Black Rod 1350 by royal letters patent, though the current title dates from 1522. The position was adopted by other members of the Commonwealth when they adopted the British Westminster system. The title is derived from the staff of office, an ebony staff topped with a golden lion, which is the main symbol of the office's authority. A ceremonial rod or staff is a common type of symbol indicating the authority of the office-holder. Depictions of ancient authority figures in many cultures include such a rod (alternatively called a sceptre). Another early example was the fasces (literally a bound bundle of rods)
Conference of Rulers is accompanied by the Prime Minister. Every meeting of the Conference is chaired by one of the nine Malay rulers, who is appointed rotationally. The National Library has called the Conference of Rulers "the supreme institution in the country", which would mean even Parliament is subordinate to it. However, its role is "de facto" largely symbolic, as even the election of the "Yang di-Pertuan Agong" generally follows a fixed order based on the seniority of the Malay rulers at the time of independence in 1957. In policy-making, if the Conference of Rulers is involved, the "Yang di-Pertuan Agong" is constitutionally