The Regent of Pahang Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah will be sworn in as the 6th Sultan of Pahang on the 15th of January.
Ascending the throne, the future Sultan of Pahang might also be paving the way to become Malaysia’s new king.
Speaking to NST, Tengku Muda Pahang Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah said that the proclamation ceremony to install his brother as the new Sultan will be held at 11 am this Tuesday at Istana Abu Bakar.
He said, “With sadness and sorrow, we the family accept the fact that our father can no longer carry out his duties. Realising this, we agreed to suggest to the Pahang Royal Council that my elder brother be appointed as the successor to my father as Sultan of Pahang”.
Adding that the appointment of Tengku Abdullah was because his father Sultan Ahmad Shah is gravely ill, Tengku Abdul Rahman said that the proposal on the succession was unanimously agreed on by the Pahang Royal Council last Friday.
“I am confident that my brother will be an efficient, active and fair Sultan, no less than my father … as my father has educated him well with all the training and guidance and Sultan Abdullah has been carrying out his duties as the Pahang Regent.”
Sultan Ahmad Shah had been expected to abdicate in favour of his son Tengku Abdullah, putting the Regent in line to be the next Malaysian constitutional monarch under the rotation system practised by the nine Malay royal houses.
The succession issue arose last Sunday when Kelantan’s Sultan Muhammad V abdicated as King after just two years – three years short of the five-year reign.
Tengku Abdullah is the eldest son of Sultan Ahmad Shah and has served as Regent for two years – a second stint after having previously served as Regent for five years when his father was made Malaysia’s King in 1979.
With discussions of royal succession following Sultan Muhammad V’s departure from the throne becoming the talk of the town in recent times, the next Malaysian king will take his oath of office on Jan 31.
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