He was the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the monarch and head of state of Malaysia from 13 December 2016 to his abdication on 6 January 2019, after his election on 14 October 2016 at the 243rd (special) Conference of Rulers.

[1] Kelantan was historically a powerful state with trade links with early Chinese, Indian and Siamese civilisations.

[citation needed] Four years later, he was overthrown by Long Yunus, an aristocratic warlord of Pattani origin, who seized the throne and proclaimed himself Raja of Kelantan.

[citation needed] In September 2010, Sultan Ismail Petra was constitutionally deposed by the State Succession Council in favour of his eldest son, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra (now the current sultan).

[citation needed] This was followed by several months of litigations made by lawyers acting on behalf of the former sultan.