A Sociological Analysis of the Malay Sultanate in Malaysia

The institution of the Malay Sultanate has existed in the Malay states' social system for centuries and is directly involved in government. According to this royal system, the king has absolute power in government. However, after the British colonization, the Sultan had to receive advice from the residents except in matters concerning Islam and Malay customs. History proves that in half the country, the throne has been removed from the palace and placed in a museum to be used as historical and cultural material. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, there were more than 900 thrones in the world, but this number declined to 240 in the twentieth century. While in 1993 there were only 26 kings who were enthroned and 6 of them were kings or absolute monarchies. In Malaysia, the Institution of the Malay Sultanate remains within the Constitutional Monarch's framework. Issues such as the king's immunity, the king's personality, interference outside of the jury section in national administration, the role of checks and balances, political stabilizers, and pillars of unity began to emerge after the 1990s until now. Based on the study, the community has received the Malay Sultanate Institution well. For the Malays, as well as the Chinese, and Indians as well as the bumiputras of Sabah and Sarawak, the tradition of royal rule has been a practice since the time of the Malay Sultanate of Malacca. The Malay Sultanate is an important element in Malaysia as a symbol of unity and a pillar of justice in society. However, continuous efforts need to be taken to ensure that the Institution of the Malay Sultanate continues to be relevant over time. This is due to the current pattern showing that monarchical institutions around the world are shrinking their role due to the development of democracy which emphasizes the power of the people. Various parties such as the government, NGOs, the community, individuals, and private parties, need to improve the program of the Institution of the Malay Sultanate, especially the role of the royal institution in Malaysia through debate competitions, essay writing, forums, and so on. Through this method, the people will support the Sultanate of Malaya and continue to accept it in the future and with time.