Section 3

Yang di-Pertuan Agong or to the illness or absence from Malaysia for a period expected to exceed fifteen days of the Timbalan

Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or to any other cause, the Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong cannot exercise the sovereign functions in cases where under Clause (1) of Article 33 of the Federal Constitution those functions would fall to be exercised by him, then such functions shall fall to be exercised by the Ruler whose State is first on the list maintained under section 4 of the Third Schedule to the Federal

Constitution if he is able and willing to exercise such functions or, if such Ruler is not so able and willing, then by the first of the Rulers next after him (according to the order in which their

States appear on such list) who is so able and willing.