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Greetings from our blog! Today, we examine the life and reign of Sultan Ibrahim, the 17th ruler of Malaysia, delving into the intriguing realm of Malaysian royalty. A self-made billionaire, Sultan Ibrahim assumed the esteemed position of head of state under the peculiar rotating monarchy system. Come along as we explore the fascinating backstory of this significant individual and learn more about how Malaysia’s long history has been shaped by the monarchy.
The 17th king of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim, a billionaire, was sworn in under the rotating monarchy system.
Malaysia Under a peculiar rotating monarchy system, the millionaire sultan who governs Malaysia’s Johor state was sworn in as the country’s new king on Wednesday.
The 65-year-old Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar took the oath of office and signed the proclamation of office document in the palace in front of other royal families, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and Cabinet members. Later on, there will be a coronation ceremony.
Sultan Ibrahim, one of the richest men in the nation, is the owner of a vast corporate empire that includes telecoms, power plants, and real estate. Given their intimate relationship, the frank monarch’s reign may help Anwar’s unity government, which is up against fierce Islamic resistance.
Since Malaysia earned independence from Britain in 1957, nine different ethnic Malay state rulers have alternated as kings for five-year periods under the only system of its kind in the world. Only nine of Malaysia’s thirteen states are home to royal families, some of which may be traced back to ancient Malay kingdoms that existed as sovereign entities for decades before the British united them.
A predetermined rotation order meant that the elevation of Sultan Ibrahim to the national throne by his other kings in October was generally anticipated. The next-in-line king and ruler of the state of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, was reelected as deputy king.
The monarch, also known as He Who is Made Lord or Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, is mostly a ceremonial figure; the prime minister and Parliament hold administrative authority. The king is revered as the defender of Islam and Malay tradition and serves as the formal head of state and military. His approval is needed for all laws, Cabinet appointments, and the dissolution of Parliament to hold general elections. The king is able to declare a state of emergency and grant offenders pardons.
Sultan Ibrahim of Pahang state succeeded Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who oversaw a turbulent time marked by political unrest and COVID-19 lockdowns.
The king’s political power has increased recently. Prior to 2022, Sultan Abdullah used his influence to choose Anwar as prime minister in the event that a hung parliament resulted from the general elections.
Sultan Ibrahim has stated that he will continue to take an active role. In an interview that was published in the Singapore Straits Times last month, he stated that he would prefer to battle corruption and strengthen national unity rather than squander five years as a “puppet king” on the throne. In addition, the sultan and other leaders have called for political stability and cautioned against any moves by the opposition to overthrow Anwar’s administration.
Sultan Ibrahim, whose mother is English, is also outspoken when it comes to welfare concerns and travels his motorcycle statewide every year to visit locals.
He has also disclosed his fortune without hiding it. Earlier on Wednesday, the sultan took his own aircraft, a gold-and-blue Boeing 737, from Johor to Kuala Lumpur. In addition to his fleet of planes, he owns houses overseas and a sizable collection of automobiles and motorbikes. It was agreed upon for Sultan Ibrahim to be the sole king with a private army in order for the realm to become a part of modern-day Malaysia.
Concerns about a potential conflict of interest have been raised by Sultan Ibrahim’s significant corporate prominence, which includes a stake in the multibillion-dollar Forest City development project in Johor with China’s troubled developer Country Garden. He stated to the Singapore Straits Times that he intends to support the problematic Forest City project and bring back the high-speed rail link with Singapore.
The sultan, however, has defended his commercial activities. He joked in 2015 that he needed to “earn a living, like ordinary Malaysians,” as he couldn’t live off of his state grant of 27,000 ringgit ($5,700) each month.
Another royal family member, his wife Raja Zarith Sofiah, is a prolific writer with several children’s books published. She graduated from Oxford. They have a daughter and five sons.
