Five things about Malaysia’s new king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar
JOHOR ruler Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar ascends the throne as Malaysia’s 17th king – or Yang di-Pertuan Agong – on Wednesday (Jan 31).
The 65-year-old was elected by a council of state sovereigns last October, and replaces the outgoing King Al-Sultan Abdullah, who was crowned in 2019. Malaysia’s unique system sees the heads of nine royal families – sultans of nine of its 13 states – take turns to be king for a five-year term.
Many believe Sultan Ibrahim, the outspoken ruler of Malaysia’s southernmost state since 2015, will play a key role as a stabiliser of the country’s politics and a voice for the people.
Here are five interesting things about Malaysia’s new king:
1. A descendant of Malay-British parents
Born in 1958, Sultan Ibrahim is of Malay-British descent. His father, Sultan Iskandar Ismail, led Johor from 1981 until his death in 2010.
Sultan Ibrahim’s mother is Josephine Ruby Trevorrow, whom Sultan Iskandar met while he was studying in Britain. They had four children.
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Sultan Ibrahim is married to Raja Zarith Sofiah, a member of Perak’s royal family; they have a daughter and five sons, including Tunku Ismail, who was appointed as the Regent of Johor earlier this week.
Sultan Ibrahim attended military school in the US, and is a fully trained army, navy and air force officer. He is also the only Malaysian sultan with a private army.
2. Expansive involvement in business, one of Malaysia’s richest men
The Johor royal family is actively involved in various business ventures, including a partnership with Chinese property developer Country Garden on the US$100 billion Forest City project.
Sultan Ibrahim has defended his involvement in business, explaining that he “has to earn a living like everyone else” and cannot rely solely on his monthly allowance of RM27,000 (S$7,649).
The Johor royal family’s assets are worth at least US$5.7 billion, according to estimates by Bloomberg. These include a piece of land in Tyersall Park in Singapore worth around US$4 billion, investments in private and public companies worth around US$588 million, and other investment portfolios worth US$1.1 billion from real estate.
The Johor ruler is the second-largest shareholder of Berjaya Assets. He also holds a 17.3 per cent share in Redtone Digital, a telecommunications and digital infrastructure service provider.
3. A business-minded leader keen to drive the state’s economy
Sultan Ibrahim is known as a hands-on ruler. The state’s chief ministers are required to seek his advice on any major decision before the state government proceeds with its plans.
He has called on the federal government to focus on driving mega-infrastructure development that could benefit the state and country.
Some of the projects he has been pushing are the revival of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project, and potential activities in the troubled Forest City development.
The HSR, which was terminated in 2021, has been back on the discussion table since Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim entered office in 2022.
MyHSR Corporation, the government’s project delivery vehicle for the HSR, earlier revealed that seven local and international consortia, comprising 31 companies, submitted their concept proposals to revive the project.
Among the companies was Berjaya Rail, a unit of Berjaya Land, which teamed up with a group of Malaysian and foreign companies including Malaysian Resources and IJM. Sultan Ibrahim’s daughter, Tun Aminah, is chairperson of Berjaya Rail and Berjaya Corp, a conglomerate controlled by Malaysian tycoon Vincent Tan.
4. An outspoken leader who wants political stability
The Johor ruler’s direct and outspoken approach in publicly expressing his views on matters and policies could draw attention to the intricate interactions between the national palace and the federal government.
Last year, he released a strongly worded statement, asserting that the manoeuvres by opposition leaders to disband the unity government alliance between Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional – in an effort to remove Anwar – were harmful to the nation’s welfare.
“Enough is enough,” he said. “How much longer must the over 30 million people in our country endure this situation? The economy must recover and Malaysia’s prosperity must be prioritised.”
In a December interview, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his wish for the country’s anti-graft agency and state-owned oil and gas company, Petronas, to report directly to him rather than to the parliament.
To better understand the situation in Johor, he initiated the annual Kembara Mahkota Johor programme, under which he tours the state’s rural areas.
5. An avid car lover
Being a car enthusiast, Sultan Ibrahim has an impressive collection, from an Optimus Prime-inspired Mack Truck to a three-wheeler vintage car, as well as a wooden car inspired by The Flintstones.
His fascination with cars extends to active involvement in motorsports, playing a role in the continued promotion and advancement of the automotive industry in Johor.
Sultan Ibrahim is also the first Malay ruler to have a licence to drive a locomotive.
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