Malaysia's new King Abdul Halim inspected an honor guard during the welcoming ceremony at Parliament Square in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. Mr. Halim, 84, the ruler of northern state of Kedah, took the oath of office to become Malaysia's 14th king, a largely ceremonial post.
Malaysia's outgoing King, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, saluted as Queen Nur Zahirah, stood beside him during his official farewell ceremony at Parliament Square in Kuala Lumpur on Monday after Malaysia's 13th king completed his reign. Under a system maintained since Malaysia's independence from Britain in 1957, nine hereditary state rulers take turns as the country's king for five-year terms.
The royal band played a song before the welcoming ceremony to honor the 14th king of Malaysia.
Malaysia's guard of honor stood at attention during the new king's official welcoming ceremony at Parliament Square in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, the 14th Malaysian king, previously served as the fifth king from 1970-75 and becomes the first person to hold the position twice. The appointment is rotated among nine of Malaysia's 13 states that have hereditary royal rulers.
An elephant led a farewell procession for the outgoing 13th king of Malaysia, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Queen Nur Zahirah, leading to the Bunga Raya Complex at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on Thursday.
Malaysia's new King Sultan Abdul Halim, front left, Queen Haminah stood on the red carpet during a welcoming ceremony at the Parliament Square on Tuesday. The 84-year-old sultan became the oldest constitutional monarch in Malaysia's history.