Malaysian order of precedence

The Malaysian order of precedence is a hierarchy of important positions within the Government of Malaysia. It has no legal standing but is used by ceremonial protocol. The order of precedence is determined by the Federal Order of Precedence issued by the Prime Minister's Department. The latest one was issued on 13 November 2014.[1] Unless otherwise noted, precedence among persons of equal rank is determined by seniority. As a general rule, spouses share the same rank with another and a person with two positions will take the highest one.

Details

The following lists precedence of offices and their holders since 16 August 2020.

Colour legend
Heads and deputy heads of states
Members of the Federal and State Administrations
Members of the Federal and State Legislatures
Members of the Judiciary
Diplomats
Civil service, military and police members
Others

Rank	Position	Incumbent (as of 16 August 2020)
1	Yang di-Pertuan Agong	Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin al-Mustafa Billah Shah (31 January 2019)
2	Raja Permaisuri Agong	Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah (31 January 2019)
3	Rulers and Regents of royal States	Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu (15 May 1998) Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin of Perlis (17 April 2000) Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor (22 November 2001) Tuanku Muhriz of Negeri Sembilan (29 December 2008) Sultan Ibrahim of Johor (23 January 2010) Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan (13 September 2010) Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah of Perak (29 May 2014) Sultan Sallehuddin of Kedah (12 September 2017) Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin al-Mustafa Billah Shah of Pahang (15 January 2019) (appears above as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong)
4	Governors of non-royal States	Abdul Rahman Abbas, Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang (1 May 2001) Juhar Mahiruddin, Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah (1 January 2011) Abdul Taib Mahmud, Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak (1 March 2014) Mohd. Ali Mohd. Rustam, Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Melaka (4 June 2020)
5	Former Raja Permaisuri Agong receiving Royal pension from the Federal Government[N 1]	Permaisuri Siti Aishah of Selangor
6	Prime Minister	Muhyiddin Yassin MP MLA
7	Deputy Prime Minister	Vacant
7A	Heirs to the Thrones of royal States	Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, Raja Muda of Perlis (1 August 2000) Tengku Amir Shah, Raja Muda of Selangor (3 May 2002) Tengku Muhammad Ismail, Yang di-Pertuan Muda of Terengganu (12 January 2006) Tunku Ismail, Tunku Mahkota of Johor (23 January 2010) (appears right after the Regent of Pahang as the Regent of Johor) Dr. Tengku Muhammad Faiz Petra, Tengku Makhota of Kelantan (18 October 2010) Raja Jaafar, Raja Muda of Perak (20 June 2014) Tunku Sarafuddin Badlishah, Raja Muda of Kedah (26 November 2017) Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, Tengku Mahkota of Pahang (29 January 2019) (appears right after the Sultan of Kedah as the Regent of Pahang)
8	Members of the Most Exalted Order of the Crown of the Realm (DMN)[N 2]	Refer here
9	Grand Commanders of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (SMN)[N 2]	Refer here
10	Former Prime Ministers	By departure from office: Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (3 April 2009) Mohd. Najib Abdul Razak MP (10 May 2018) Dr. Mahathir Mohamad MP (29 February 2020) (appears above Abdullah as he was made an SMN on 31 October 2003)
11	Former Deputy Prime Ministers	By departure from office: Musa Hitam (10 May 1986) Anwar Ibrahim MP (2 September 1998) Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi MP (10 May 2018) Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail MP (24 February 2020) (appears above as Anwar's wife)
12	Grand Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM)[N 2]	Refer here
12A	Ruling Chiefs of Negeri Sembilan	According to the State Constitution: Mubarak Dohak, Undang Luak of Sungai Ujong Maarof Mohd. Rashad, Undang Luak of Jelebu Muhammed Abdullah, Undang Luak of Johol Muhammad Sharip Othman, Undang Luak of Rembau Tunku Syed Razman, Tunku Besar of Tampin
13	Chief Justice of the Federal Court	Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat
14	President of the Senate	Vacant
15	Speaker of the House of Representatives	Azhar Azizan Harun
16	Ministers[N 3]	Refer here
17	Chief Secretary to the Government	Mohd. Zuki Ali
17A	Heads of State Governments[N 4]	Refer here
18	President of the Court of Appeal	Justice Rohana Yusof
19	Chief Judge of Malaya	Justice Azahar Mohamed
20	Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak	Justice Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim
21	Attorney-General	Idrus Harun
22	Chief of Defence Forces	Air Force General Affendi Buang
23	Inspector-General of Police	Abdul Hamid Bador
24	Director-General of Public Service	Mohd. Khairul Adib Abdul Rahman
25	Auditor General	Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid
26	Chief Justice of the Syariah Court	Justice Dr. Mohd. Na'im Mokhtar
27	Deputy President of the Senate	Senator Abdul Halim Abdul Samad
28	Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives	Mohd. Rashid Hasnon MP Azalina Othman Said MP
29	Leader of the Opposition	Anwar Ibrahim MP
30	Deputy Ministers[N 3]	Refer here
31	Heads of Diplomatic Missions[N 5]	Refer here
32	Justices of the Federal Court	Refer here
33	Judges of the Court of Appeal	Refer here
34	Parliamentary Secretaries[N 3]	None
35	Commanders of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (PMN)[N 2]	Refer here
36	Premier Grade 1 and 2 officers[N 6]	Refer here
37	Chairman of Government Official Ceremonies[N 7]	Mohd. Sallehuddin Hassan
38	Secretaries-General of Federal Ministries and Directors-General of Federal Agencies[N 6][N 8][2]	Refer here
39	Premier Grade 3 officers[N 6]	Refer here
40	Chairpersons of Commissions established under the Federal Constitution[N 9]	Vacant, Chairman of Election Commission Zainal Rahim Seman, Chairman of Public Services Commission Dr. Haili Dolhan, Chairman of Education Service Commission
41	Judges of the High Courts and Judicial Commissioners	Refer here for Judges of the High Courts or here for Judicial Commissioners
42	Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM)[N 2]	Refer here
43	Governor of the Central Bank	Nor Shamsiah Mohd. Yunus
44	Keeper of the Rulers' Seal	Syed Danial Syed Ahmad
45	Grand Chamberlain	Azuan Effendy Zarakithnaini
46	Royal Professor	Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid[N 10]
46A	Deputy Heads of State Governments	By seniority of Heads of State Governments: Douglas Uggah Embas MLA (Sarawak) Dr. James Jemut Masing MLA (Sarawak) Awang Tengah Ali Hassan MLA (Sarawak) Mohd. Amar Nik Abdullah MLA (Kelantan) Wilfred Madius Tangau MP (Sabah) Christina Liew Chin Jin MP MLA (Sabah) Jaujan Sambakong MLA (Sabah) Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman MLA (Penang) Dr. Ramasamy Palanisamy MLA (Penang)
46B	Speakers of the State Legislative Assemblies	By seniority of Heads of State Governments: Mohd. Asfia Awang Nassar (Sarawak) Abdullah Yakub (Kelantan) Hamdan Bahari (Perlis) Yahaya Ali (Terengganu) Ahmad Kassim (Kedah) Ab. Rauf Yusoh (Melaka) Suhaizan Kayat MLA (Johor) Mohammad Zahir Abdul Khalid (Perak) Syed Abas Syed Ali (Sabah) Zulkefly Mohamad Omar (Negeri Sembilan) Law Choo Kiang MLA (Penang) Ishak Muhammad (Pahang) Ng Suee Lim MLA (Selangor)
47	Senators[N 11]	Refer to the Parliament
48	Members of the House of Representatives[N 11]	Refer to the Parliament
49	Judges of the Syariah Court of Appeal	At federal level: Justice Mohd. Amran Mat Zain Justice Mohd. Shukor Sabudin Justice Mohd. Radzi Abdul Latif Justice Jasri Matjakir Justice Mohamad Shakir Abdul Hamid Justice Othman Ibrahim At state level, refer to the respective State Syariah Judiciary Department
50	Chief of Army	General Zamrose Mohd. Zain
51	Chief of Navy	Admiral Mohd. Reza Mohd. Sany
52	Chief of Air Force	General Ackbal Abdul Samad
53	Deputy Inspector-General of Police	Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani
54	Commanders of the Order of Meritorious Service (PJN)[N 2]	Refer here
55	Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia (PSD)[N 2]	Refer here
56	Super Grade A officers[N 6]	Refer here
57	Vice Chancellors of Public Universities	Refer here
57A	Ministers of State (of Sabah and Sarawak) and Members of the State Executive Councils (of other states)	Refer to the respective State Government
58	Super Grade B officers[N 6]	Refer here
58A	Recipient of National Fellowship Award[N 12]	None
59	United Nations Resident Representative	Stefan Priesner
60	Super Grade C officers[N 6]	Refer here
60A	Members of State Legislative Assemblies[N 13]	Refer to the respective State Government
61	Companions of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (JMN)[N 2]	Refer here
62	Companions of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (JSM)[N 2]	Refer here
63	Companions of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia (JSD)[N 2]	Refer here
64	Grade 54 officers[N 6]
65	Political Secretaries[N 14]	Refer here
66	Grade 52 officers[N 6]
67	Consul-general of countries without diplomatic representation in Malaysia[N 5]	Refer here

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of Malaysia
• List of post-nominal letters#Malaysia

Footnotes

1. Only the former Raja Permaisuri Agong whose husband died during his term of office as Yang di-Pertuan Agong deserves this position and receives Royal Pension from the Federal Government. Those whose husbands died after being the Yang di-Pertuan Agong do not deserve this position and will therefore receive Royal Pension from their respective State Government.
2. Precedence is determined by date of investiture. Substantive members take precedence over honorary members.
3. Precedence is determined by the Prime Minister's Department.
4. In the presence of heads of states, their precedence is determined by heads of states' seniority. Otherwise, their precedence is determined by assumption of office.
5. Precedence is determined by diplomatic rank and assumption of office. Substantive heads of missions take precedence over acting heads of missions.
6. Equivalent military and police officers as well as equivalent chairpersons, chief executives and general managers of federal statutory bodies are included. Precedence is determined by date of appointment. Substantive officers takes precedence over acting officers. Permanent officers takes precedence over contractual and temporary officers.
7. By tradition, Chairman of Government Official Ceremonies is the Senior Deputy Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Department.
8. Directors-General of Federal Agencies refer to those of Economic Planning Unit (of Ministry of Economic Affairs), Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (of Ministry of Communication and Multimedia) and Implementation Coordination Unit (of Prime Minister's Department).
9. Commissions established under the Federal Constitution are Election Commission, Judicial and Legal Service Commission, Public Services Commission, Police Force Commission and Education Service Commission. Chairman of Judicial and Legal Service Commission is that of Public Services Commission. Chairman of Police Force Commission is Minister of Home Affairs.
10. He is also National Academic of the Year, 2006.
11. Precedence is determined by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
12. National Fellowship Awards ceased to exist.
13. In Sabah and Sarawak, Assistant Ministers of State take precedence over all other members of the State Legislative Assembly whose precedence is determined by the respective State Government. In other states, precedence is determined by the State Government.
14. Precedence is determined by Ministers' seniority.

References

1. "Federal Order of Precedence" (PDF). Attorney-General's Chamber of Malaysia. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
2. "Susunan Keutamaan Persekutuan" (PDF). Bahagian Istiadat dan Urusetia Persidangan Antarabangsa, Jabatan Perdana Menteri (in Malay). 16 March 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2018.