Who Leads Each State?
In Malaysia, 9 states have their own Malay Ruler. Seven of these rulers are called Sultan. In Negeri Sembilan, the ruler is the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, and in Perlis the ruler is a Raja.
States with a Governor
The other 4 states — Melaka, Pulau Pinang, Sabah and Sarawak — do not have a Ruler. They are led by a Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor).
Head of State
The Head of State of the whole country is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is chosen from among the nine Malay Rulers and serves for 5 years. After that, another Ruler takes a turn. This special way of taking turns makes Malaysia's system quite unusual and interesting in the world.
Remember
- The nine Malay Rulers meet together in the Conference of Rulers (Majlis Raja-Raja).
- The Conference of Rulers helps choose the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.