Keeper of the Rulers' Seal
Encyclopedia
The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal is the officer in Malaysia charged with custody and use of the Rulers' Seal of Malaysia on behalf of the Conference of Rulers
. The Rulers' Seal is the symbol of the traditional authority of the royal institutions in Malaysia, namely the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
(Paramount Ruler) and the hereditary rulers of the states of Malaysia. The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal is the secretary to the Conference of Rulers and convenes the Conference three times a year, or at the request of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is appointed by the Conference as specified in the Constitution of Malaysia
.
His most publicly visible role is to announce the beginning of fasting
during the month of Ramadan
, and the dates of the Muslim
religious holidays, Aidilfitri
and Aidiladha, in Malaysia.
on February 18, 1948. Prior to independence, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal was a senior government position, equal in stature to the most senior Menteri Besar
among the states in the Federation of Malaya
. This changed after independence in 1957, when all the rulers became constitutional monarchs
under the federal and state constitutions.
(governors). His office is responsible for arranging the transportation of the rulers and governors from their respective states to the meeting venue. During special meetings of the Conference to elect a new Yang di-Pertuan Agong
, he is responsible for distributing and then counting the ballot papers, which are kept secret.
The second highest position in the Office of the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal is the Assistant Secretary of the Conference of Rulers, who assists in managing the Conference's meetings and elections.
Conference of Rulers
The Conference of Rulers in Malaysia is a council comprising the nine rulers of the Malay states, and the governors or Yang di-Pertua Negeri of the other four states...
. The Rulers' Seal is the symbol of the traditional authority of the royal institutions in Malaysia, namely the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
(Paramount Ruler) and the hereditary rulers of the states of Malaysia. The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal is the secretary to the Conference of Rulers and convenes the Conference three times a year, or at the request of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is appointed by the Conference as specified in the Constitution of Malaysia
Constitution of Malaysia
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia, which came into force in 1957, is the supreme law of Malaysia. The Federation was initially called the Federation of Malaya and it adopted its present name, Malaysia, when the States of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined the Federation...
.
His most publicly visible role is to announce the beginning of fasting
Sawm
Sawm is an Arabic word for fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means to abstain from eating, drinking , having sex and anything against Islamic law...
during the month of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
, and the dates of the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
religious holidays, Aidilfitri
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
and Aidiladha, in Malaysia.
History
The office of the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal was established in preparation for the first meeting of the Conference of RulersConference of Rulers
The Conference of Rulers in Malaysia is a council comprising the nine rulers of the Malay states, and the governors or Yang di-Pertua Negeri of the other four states...
on February 18, 1948. Prior to independence, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal was a senior government position, equal in stature to the most senior Menteri Besar
Menteri Besar
The Menteri Besar is the chief executive of the state government for states in Malaysia with hereditary rulers. For states without a monarch, the title Chief Minister is used...
among the states in the Federation of Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
. This changed after independence in 1957, when all the rulers became constitutional monarchs
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
under the federal and state constitutions.
Role
The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal's primary administrative responsibility is to convene the Conference of Rulers by serving notices to the nine hereditary rulers and four non-hereditary Yang di-Pertua NegeriYang di-Pertua Negeri
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is the official title of the ceremonial heads of state of the Malaysian states without hereditary rulers, namely Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak...
(governors). His office is responsible for arranging the transportation of the rulers and governors from their respective states to the meeting venue. During special meetings of the Conference to elect a new Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
, he is responsible for distributing and then counting the ballot papers, which are kept secret.
The second highest position in the Office of the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal is the Assistant Secretary of the Conference of Rulers, who assists in managing the Conference's meetings and elections.
List of Keepers of the Rulers' Seal
Listed below are Keepers of the Rulers' Seal from 1948 to present:| Holder | Keeper of the Rulers' Seal | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ayob Raja Bot | February 1948 | May 1948 |
| 2 | Muda Abdullah Nordin | June 1948 | December 1949 |
| 3 | Raja Shahar Shah Raja Haron | April 1949 | December 1949 |
| 4 | Tengku Husin Tengku Yahaya | January 1950 | May 1950 |
| 5 | Tunku Ya'acob Sultan Abdul Hamid | February 1954 | December 1955 |
| 6 | Mustafa Al-Bakri Hasan | January 1956 | August 1957 |
| 7 | Abdul Rahim Abdul Rauf | September 1957 | May 1963 |
| Acting | Tunku Shahriman Tunku Sulaiman | June 1963 | August 1963 |
| Acting | Aziz Zakaria | October 1963 | September 1963 |
| 8 | Ahmad Husin | October 1963 | September 1980 |
| 9 | Ahmad Zainal Abidin Muhammad Yusof | October 1980 | September 1988 |
| Acting | A. Rahim Kassim | October 1988 | December 1988 |
| 10 | Engku Ibrahim Engku Ngah | January 1989 | January 2011 |
| 11 | Syed Danial Syed Ahmad | January 2011 | present |
External links
- Pejabat Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-raja (Office of the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal)