# Rulers and Governors: Malaysia's Two Kinds of Head of State

> Malaysia's thirteen states, two models of head of state: nine states headed by a hereditary Ruler, four more by an appointed Yang di-Pertua Negeri. This article describes the constitutional differences between the two — titles, method of appointment, term of office, position as Head of the religion of Islam, and membership of the Conference of Rulers.

- Category: states
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-07-24
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/states/rulers-and-governors

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Malaysia has 13 states, but only nine thrones. The other four states are headed
by someone who never sits on a throne at all — they are appointed, serve for a
limited term, then return as an ordinary citizen.

That is the basic division that so often gets confused: the **Ruler**, who
inherits office in nine states, and the **Yang di-Pertua Negeri**, who is
appointed in four states. Both are constitutional heads of state, but the
Federal Constitution gives them different routes into office, different terms,
and different roles.

## Two Categories, One Table

| | State with a Ruler | State without a Ruler |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Nine | Four |
| States | Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan | Melaka, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak |
| Title of head | Sultan / Raja / Yang di-Pertuan Besar | Yang di-Pertua Negeri |
| How office is held | Inherited under the state's Constitution and custom | Appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong |
| Term | Life | Four years (renewable) |
| Head of the religion of Islam in the state | The state's own Ruler | Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Article 3(3)) |

## Nine Rulers, Three Titles

Something that surprises some people: not every Ruler is titled "Sultan". The
Federal Constitution uses the general term **Raja** (*Ruler*) to cover three
different titles.

| Title | State |
| --- | --- |
| Sultan | Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Selangor, Terengganu |
| Raja | Perlis |
| Yang di-Pertuan Besar | Negeri Sembilan |

The titles differ because each state's history and custom differ. The Yang
di-Pertuan Besar of [Negeri Sembilan](/en/states/negeri-sembilan) does not
inherit the throne directly; he is elected by the Undang Yang Empat under the
Adat Perpatih system — yet remains a reigning Ruler in the eyes of the
Constitution.

What unites all three titles is how the office passes on: **inherited**, not
appointed by any federal party. Article 71 of the Federal Constitution
guarantees a Ruler's right to succeed to, and to hold, the position, rights and
privileges of the Ruler of that state. Any dispute over the right of succession
is determined under the Constitution of the state concerned, not by the Federal
Government.

## Four Yang di-Pertua Negeri, One Mechanism

[Melaka](/en/states/melaka), [Penang](/en/states/penang), Sabah and Sarawak have
no Ruler. Article 160(2) of the Federal Constitution defines the **Yang
di-Pertua Negeri** as the Head of State for a state that has no Ruler. In
English, this office is referred to as *Governor*.

The mechanics of the office sit in sections 19A to 19D of the Eighth Schedule to
the [Federal Constitution](/en/law/federal-constitution):

| Provision | Effect |
| --- | --- |
| 19A(1) | Appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong acting in his discretion, but after consulting the Chief Minister |
| 19A(2) | Term of office is **four years**; may resign at any time; may be removed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong following a motion of the State Legislative Assembly supported by not fewer than two-thirds of the total number of members |
| 19B(1) | A non-citizen, or a citizen by naturalisation or registration, may not be appointed |
| 19B(2) | May not hold any office of profit and may not actively engage in any commercial undertaking |
| 19C | State law must provide a Civil List charged on the Consolidated Fund of the state, which may not be diminished during the term of office |

Because this office is appointed, it is open to a selected individual — not the
heir of a family. Once the four-year term ends (or is renewed), its holder
returns to being an ordinary citizen.

## The Differences That Are Genuinely Concrete

The difference in title carries real constitutional consequences, not mere
nomenclature.

**Head of the religion of Islam in the state.** In states with a Ruler, the
Ruler is Head of the religion of Islam for his state. For the four states
without a Ruler, Article 3(3) provides that the Constitutions of Melaka,
Penang, Sabah and Sarawak must each confer on the **Yang di-Pertuan Agong** the
position of Head of the religion of Islam in that state.

**Membership of the Conference of Rulers is not on equal footing.** According
to the official Conference of Rulers website, the Conference is made up of the
nine Rulers and four Yang di-Pertua Negeri. However, the Fifth Schedule to the
Federal Constitution excludes the Yang di-Pertua Negeri from proceedings
relating to:

- the election or removal of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong;
- the election of the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong; and
- matters solely concerning the privileges, position, honours and dignities of
  the Rulers or religious acts and ceremonies.

This means that **only the nine Rulers** elect and may remove the Yang
di-Pertuan Agong — the Head of State, elected from among themselves on a
rotating basis. The four Yang di-Pertua Negeri attend the Conference for other
business, such as assenting to certain legislation and appointments to the
Special Court, but not for the election of the Agong.

**Duration and continuity.** A Ruler's throne is held for life and inherited.
The office of Yang di-Pertua Negeri runs for a four-year term. This is why the
history of the four states records several Yang di-Pertua Negeri across a span
of time that, in a state with a Ruler, would have been filled by a single
Ruler.

## What the Two Have in Common

Despite their differences, both the Ruler and the Yang di-Pertua Negeri share
the same basic character as constitutional heads of state:

- Both are head of **state**, not head of government. The head of the state
  government is the Menteri Besar (in states with a Ruler) or Chief Minister
  (in states without a Ruler, as well as Penang and Melaka), who leads the
  [State Legislative Assembly](/en/government/state-assemblies-dun).
- Both act on the advice of the state government in most matters, as in the
  constitutional-monarchy model.
- Both are members of the Conference of Rulers for most of the Conference's
  business.
- The position, sovereignty and privileges of the Rulers are protected by
  Article 181 of the Federal Constitution, which preserves the sovereignty and
  prerogative rights of the Malay Rulers as they already exist.

## Common Misconceptions

**"There is a Sultan of Malaysia."** There is not. There is no single Sultan
for the whole of Malaysia. Nine states each have their own Ruler of equal
standing, and the Head of State is the [Yang di-Pertuan
Agong](/en/glossary/yang-di-pertuan-agong), elected on a rotating basis from
among those nine Rulers.

**"A Yang di-Pertua Negeri is the same as a Sultan, just with a different
title."** Not the same. The office of Yang di-Pertua Negeri is appointed, runs
for a four-year term, is not inherited, is not Head of the religion of Islam in
the state, and does not take part in electing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

**"Perlis and Negeri Sembilan have no Ruler because their titles are not
Sultan."** Wrong. Perlis (Raja) and Negeri Sembilan (Yang di-Pertuan Besar) are
among the nine states with a Ruler; only their titles differ, not their status.

**"The Yang di-Pertua Negeri appoints a Menteri Besar."** In the four states
without a Ruler, the head of government is titled Chief Minister, not Menteri
Besar. The title Menteri Besar is used in states with a Ruler.

## Note on Scope

This article describes only the constitutional structure and official
nomenclature. It makes no political assessment, does not address any current
individual officeholder, and does not comment on any ongoing dispute of
interpretation. For current officeholders, refer to the official state
government portal or the Conference of Rulers website. This article is in
draft status and has not yet undergone human review.

## What's next

- For the actual text of sections 19A to 19D and Articles 3(3), 71, 160(2) and
  181, refer to the [Federal Constitution](/en/law/federal-constitution) in the
  official AGC reprint.
- To understand how the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is chosen from among the nine
  Rulers, see [Yang di-Pertuan Agong](/en/glossary/yang-di-pertuan-agong).
- For a detailed example of a state without a Ruler, see
  [Melaka](/en/states/melaka) and [Penang](/en/states/penang).
- For a model of a monarchical head of state chosen by election rather than
  direct inheritance, see [Negeri Sembilan](/en/states/negeri-sembilan).

## Sources

- Perlembagaan Persekutuan (Cetakan Semula, sehingga 15 Oktober 2020) — Perkara 3(3), 32, 38, 71, 160(2), 181, Jadual Kelima, dan Jadual Kelapan seksyen 19A–19D dan 22 — https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/EN/Federal%20Constitution%20(Reprint%202020).pdf (Jabatan Peguam Negara (AGC))
- Maklumat Majlis Raja-Raja — komposisi, fungsi dan gelaran ketua negeri — https://www.majlisraja-raja.gov.my/ms/maklumat-majlis-raja-raja-latest (Pejabat Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja / Majlis Raja-Raja)
- Portal Rasmi Kerajaan Negeri Melaka — Yang di-Pertua Negeri — https://www.melaka.gov.my/ms/kerajaan/pentadbiran-kerajaan-negeri/yang-di-pertua-negeri.html (Kerajaan Negeri Melaka)

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