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MALAYSIA welcomes a youthful new King with the proclamation of Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, 44, as the XIII Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The ruler of oil-rich Terengganu succeeded Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail of Perlis under the country’s unique monarchical system.

Sultan Mizan is the second youngest king to be sworn in under the five-year rotation system among the rulers of nine Malay states.

The youngest was Tuanku Syed Putra Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail of Perlis who took office as King on Jan 4, 1961, at the age of 41.

Stately salute: Tuanku Mizan inspecting the guard-of-honour at the Parliament Square on Dec 13 last year.

Sultan Mizan who ascended the Terengganu throne in 1998 at the age of 36 following the death of his father Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billal Shah became the youngest Malay Ruler.

He took the oath of office as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Negara followed by the signing of instruments of appointment after a special meeting of the Conference of Rulers on Dec 13 last year.

Clad in royal yellow and sporting a sparkling headdress and a keris, Sultan Mizan was flanked by other state rulers as he read and signed an oath of office.

The Sultan of Kedah Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Sultan Badlishah was also sworn-in as deputy King.

Earlier, Sultan Mizan and Sultanah Nur Zahirah arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport from Kuala Terengganu and were welcomed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Cabinet ministers.

The royal entourage proceeded to Parliament square where a grand official welcoming ceremony was held steeped in Malay tradition.

Sultan Mizan has served as the deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on two previous occasions.

He was first appointed the deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong from April 26, 1999, to Dec 12, 2001, when Sultan of Selangor Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah was the 11th King. The second time he was appointed to the position was from Dec 13, 2001, to Dec 12 last year.

Since Independence, all Malay Rulers from the nine states in the peninsula have had the opportunity to be elected as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, with Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Abdul Rahman Tuanku Muhammad, being elected the first Malaysian King from Aug 3, 1957, to April 1, 1960.

He was followed by Sultan of Selangor Tuanku Hishamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj, who died several hours before being installed as the 2nd Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Sept 1, 1960.

The third King was the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Putra Syed Hassan Jamalullail, the father of Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin.

They were followed by Sultan of Terengganu Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin Shah (the grandfather of Sultan Mizan, the 4th King), the Sultan of Kedah Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah (5th), Sultan of Kelantan Tuanku Yahya Petra Sultan Ibrahim (the father of the present Ruler, 6th), and Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah Sultan Abu Bakar (7th).

Next came Sultan of Johor Tuanku Mahmood Iskandar Al-Haj (8th), followed by the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Muhibuddin Shah (9th), Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan Tuanku Jaafar Tuanku Abdul Rahman (10th) and Sultan Salahuddin (the father of the present Sultan of Selangor, 11th).

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, who was elected the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, on Dec 13, 2001, ended his term on Dec 12 last year.

With the proclamation, Sultan Mizan is known as Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah.

His consort Sultanah Nur Zahirah is referred as Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah.

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