# Malaysia's Nine Royal States: The Reigning Rulers and Their Role in the Conference of Rulers

> Malaysia has nine states headed by a reigning Ruler — Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor and Terengganu. This article lists the nine states, the title of each head of state, their position as Head of State and Head of the religion of Islam, and their collective role in the Conference of Rulers.

- Category: malaysia
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-07-24
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/malaysia/nine-royal-houses

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Malaysia has thirteen states, but only nine of them have a reigning Ruler. The other four states — Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak — are headed by an appointed Yang di-Pertua Negeri, not by a Ruler.

This article lists the nine royal states, explains the title of each head of state, and shows how the nine Rulers together form part of the Conference of Rulers. It is descriptive: it states the arrangement set out in the Constitution and official sources, without comparing any state or Ruler.

## The nine royal states

The official website of the Office of the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal lists nine states that have a reigning Ruler. Seven heads of state are titled Sultan; one is titled Raja; and one more is titled Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

| State | Title of head of state |
| --- | --- |
| [Johor](/en/states/johor) | Sultan |
| [Kedah](/en/states/kedah) | Sultan |
| [Kelantan](/en/states/kelantan) | Sultan |
| [Negeri Sembilan](/en/states/negeri-sembilan) | Yang di-Pertuan Besar |
| [Pahang](/en/states/pahang) | Sultan |
| [Perak](/en/states/perak) | Sultan |
| [Perlis](/en/states/perlis) | Raja |
| [Selangor](/en/states/selangor) | Sultan |
| [Terengganu](/en/states/terengganu) | Sultan |

The difference in titles is not a difference in rank, but reflects the history and customary arrangements of each state. Perlis uses the title Raja, and Negeri Sembilan uses the title Yang di-Pertuan Besar, because the way the office is filled differs from other states — a matter explained below.

## The Ruler's position in his state

Each Ruler is the Head of State for his own state, and that position is set out in detail in his own State Constitution.

One role, however, is set out directly in the Federal Constitution. Article 3(2) states that for every State that has a Ruler, the Ruler is the Head of the religion of Islam in his State, in the manner and to the extent acknowledged and declared by the Constitution of that State.

For States that have no Ruler — Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak — and for the Federal Territories, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong holds the position of Head of the religion of Islam. This means the position of Head of the religion of Islam is divided according to whether or not a state has a Ruler.

## How the throne is filled

How the office of Ruler is filled is determined by the Constitution and custom of each state, not by the Federal Constitution. In most royal states, the office is inherited by lineage under the State Constitution and the customary practice of that state.

Negeri Sembilan has its own distinct arrangement. There, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar is chosen through the consensus of the Undang Yang Empat — the Undang of the luak of Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Johol and Rembau — under the Adat Perpatih and the Negeri Sembilan Constitution (Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan). This arrangement is the basis for the title "Yang di-Pertuan Besar" — a head raised up jointly by the luak, rather than inherited directly. The details are explained in the [Negeri Sembilan](/en/states/negeri-sembilan) profile.

## Collective role in the Conference of Rulers

At the federal level, the nine Rulers act together as part of the Conference of Rulers.

Article 38(1) of the Federal Constitution establishes the Conference of Rulers, and it is constituted under the Fifth Schedule. Fifth Schedule, section 1 states that the Conference consists of the Rulers and the Yang di-Pertua Negeri for States that have no Ruler. Full membership of the Conference therefore comprises the nine Rulers together with the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak.

Membership, however, is not uniform for all matters. Fifth Schedule, section 7 excludes the Yang di-Pertua Negeri from membership for proceedings relating to:

- the election or removal of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and the election of the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong;
- matters relating solely to the privileges, position, honour and dignity of the Rulers; and
- religious acts, observances or ceremonies.

Accordingly, when the Conference elects the Yang di-Pertuan Agong — the Supreme Head of the Federation, elected for a five-year term under Article 32(3) — it meets as a nine-member body, that is, the nine Rulers of the royal states alone. The Conference's full functions and procedure are explained in the [Conference of Rulers](/en/government/majlis-raja-raja) article, and the elected office in the [Yang di-Pertuan Agong](/en/government/yang-di-pertuan-agong) article.

## How this arrangement came about

According to the Office of the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal, the Conference of Rulers in its modern form began with the Federation of Malaya Agreement 1948, which replaced the Malayan Union. The Conference's first meeting was held on 18 February 1948, with the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal acting as its secretary.

Membership expanded alongside the development of the Federation. After independence on 31 August 1957, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang and Melaka joined the Conference; after the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, the heads of Sabah and Sarawak joined it as well. That background is explained in [Formation of Malaysia 1963](/en/malaysia/formation-of-malaysia-1963). Throughout that expansion, the number of states with a reigning Ruler remained nine.

## Common misconceptions

**"The title Sultan ranks higher than Raja or Yang di-Pertuan Besar."** All three titles refer to a state's reigning Ruler. The difference stems from each state's history and custom, not a hierarchy of rank.

**"All thirteen states have a Ruler."** Only nine states have a reigning Ruler. Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak are headed by an appointed Yang di-Pertua Negeri.

**"Every head of state is eligible to be elected Yang di-Pertuan Agong."** Only the nine Rulers of the royal states are eligible and take part in that election. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri do not take part in the proceedings for electing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Fifth Schedule, section 7).

**"All Rulers inherit the throne in the same way."** How the throne is filled is determined by the Constitution and custom of each state. In Negeri Sembilan, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar is elected by the Undang Yang Empat, rather than inherited directly.

## What's next

To understand the collective role of the nine Rulers in detail — including how the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected and which matters require the Conference's consent — continue to [Conference of Rulers](/en/government/majlis-raja-raja) and [Yang di-Pertuan Agong](/en/government/yang-di-pertuan-agong).

To see the Rulers' position within the country's highest law, refer to the [Federal Constitution](/en/law/federal-constitution). A profile of each royal state can be read on its own state page, starting with [Negeri Sembilan](/en/states/negeri-sembilan), which explains the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and the Adat Perpatih in more detail.

## Sources

- Federal Constitution (Reprint 2020) — Article 3, Article 32, Article 38, Fifth Schedule — https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/EN/Federal%20Constitution%20(Reprint%202020).pdf (Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia (Attorney General's Chambers))
- Perlembagaan Persekutuan — Portal Perundangan Persekutuan — https://lom.agc.gov.my/federal-constitution.php (Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia)
- Perkara 3 — Agama bagi Persekutuan — https://www.jpapencen.gov.my/CAT289562/Published/perkara3-Ma.Html (Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia)
- Background and History — Conference of Rulers — https://www.majlisraja-raja.gov.my/en/corporate-info/background-and-history (Pejabat Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja)
- Maklumat Majlis Raja-Raja — https://www.majlisraja-raja.gov.my/ms/maklumat-majlis-raja-raja-latest (Pejabat Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja)

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