# The Nine Malay Rulers and Their State Royal Houses

> Nine states in Malaysia have constitutional Rulers who inherit their thrones according to the customs and constitution of each state, serving as head of state, head of the Islamic religion and guardian of Malay custom — distinct from the rotating Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers that acts collectively.

- Category: government
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-08-01
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/government/malay-rulers-nine-royal-houses

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Behind a single Federation, Malaysia holds nine thrones older than the nation itself. Each has its own palace, customs of succession and state constitution, and each Ruler governs his state as a constitutional monarch — not as an absolute sovereign.

## Who are the nine Malay Rulers?

The nine Malay states of the Peninsula maintain a hereditary monarchical institution. Eight rulers bear the title Sultan, the ruler of Perlis is styled Raja, while the ruler of Negeri Sembilan is styled Yang di-Pertuan Besar. The four other states — Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak — have no Ruler and are instead headed by an appointed Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor).

| State | Ruler's title |
| --- | --- |
| Johor | Sultan |
| Kedah | Sultan |
| Kelantan | Sultan |
| Pahang | Sultan |
| Perak | Sultan |
| Selangor | Sultan |
| Terengganu | Sultan |
| Perlis | Raja |
| Negeri Sembilan | Yang di-Pertuan Besar |

Article 70 of the Federal Constitution provides that, subject to the precedence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Rulers and Yang di-Pertua Negeri take precedence over all other persons, and that among the Rulers themselves precedence is ordered according to the date of their accession to the throne.

## What is the role of a Ruler within his state?

Within the boundaries of his state, a Ruler holds three principal positions: head of state, head of the Islamic religion for that state, and guardian of Malay custom and ceremony. According to the Malaysian Bar, a state Ruler acts as a constitutional monarch under Articles 71 and 181(1) of the Federal Constitution — their powers are defined and limited by law, not absolute.

In most matters of governance, the Ruler acts on the advice of the State Executive Council. The provisions of the Eighth Schedule stipulate that the Ruler shall act in accordance with the advice of the Executive Council, except in matters in respect of which he is given discretion.

The discretionary powers of a state Ruler include:

- appointing the Menteri Besar;
- withholding consent to a request to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly;
- appointing the heir to the throne, the consort and the Regent;
- conferring Malay customary titles and honours; and
- regulating the palace and royal ceremonial.

The Malaysian Bar also notes that some members of the public view the monarchical institution as a mechanism of checks and balances within the system of government. This position is stated as a view that exists, not as an assessment of whether it is right or wrong.

## How is the throne inherited in each state?

There is no single rule binding all nine states. Article 71 of the Federal Constitution guarantees a Ruler's right to succeed to the throne and to enjoy the constitutional rights and privileges as Ruler of that state, but the detailed rules on who is eligible and how the throne passes are set by the constitution and custom of each state.

There are broadly three patterns:

1. **Male-line succession.** In most states, the throne passes within a single royal family, usually to an eligible prince according to an established order of precedence.
2. **Rotation among branches of the royal family (Perak).** Perak practises a system of its own. There is an order of heir titles — including the Raja Muda and the Raja Di-Hilir as the two senior heirs, followed by the Raja Kechil Besar, Raja Kechil Sulong, Raja Kechil Tengah and Raja Kechil Bongsu. When the throne falls vacant, the senior heir moves up one step in this order, and the appointment is confirmed through the state's Dewan Negara (Council of Succession). As a result, the son of a Sultan does not necessarily succeed directly to the throne.
3. **Election by customary chiefs (Negeri Sembilan).** Negeri Sembilan practises Adat Perpatih, based on Minangkabau tradition. The Yang di-Pertuan Besar is elected — not merely inherited — by the Undang Yang Empat, the four territorial chiefs of Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Johol and Rembau, from among the eligible princes. The power to choose the ruler remains in the hands of the state's customary chiefs, in accordance with the Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan 1959 (the state constitution).

## What is the legal position of the Rulers?

Article 181 of the Federal Constitution preserves the sovereignty, prerogatives, powers and jurisdiction enjoyed by the Rulers, subject to the provisions of the Constitution.

This position has been amended before. According to the Malaysian Bar, the constitutional amendment of 1993 ended the Rulers' blanket immunity from prosecution, by establishing a Special Court so that any civil or criminal proceedings against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or a Ruler in his personal capacity are brought before that court. Article 182 sets out the composition of the Special Court, and the amendment also required the consent of the Attorney General before such action is initiated. Article 32 of the Constitution further provides that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall not be subject to any proceedings in any court except the Special Court.

## How does a state Ruler differ from the Agong and the Conference of Rulers?

These three roles are often confused but are distinct:

- **The state Ruler** governs his own state for life according to that state's succession to the throne.
- **The Yang di-Pertuan Agong** is the Supreme Head of State of the Federation, elected from among the nine Rulers through the Conference of Rulers for a single five-year term in accordance with Article 38 and the Third Schedule. A Ruler does not cease to be Ruler of his state while holding the office of Agong.
- **The Conference of Rulers** is the collective body of the nine Rulers together with the four Yang di-Pertua Negeri. Its affairs are managed by the Pejabat Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja (Keeper of the Rulers' Seal). Among its functions are electing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and consenting to certain laws that touch on the privileges of the Rulers.

In other words, state sovereignty rests with each Ruler individually, while functions at the federal level are carried out either by the rotating Agong or by the Conference of Rulers acting jointly.

## What's next

This draft explains the position of the state Rulers in general terms. To understand a particular state's rules of succession precisely, refer to that state's constitution (Undang-Undang Tubuh), as the details differ between states. Related articles set out the office of the rotating Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers as a collective body. This draft was prepared with AI assistance and is still awaiting human review before publication.

## Sources

- Federal Constitution of Malaysia (Articles 32, 38, 70, 71, 181, 182 and Eighth Schedule) — https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Malaysia_2007 (Constitute Project (Comparative Constitutions Project))
- Powers and functions of state rulers — https://www.malaysianbar.org.my/article/news/legal-and-general-news/legal-news/powers-and-functions-of-state-rulers (Malaysian Bar)
- Major changes to the Constitution (1993 amendments removing rulers' immunity) — https://www.malaysianbar.org.my/article/news/legal-and-general-news/general-news/major-changes-to-the-constitution (Malaysian Bar)
- Pejabat Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja (Majlis Raja-Raja) — https://www.majlisraja-raja.gov.my/ (Pejabat Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja)
- Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Sembilan: Tuanku atau Undang Yang Empat lebih berkuasa? — https://www.mkn.gov.my/web/ms/2026/04/20/undang-undang-tubuh-negeri-sembilan-tuanku-atau-undang-yang-empat-lebih-berkuasa/ (Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN))
- Negeri Sembilan — the nine that became one — https://www.gkg.legal/negeri-sembilan-the-nine-that-became-one-1-ns/ (GKG Legal)
- Raja Muda, Raja Di-Hilir Perak take oath as heirs to throne — https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2014/07/01/raja-muda-raja-di-hilir-perak-take-oath-as-heirs-to-throne/698379 (Malay Mail)

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