KUALA LUMPUR- Sultan Abdullah named as new Malaysian King

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KUALA LUMPUR (Xinhua) – Malaysia’s Conference of Rulers has named Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah as the country’s 16th King yesterday, who serves as the constitutional head of state.

He will be officially installed as King or Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Jan. 31, replacing his predecessor Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan state who resigned on Jan. 6.

Sultan Abdullah is the hereditary ruler of the central Malaysian state of Pahang and a prominent adviser to several world sporting bodies.

Malaysia’s unique system of rotational constitutional monarchy requires the role of king to be passed between the heads of the country’s nine royal households – the oldest of which dates to the 12th century.