Analysis: Johor Sultan’s outspoken nature, ties with Singapore and China set to figure in his rule as Malaysia’s king
Political observers note how Malaysia’s next king has a reputation of speaking his mind on issues and policies and will not shy away from criticising the government.
Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor with the Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. (Photo: Facebook/Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar)
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KUALA LUMPUR: Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s forthright ways in voicing his opinions publicly on issues and policies could shine a spotlight on the dynamics between the national palace and the federal government when he becomes king, according to analysts CNA spoke to.
Political observers told CNA that one of the key attributes of Sultan Ibrahim, whom the national palace announced on Friday (Oct 27) as Malaysia’s new king from Jan 31 next year, is his willingness to express his thoughts on issues close to the heart of Malaysians.
They cited how he recently criticised the standards of low-cost housing in Johor, comparing them to chicken coops.
Sultan Ibrahim has also spoken out about slow COVID-19 vaccination rates in Johor, strict requirements for foreigners to purchase homes under the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme as well as warned lawmakers against making political manoeuvres that trigger political instability.
Analyst Azmi Hassan of the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research told CNA that it will be “fascinating” to watch how Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his government respond to similar criticisms should they arise, after Sultan Ibrahim ascends the throne next year.
Dr Azmi also cited how recently during a media interview, Sultan Ibrahim had lauded Mr Anwar’s anti-graft reforms and spoken positively of his relationship with the Pakatan Harapan coalition chief.
The sultan was quoted as saying in a report by The Star: “We have worked very well together. I would say it’s better than any other previous prime ministers.”
Dr Azmi said this was an indication that Sultan Ibrahim has confidence in Mr Anwar’s leadership in the federal government.
“I think this is a prime minister that Tuanku (Sultan Ibrahim) wants to work with,” said Dr Azmi.
“I think it will be a very interesting relationship and I think it will be good for the country because we have a king that really speaks out his mind but at the same time is willing to work alongside this prime minister,” said Dr Azmi.
He elaborated that having a king who is willing to speak on behalf of the people, and a leader like Mr Anwar who has shown that “he is keen to listen” are signs of “a strong partnership”.
Political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya echoed similar sentiments, and said that it will be “intriguing” to see how the federal government reacts when it receives feedback on certain matters by Sultan Ibrahim after he is installed as YDPA.
He cited how for instance Sultan Ibrahim’s comments on low-cost housing in Johor as well as on MM2H recently has prompted the federal government to take action.
In response to Sultan Ibrahim, Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming had pledged that his ministry was determined to address the living conditions of the houses and pledged to resolve the waste disposal issue in two days.
In his recent Budget speech, Mr Anwar also announced that the government is willing to loosen restrictions for MM2H so that more foreigners can purchase homes in Malaysia, potentially increasing investment into the country
“This is a sign that the Anwar government takes Tuanku's feedback very seriously,” said Assoc Prof Awang Azman.
“His Majesty has interest in these matters and when he becomes king, it is likely that his influence will be amplified further and he will speak out on issues impacting not just Johor but across the country," he added.
KING TO STAY NEUTRAL AND ABOVE POLITICS
Sultan Ibrahim was elected during the Conference of the Rulers on Friday, in which all nine sultans in the country voted on who will be the next head of state, also known as Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA).
The decision follows the established order of Malaysia’s unique rotational monarch system in which the nine rulers take turns to be the YDPA for five-year cycles.
Malaysia’s Constitution also states that the YDPA must remain neutral and above politics. The monarch’s role in Malaysia is also more symbolic and ceremonial, and on key political decisions he acts on the advice of the prime minister.
Constitutional lawyer Lim Wei Jiet told CNA that while the YDPA ought to maintain cordial relationship with the government of the day for the administration to run smoothly, he stressed that Sultan Ibrahim must remain neutral and above politics, as is his role as a monarch based on Malaysia’s Constitution.
However, as seen during the reign of the current king Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, the YDPA may be called upon to intervene during a period of political instability.
During his term, Sultan Abdullah has worked alongside four different prime ministers and appointed three of them to resolve political stalemates.
In his final parliamentary address in February, Sultan Abdullah outlined that he has been recorded in the country’s history to be the only ruler to have reigned over “four different prime ministers and four different Cabinets”, adding that four years of political turmoil could have been avoided if politicians could set aside differences.
Sultan Ibrahim, in his capacity as ruler of Johor, has also expressed his opinions on political instability at the federal level.
In April, amid reports of attempts by the Perikatan Nasional opposition coalition to remove Mr Anwar from his position by wooing Barisan Nasional MPs who did not support him, Sultan Ibrahim released a statement saying that these attempts were “not healthy for the entire nation, whether socially, economically or even our standing internationally.”
“Enough is enough. How much longer must the 30 over million people of our country endure this situation? The economy must recover and Malaysia’s prosperity must be prioritised,” he said.
Assoc Prof Awang Azman said that when installed as king, Sultan Ibrahim is likely to continue speaking out against attempts to disrupt political stability.
“When he becomes king, we can expect the Sultan of Johor to continue the message from the current king Sultan Abdullah, and call out any hanky panky attempts by politicians to create political strife,” he said.
Political analyst James Chin of the University of Tasmania told CNA that Sultan Ibrahim expresses such views as he is reflecting the concerns of the people.
He added that political stability is ultimately dependent on the performance of Mr Anwar’s government, and that the king must be impartial on the matter.
“If Anwar can serve the full five-year term as prime minister, then we don't need the King's discretion to select another prime minister.”
“I think most Malaysians are hoping that Anwar will stay for the full five years and that the king's role is basically ceremonial,” he added.
Five things to note about Sultan Ibrahim of Johor
- Sultan Ibrahim is of Malay-British descent: Sultan Ibrahim’s father was Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail, who served as Malaysia’s king between 1984 and 1989, and his mother was Brit woman Josephine Ruby Trevorrow. His parents had four children and divorced in 1962. Malaysia's current queen Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah is Sultan Ibrahim’s sister.
- Sultan Ibrahim has six children: The Johor ruler and his wife, Queen Raja Zarith Sofia, have six children - five boys and a girl. Their fourth eldest child Tunku Abdul Jalil died in 2015 after a battle with liver cancer. Their eldest son Tunku Ismail Idris is the crown prince of Johor. Their only daughter is Tunku Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. Their three other sons are Tunku Idris Iskandar, Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tunku Abu Bakar.
- He is military trained: According to a Bernama report, Sultan Ibrahim followed his father’s footsteps and received military training. He underwent airborne and ranger training for infantry officers including with the American Special Forces and Pathfinder where he performed 19 parachute jumps, of which eight were done at night. He also underwent helicopter pilot training with the air force and served a three-month stint with the navy.
- Sultan Ibrahim has various investment ventures: Local media reported that Sultan Ibrahim has a variety of investment and business ventures in Johor. This includes property developments such as the Country Garden projects in Danga Bay and Forest City, an oil and gas hub the Maharani Energy Gateway project off the coast of Muar as well as a stake with telecommunication firm REDtone.
- Passionate about cooking and cars: Sultan Ibrahim recently showcased his culinary skills when he posted a video on Facebook of himself preparing two dishes - Japanese curry and briyani lobster. He also has an extensive automobile collection and has been reported driving a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Hyundai IONIQ and a first-generation Proton Saga.
BOOSTING TIES WITH SINGAPORE, CHINA?
Analysts CNA spoke to added that Sultan Ibrahim’s friendly ties with the leaders of Singapore, with whom Johor shares borders, as well as world economic superpower China, could strengthen Malaysia’s relations with these countries.
Although the king must not intervene in diplomatic deals and negotiations directly, they said that Sultan Ibrahim could, through the use of soft power and personal relationships with these leaders, foster goodwill and open doors for warmer international ties.
Sultan Ibrahim has spoken about the special relationship shared between Johor and Singapore on multiple occasions, and these sentiments have been reciprocated by leaders from across the Causeway.
Earlier this month, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching hosted Sultan Ibrahim and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah for dinner at the Istana.
Mr Lee later said that the relationship between Singapore and Johor has grown under Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar’s “wise leadership”.
In a Facebook post after the dinner, Sultan Ibrahim said that both Singapore and Johor can work together to “produce win-win outcomes with tangible benefits for their people and businesses”.
On China, Sultan Ibrahim said in August during an interview with local daily Sin Chew that it was crucial for Malaysia to maintain friendly relations with the Asian superpower, describing it as a “good and reliable” investment partner.
Dr Azmi said that the Malaysian government can leverage Sultan Ibrahim’s “cordial relationship” with these countries to help strengthen diplomatic relations.
“I have confidence that with Sultan Ibrahim as king, the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Singapore and Malaysia and China will be better in time to come,” he added.
Assoc Prof Awang Azman said that Sultan Ibrahim’s special relationship with the likes of Singapore and China “will strengthen diplomatic ties” between these countries and Malaysia when he ascends the throne.
He also noted that the Johor ruler has investment partners with firms from China and Singapore.
“He is on friendly terms with key leaders (in Singapore and China), and he may use soft power to build rapport with his foreign counterparts. This can potentially ease the work of the federal government,” added Prof Awang Azman.
Political analyst James Chin, who is a Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania, said it is possible that Sultan Ibrahim will get an official invite from Singapore and China to visit these countries and meet their leaders soon after he is crowned.
Prof Chin noted that Sultan Ibrahim will fully understand that the role of the constitutional monarch is not to intervene in political relations as well as official foreign affairs matters.
“I think he knows that he's no longer just the Sultan of Johor, he's not speaking just on behalf of Johor. He's representing (the country) and his eight other brother Sultans so this is always a different ballgame,” he added.
