The United States will hold a presidential election this fall. Did you know that Malaysia picks leaders in a different way? Malaysia has nine state rulers who take turns being king. They each serve for five years at a time. No other country in the world has a ruling system like that.

On Saturday, billionaire king Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar took the throne. He is the country’s 17th king. He promised to rule with justice. People watched the ceremony on TV. More than 700 guests attended the coronation. 

The king switcheroo began when Malaysia gained independence from Great Britain. That was in 1957. Malaysia has 13 states. But only nine have royal families. Some of these trace their roots to centuries-old Malay kingdoms. Those kingdoms were independent until the British brought them together. 

Sultan Ibrahim is one of the country’s richest men. He speaks out against corruption and treating people unjustly because of their skin color or ancestry.

What will the king do? Like kings in the United Kingdom, his role is mostly ceremonial. The nation’s prime minister and Parliament have the most real power. But all laws must have his approval. And the king’s political influence has grown in recent years. He helped choose the current prime minister.

Sultan Ibrahim takes trips on his motorbike each year to meet the people in his state. He makes no secret of his wealth. He has a fleet of jets, luxury cars and motorcycles, and a small private army.

His wife Raja Zarith Sofiah comes from another royal family. She has authored several children’s books. They have five sons and a daughter. 

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will. — Proverbs 21:1