Malaysia’s next king Sultan Ibrahim set to give PM Anwar ‘a tough time’ with his ‘hands-on’ approach
- Sultan Ibrahim previously made headlines over his business deals, including the controversial Chinese-linked Forest City project in Johor
- The monarchy has exerted far greater influence in the political and other domains in recent years, according to a constitutional expert
Malaysians can look forward to “a hands-on king” in new monarch Sultan Ibrahim of Johor once he takes over from Sultan Abdullah of Pahang, his brother-in-law whose five-year reign ends at the end of January.
That description came from his son, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who spoke during a podcast hosted by former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on Sunday, following the National Palace’s promulgation on Sultan Ibrahim’s imminent ascension as the 17th Yang di Pertuan Agong – or king.
Malaysia is a federation of 13 states. Nine of these have royal courts dating back centuries, headed by male, Malay-Muslim monarchs who take turns every five years serving as the country’s head of state.
Describing his father as a no-nonsense figure “when it comes to the national interest”, Tunku Ismail said Sultan Ibrahim would carry on with how he reigns over the state of Johor, where he already personally scrutinises every decision made by the chief minister.
“[The chief minister would] come in for an audience, brief [the Sultan] where his majesty would then give his honest opinion,” said Tunku Ismail on how the government operates in Johor. “The prime minister is going to have a tough time.”
Sultan Ibrahim will be the second sultan of Johor to be appointed Yang di Pertuan Agong. His father Sultan Iskandar served in that position from 1984 to 1989.
His great-grandfather, the previous Sultan Ibrahim, declined the offer to be Malaysia’s first king in 1957 despite being the most senior monarch at the time.