Malaysian king steps down in colorful ceremony<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysia's King Azlan Shah stepped down
\nyesterday to make way for a fellow sultan under the country's
\nunique system of rotating monarchs, which has been weakened in
\nrecent years by rows with the government.<\/p>\n
Azlan retired from the throne in an elaborate ceremony at the
\nnational parliament where he was accompanied by Prime Minister
\nMahathir Mohamad, the man most responsible for reducing the
\nsultans' royal privileges.<\/p>\n
Walking side by side with Mahathir, who was in a white
\nmilitary-style uniform festooned with medals, the king inspected
\na royal guard of honor.<\/p>\n
Dressed in regal black and wearing a black and gold silk head-
\ndress mounted with the national symbol -- an Islamic crescent and
\nan 11-point diamond-studded platinum star -- he bade a formal
\nfarewell to Mahathir's cabinet.<\/p>\n
The royal kris sword, whose distinctive wavy blade is believed
\nto confer power on its owner, was tucked into his waist band for
\nthe last time.<\/p>\n
Azlan then shook hands with ambassadors dressed in morning
\ncoats or their formal national dress, before leaving in a Rolls
\nRoyce for the airport to return to his home state of Perak, where
\nhe resumes his position as sultan.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's nine hereditary sultans take turns as king every
\nfive years. With Azlan's retirement, a cycle has been completed.<\/p>\n
Tuanku Jaafar Tuanku Abdul Rahman will be sworn in today as
\nthe 10th Yang Dipertuan Agong, or supreme sovereign, since the
\nconstitutional monarchy began in 1957 with Malaysia's
\nindependence from Britain.<\/p>\n
Jaafar's father, Abdul Rahman Mohamad, was the first of the
\nrotating kings. His coronation ceremony will probably be held in
\nJuly, officials said.<\/p>\n
Azlan's term as king was marked by a debilitating row with the
\ngovernment over the privileges of royalty in fast-developing
\nMalaysia.<\/p>\n
Constitutionally, the sultans play a symbolic role as
\nprotectors of the politically dominant Malays and guardians of
\nIslam in this multiracial country of 19 million people.<\/p>\n
Their real power has been much greater. Most are very wealthy,
\nand have had some say over the awarding of government contracts
\nand business permits.<\/p>\n
In late 1992 a torrent of unprecedented government and media
\ncriticism was unleashed against the rulers after a school hockey
\ncoach accused the Sultan of Johor and his bodyguards of beating
\nhim up.<\/p>\n
Parliament censured Johor Sultan Mahmood Iskandar -- who was
\nonce convicted of manslaughter but pardoned by his father who was
\nthen the sultan -- and enacted constitutional amendments
\nstripping the nine rulers of their immunity.<\/p>\n
Under the new law, which came into effect last year, the
\nrulers can be prosecuted in a special court for criminal
\noffenses. If found guilty and sentenced to more than a day in
\njail, they would have to give up their thrones.<\/p>\n
Around the same time, an official Islamic council issued a
\ndecree saying the public should not show excessive respect to the
\nrulers or \"use words normally reserved for the Almighty\".<\/p>\n
Customs officers seized expensive luxury cars illegally
\nimported by royal families.<\/p>\n
Azlan Shah, 65, whose silver mane of hair, distinguished good
\nlooks and impeccable dress made him one of the most recognizable
\nfigures in Malaysia, was the Lord President of the Supreme Court
\nwhen he took over as king.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malaysian-king-steps-down-in-colorful-ceremony-1447899208",
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