Muhammad V becomes first monarch of Malaysia to resign before completing tenure

The Malaysian King, Sultan Muhammad V has become the Malaysia’s first monarch to step down from the throne before completing his five-year tenure on 6th January 2019. No reason was given and palace officials did not respond to requests for comment. Malaysia is the only country in the world to have a rotational monarchy, in place since the country became independent from Britain in 1957. Here, the king assumes a largely ceremonial role, his assent is needed for the appointment of a prime minister and various other senior officials. The country has nine royal households, who typically take turns to sit on the throne. The selection of the next king can be decided by a vote in the Council of Rulers, made up of all nine royal households.