On good authority: (From left) Khairy and Shahril interviewing Tunku Ismail during the podcast.
JOHOR BARU: The welfare of Malaysians in general will become the utmost priority when Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar assumes the role of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong next year, says his son.
Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will also be having a “tough time” as his father is more hands-on in his approach to work.
This is based on what has been practised by the Johor Sultan with the Johor government, where any decision made by the Johor Mentri Besar must first be presented to His Majesty for approval, he added.
“He is very clear about his agenda, and I am sure that he will share his thoughts and views with the Prime Minister. I think it will be a very interesting time.
“When it comes to the national best interest, he will be a ‘no-nonsense Agong’ – he is strict but very understanding.
“Whatever is good for the country, he will hold on to that principle,” he said during the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast hosted by former Umno leaders Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan that was uploaded on YouTube on Sunday.
The Johor crown prince, popularly known as TMJ, added that being quite hands-on, his father will have constant communications with the Prime Minister to share input on what he thinks is right and what is not.
“This includes what they (the government) should execute rather than just make plans.
“His approach is not based on optics; he is more on getting the job done, just like what we have practised in Johor, where we execute the plans that we have and the Prime Minister is going to have a tough time,” he said.
Sultan Ibrahim, said Tunku Ismail, is also a detail-oriented person who has a vast knowledge of various topics including agriculture, development and military equipment, and “knows the system of the government very well”.
Last Friday, at a special meeting of the Conference of Rulers held at Istana Negara, Sultan Ibrahim, 65, was unanimously elected to become the 17th King of Malaysia.
His tenure will begin on Jan 31, 2024, succeeding the current King, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, the Sultan of Pahang, whose five-year term will officially end the day before.
