7 January
Malaysia's King Muhammad V abdicated on Sunday before completing his five-year tenure.
The palace made the announcement on Sunday.
A Malaysian king plays a largely ceremonial role, including presiding over a ceremony to inaugurate a prime minister.
A monarch is selected every five years by an internal vote among nine sultans based in nine of the 13 states.
The 15th King Muhammad V was on the throne for the first two years of his five-year tenure that started in December 2016.
Local media say he is the first-ever Malaysian monarch to abdicate before the end of his term.
The Palace has not explained the reasons for his sudden abdication.
Malaysian media say the king reportedly married a 25-year-old woman, who is said to be a former Miss Moscow, while spending two months on medical leave from last November.
NHK
