Malaysia's nine traditional rulers on Tuesday (Oct 11) began a three-day meeting in Kuala Lumpur to discuss, among other things, who the next King or Yang Di Pertuan Agong will be.

The five-year reign of the present King Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah from the state of Kedah, comes to an end in December.

Malaysia has a constitutional monarchy that is steeped in royal traditions.

While the federal constitution provides the basic rules for succession, the conference of rulers has the final say, guided by decades-old conventions and practices.

The nine Malay rulers have developed a system of sharing the federal throne.

They take turns every five years so that everyone can occupy the federal throne at least once.

The Sultan of Kelantan is next in line for the federal throne but there are some factors weighing against him.

47-year-old Muhammad V, formerly known as Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra, was crowned Sultan of Kelantan in 2010 after his father was removed due to disability.

By convention, if there is a change in state ruler due to death, removal or resignation, the state is transferred to the bottom of the succession list.

The king is also usually required to be married but the Sultan is now a bachelor after his divorced.

If the Kelantan Sultan is disqualified, the Sultan of Pahang is next in line.

Sultan Ahmad Shah is 85 years old and reigned once before between 1979 and 1984.