Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin – Malaysia’s 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin (born 22 January 1962) is the 17th Sultan of Terengganu and the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional head of state of Malaysia.

Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin was born at Istana Maziah in Kuala Terengganu, the eldest son of Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah by his second wife, Sharifa Nong Fatima. Sharifa’s family is of Arab descent, from Syed Omar Aljunied, one of the modern pioneers of Singapore.

Tuanku Mizan became the youngest ruler of a Malaysian federal state when he was appointed as the Sultan of Terengganu on 15 May 1998 following the death of his father, Sultan Mahmud. Sultan Mizan was crowned as the 17th Sultan of Terengganu on 4 March 1999.

On 3 November 2006, Sultan Mizan was elected by the Conference of Rulers to become the 13th YDPA, with his five-year term starting 13 December 2006. The Conference of Rulers appointed Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah as the Deputy YDPA. Mizan’s appointment was the fourth following a second rotation system amongst the nine Malay Rulers. This five-year rotational constitutional monarchy is unique to Malaysia.