Rulers hold unscheduled meeting amid social media buzz, says report

PETALING JAYA: The Malay rulers held a rare and unscheduled meeting on Wednesday night amid social media rumours involving the current Agong, the New Straits Times (NST) reported today.

Quoting sources, the daily said the unofficial meeting was to discuss “a serious matter”.

However, the sources declined to confirm whether the king himself had been present at the meeting as well.

“Such meetings are usually held once or twice a term, and normally it is to discuss something important. There was no such meeting last year,” one of them told NST.

This comes just a day after Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah denied receiving any information regarding talk that Sultan Muhammad V would soon abdicate the throne as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“The state government has no knowledge. If it’s a rumour, don’t believe it,” he was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.

Sultan Muhammad V, who was installed as Agong on April 24, 2017, had been on two months’ leave. Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah carried out his duties in his absence.

Sultan Nazrin Shah, who is also deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, ended his duties as acting Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Dec 31. -FMT