TENGKU Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has begun chairing a special meeting of the Pahang royal household following the resignation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong five days ago.

“Pray for the best,” the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang told reporters as he walked into the room to chair the meeting today at a hotel in the state capital.

Though it has never been publicly acknowledged the meeting is to discuss the possible abdication of ailing Pahang ruler Sultan Ahmad Shah, 88.

After the Kelantan sultan, the next in line in the rotation of the nine Malay rulers are the Pahang sultan, Johor sultan and Perak sultan respectively.

However, Tengku Abdullah can only be installed as next Agong if he was proclaimed the ruler of Pahang.

The meeting began after the newly appointed Pahang state secretary Sallehuddin Ishak received his appointment letter.

The former Land and Mines Department director-general took over as state secretary on January 7 and the Tengku Mahkota administered the oath of office on him before the meeting could begin.

Among the members of the state’s royal council seen entering the room were Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and former prime minister Najib Razak.

Najib sits on the council as Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar, which is a nobility title of the Pahang Sultanate and among the four highest ranking nobles below the Sultan in the palace.

The Malay rulers will meet on January 24 to pick the next Agong and his deputy.

They will meet again on January 31 to administer the oath of office on the newly elected King and his deputy. – January 11, 2019.