Malaysia’s King Abdicates After Two Years on Throne

Malaysia’s King Abdicates After Two Years on Throne
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (L) shakes hand with Malaysia's King Muhammad V after a state welcome ceremony at the Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Oct. 16, 2017. Lai Seng Sin/Reuters
Reuters
Updated:

KUALA LUMPUR—Malaysia’s King Muhammad V abdicated on June. 6, the palace said, after two years on the throne, the first time a monarch has stepped down before completing their five-year tenure.

The king’s resignation took effect immediately, the National Palace said in a statement. No reason was given and palace officials did not respond to requests for comment.