Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the institutional Leader of the Country as decreed by the Constitution. The official term would be Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The king would perform his tasks as provided under the Constitution, with advice from the Prime Minister or the Cabinet Ministers.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the Leader of the Islamic religion for Pulau Pinang, Melaka, Sabah, Sarawak, and the Federal Territories. As the Head of the Country, he is also the Head of the Army. Yang di-Pertuan Agong is appointed every 5 years by rotation set in advance by the Rulers’ Council.

HISTORY OF THE KING’S APPOINTMENT

In August 1957, The Rulers’ Council had decided to have the title Yang di-Pertuan Agong bequeathed on the Head of the Country for the Federation of Malay States. The selection of Yang di-Pertuan Agong would have to follow the order of the longest reigning King. According to this order, Sultan of Johor, Sultan Sir Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar, who came to the throne in 1895, is the longest reigning king, but he declined the title due to old age (he was 84 years old).

The second in line, Sultan Pahang Sultan Sir Abu Bakar Riayatuddin Al-Muadzam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdullah Al-Mutassim Billah Shah, who came to the throne in 1932, had also declined the title. Therefore the third longest reigning king, Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad was unanimously chosen to become the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong for the Federation of Malay States. Before being crowned as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, he was the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan since 1933.

THE SELECTION OF YANG DI-PERTUAN AGONG 

To be chosen as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, one would have to be a ruling King who reigns in one of 9 federated states, which are Johor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan. Yang di-Pertuan Agong was chosen by the Rulers’ Council according to customs dictated by the Federal Constitution and orders of the Rulers’ Council.

LIST OF YANG DI-PERTUAN AGONG

THE FIRST Yang di-Pertuan Agong  

Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Muhammad
D.M.N., S.M.N.

Reigned from 31 August 1957 to 1 April 1960

THE SECOND Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Al-Marhum Tuanku Hisamuddin Alam Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Alaiddin Sulaiman Shah
D.M.N., D.K.(Brunei)

Reigned from 14 April 1960 to 1 September 1960

THE THIRD Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Al-Marhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail
D.M.N., S.P.M.P., D.K.M., D.M.N., S.M.N., D.K.(Selangor), S.P.D.K.(Sabah), D.K. (Kelantan), D.P.(Sarawak), D.K.(Kedah), D.K.(Pahang), D.K.(Johor), D.K.(Negeri Sembilan), D.P.S.S.(Sarawak), D.K.(Perak),  D.K.(Terengganu), D.K.M.B.(Brunei), Knight Commander of St. Micfhael&St. George (K.C.M.G), Raja of the Order of Sikatuna, Philippines (Noblest Award of Chivalry), The Great Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia, The Most Auspicious Order of the Royal Friendship of Thailand, Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum (Japan), Cordone Hussein Ben Ali (Jordan), Collar of the Nile (United Arab Republic).

Reigned from 21 September 1960  to 20 September 1965

THE FOURTH Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Al-Marhum Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Zainal Abidin
D.K.,D.K.M.,D.M.N.,S.P.M.T.,D.K.(Kelantan), D.K.(Selangor), D.K.(Perak), D.K.(Pahang).

Reigned from 21 September 1965 to 20 September 1970

THE FIFTH Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Ke Bawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Al-Sultan Almu`tasimu Billahi Muhibbuddin Tuanku Alhaj Abdul Halim Mu`adzam Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Badlishah
D.K.,D.K.H.,D.K.M.,D.M.N.,D.U.K.,D.K.(Kelantan), D.K.(Pahang), D.K.(Selangor),D.K.(Perlis), D.K.(Negeri Sembilan), D.K.(Johor), D.K.(Terengganu), D.K.(Perak), D.P.(Sarawak), D.U.N.M.,S.P.M.K.,S.S.D.K.,D.H.M.S.

Reigned from 21 September 1970 to 20 September 1975

THE SIXTH Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Al-Marhum Tengku Yahya Petra ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Ibrahim
D.K.,D.K.M.,D.M.N.,S.M.N.,S.P.M.K.,S.J.M.K.,S.P.S.K.,D.K.(Selangor), D.K.(Terengganu), D.K.(Kedah), D.K.(Brunei), D.K.(Pahang), D.K.(Perlis), D.P.(Sarawak).

Reigned from 21 September 1975 to 29 Mac 1979

THE SEVENTH Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Ke Bawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta`in Billah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri`Ayatuddin Al-Mu`adzam Shah
D.K.P.,D.K.,D.K.M.,S.S.A.P.,S.I.M.P.,D.M.N.,D.K.(Perak), D.K.(Johor), D.K.(Kelantan), D.K.(Terengganu), D.K.(Perlis), D.K.(Kedah), D.K.M.B.,D.K.(Brunei), D.K.(Negeri Sembilan), D.K.(Selangor).

Reigned from 26 April 1979 to 25 April 1984

THE EIGHTH Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Duli Yang Maha Mulia Baginda Sultan Iskandar ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Ismail
D.K.
Reigned from 26 April 1984 to 25 April 1989

THE NINTH Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yusuf Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-lah
D.K.,D.K.M.,D.M.N.,D.K(Kelantan), D.K.(Terangganu), D.K.(Perlis), D.K.(Johor), D.K.(Selangor), D.K.(Kedah), D.K.M.B.(Brunei), D.K.(Negeri Sembilan), D.K.(Pahang), S.S.M.,P.M.N.,P.S.M.,

Reigned from 26 April 1989 to 25 April 1994

THE TENTH Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku Ja`afar ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman
D.K., D.K.M., D.M.N., D.K.M.B. (Brunei), D.K. (Kelantan), D.K. (Kedah), D.K. (Selangor), D.K. (Perlis), D.K. (Johor), D.K. (Pahang), D.K. (Terengganu), D.K. (Perak)

Reigned from 26 April 1994 to 25 April 1999

THE ELEVENTH Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Al-Marhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah Alhaj
D.K., D.K.M., D.M.N., S.P.M.S., S.S.S.A, D.K.M.B. (Brunei), D.K. (Terengganu), D.K. (Kelantan), D.K. (Perlis), D.K. (Johor), D.K. (Kedah), D.K. (Negeri Sembilan), D.K. (Perak), D.K. (Pahang), S.P.D.K. (Sabah), D.P. (Sarawak), D.U.M.M. (Melaka), P.J.K.

Reigned from 26 April 1999 to 21 November 2001

THE TWELFTH Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail
D.K.P., D.K., S.S.P.J., D.M.N., D.K.(Perak), D.K.(Negeri Sembilan), D.K.(Terengganu), S.P.M.J., S.P.C.M., S.S.M.T.

Appointed as Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 13 December 2001

THE THIRTEEN Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah
D.K.T., D.K.R., D.M.N., S.S.M.Z., S.S.M.T., S.P.M.T., D.K. (Perlis), D.K.(Johor), D.K.M.B.(Brunei), D.K.(Perak), D.K.(Negeri Sembilan), D.K. (Kedah), D.K. (Kelantan), D.K. (Selangor), S.P.M.J., Commandeur De La Legion D'Honneur (France).

Appointed as Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 13 December 2006 .