Malaysia crowns new king

Malaysia enthroned 59-year-old Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah as the nation’s new king. He replaces the previous monarch, Sultan Muhammad V, who shocked the country in December 2018 with his sudden abdication after ascending to the throne two years ago. His historic step-down followed reports that he had married a Russian former beauty queen.
Malaysia’s nine Islamic royalty rotate the throne every five years. The new king, from the central state of Pahang, was selected by a “Conference of Rulers” in January 2019. The sport-loving Sultan Abdullah holds a number of positions on sporting bodies, including the council of the world football governing body Fifa and the Asian Hockey Association.