. Taking place at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Hall, the coronation was attended by approximately 500 guests, including the Malay Rulers, the Sultan of Brunei, the Duke of Gloucester representing the Queen, the Federal Prime Minister, and distinguished guests from home and abroad. Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Tuanku Kurshiah sat upon a new, beautiful, and majestic throne in the Throne Room. A very interesting fact that serves as knowledge and awareness regarding this ceremony is that His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad chose Commanders from every race and religion to accompany him and carry the royal regalia as part of the ceremony, which was also adorned with the playing of the nobat and a 21-gun salute. This approach shows that the Commanders chosen by the command of His Majesty Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad from various races and religions were not excluded from knowing, understanding, and recognizing the customs of the Malay Sultanate. This clearly shows that in any formation and implementation of the Sultanate institution in our country, it is mandatory for us as a multi-racial people to recognize, know, and understand the customs and traditions of the Malay Sultanate as a whole, so that our personality, obedience, and loyalty as citizens under the reign of a Sovereign King can be realized.
If we and every race do not understand and know the customs and sovereignty of the Malay Sultanate, there is no real meaning in obedience and loyalty to the King, and it only manifests on the lips and in words. On October 14, 2016, the 243rd (Special) Meeting of the Conference of Rulers at the Istana Negara elected His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Muizzudin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia when Sultan Muhammad V was appointed as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The appointment took effect on December 13, 2016, for the next five years. As citizens of the State of Perak, it is a source of great pride for us that His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Muizzudin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah was appointed as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia this year.
LONG LIVE THE KING, LONG LIVE THE KING, LONG LIVE THE KING
Do not pour molten copper If poured, it will blister the fingers Do not discard the institutional customs If discarded, the nation will perish
Thick wood must not be felled Already bearing fruit and leaves Malay customs must not be discarded They are heirlooms passed down through generations
If the boat breaks, we prop it up So the sampan does not lie across We convey the advice of the elders So that we do not incur a debt
- tokchangkatlanggor -
