84-year-old Sultan becomes Malaysia's oldest King

Malaysia's new king, an 84-year-old state sultan, ascended the throne on Tuesday Dec 13,2011 becoming the oldest constitutional monarch in the Southeast Asian nation's history.
Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah took his oath of office in a nationally televised ceremony attended by hundreds of dignitaries at a glittering yellow hall in Malaysia's new federal palace.
Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shahsucceeds Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, 49, who was one of Malaysia's youngest kings.
 

Sultan Abdul Halim, an avid golfer and sports fan, is the constitutional ruler of Malaysia's northern Kedah state, nicknamed the country's rice bowl because of its vast paddy fields.
Besides being Malaysia's 14th and oldest king, Sultan Abdul Halim is the first to ascend the throne twice. He was also king between 1970 and 1975.

 

Under a unique system maintained since Malaysia's independence from Britain in 1957, 9  hereditary state rulers take turns as the country's king for 5 year terms.