Johor council of royal court president Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Ramli holding up one of his five books that he has written at his office in Bukit Timbalan in Johor Baru. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
THE Johor Council of Royal Court, one of three bodies competent to advise Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, has been around since amendments to the state’s constitution was made about 63 years ago.
The council, comprising 14 members including two appointed members who are ex-officio, advises His Majesty and the royal family on matters that are personal to them, that are in line with the constitution.
Council president Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Ramli, 83, said that the council was formed after the amendments were made in 1957.
“The royal council is custodian of all orders and medals. We are also in charge of all ceremonies and protocols in the palace. In other words, from the day you’re born into the royal family until the day you die, the royal court looks after you,” he said, adding that the royal court usually gave advice on the appointment of the Tunku Mahkota, the appointment of the Regent and also types of titles to be given to his children.
Dr Abdul Rahim said that the three committed bodies that could advise the Sultan include the Mentri Besar and the state executive council, president and council of royal court and the pardons board.
“We (royal court) do not interfere in any decisions that is competently given by the Mentri Besar or the state executive councillors. We also do not interfere in the appointment of the Mentri Besar or appointment of certain officers.
“Also the granting of Datukship is the absolute discretion of the Sultan, nobody can interfere in that too.
“The good thing about Sultan Ibrahim is that whatever he wants to do, he always asks for opinion. Whether Tuanku accepts or not, it doesn’t matter, but most of the time Tuanku accepts it,” Dr Abdul Rahim said, adding that most members of the council were former government servants.
Dr Abdul Rahim, who himself was a former Johor state secretary who has served in the council for the past 31 years, said that when he was the state secretary, he was an ex-officio of the council.
“This means I can attend the meetings but I have no vote. Only after I quit as state secretary in 1993 I was made a full member of the council,” Dr Rahim said, adding that they were called many endearing names such as the inner circle and even hamba tua (old servants).
He said that the council members were all given honorary titles of Yang Berhormat, similar to the titles given by Almarhum Sultan Sir Abu Bakar Ibni Temenggong Tun Daeng Ibrahim to his Cabinet members in 1862.
Johor council of royal court president Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Ramli explaining about the functions and roles of the royal court to The Star's News Editor nelson benjamin at his office in Bukit Timbalan in Johor Baru. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
Asked as to whether the royal court will move to Kuala Lumpur once Sultan Ibrahim becomes King or continue to stay in Johor to assist the new Regent, Dr Abdul Rahim said that all that depended on His Majesty.
“Tuanku has expressed his desire that if he wants any advice, either we go up there or have an audience with him when he comes down to Johor.
“I’m sure we will continue to be in touch as he is still the Johor Ruler. We will continue to serve him,” he said, adding that they would also continue to serve the Regent as well.
Dr Abdul Rahim, who has served three Johor Sultans and two Kings including Sultan Ibrahim during his tenure in Johor, said that his main guiding principle was to serve with integrity, loyalty, to always be truthful and always remember Allah.
“I was born in a poor family about eight days after the Japanese landed in Malaya on Dec 16, 1941.
“It was a tough time as food was scarce but we never forgot the values instilled by our late parents,” he said, adding that he and his 12 siblings, who are all still around, were all close and united.
Asked about his past experience in the government service, Dr Abdul Rahim who has a Honours Degree in Economics said that he joined the Johor civil service as a young officer when he was 23 years old.
“I have served in various positions in the state but my work in the Johor palace started when I was made the steward in charge of carrying the silver salver where the speech text is placed during the reign of Sultan Ismail Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim.
“Prior to my appointment as state secretary at the age of 45, I was also the state financial officer under Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail,” he said, adding that he has known Sultan Ibrahim since he was eight years old.
Dr Abdul Rahim, who was forced to quit in 1993 after serving six years as state secretary, said that he had to leave due to the political manoeuvring and pressure from the government at that time.
“I had to leave because of my loyalty to the Johor ruler and the royal family. The final straw which led me to file for optional retirement was when I was instructed to return my official car JCS 1 and my children saw the car being towed away in the news on the television.
“It was a difficult and painful move as I had four more years to retire. But I have never regretted the move,” he said, adding that during that period, many of his friends had also abandoned him as they did not want to be associated with him.
Dr Abdul Rahim said that it was a dark period for the country at that time as it started with the sacking of the Lord President Tun Salleh Abas in 1988.
“It was a political plot to bring down and reduce the powers of the Rulers in 1992. For Johor they wanted to disband the Johor Military Forces (JMF), curb the Ruler’s expenses and then stopped public servants to have an audience or any connection with the royalty.
“They also wanted to restrict Johor royalty’s travel to Singapore by asking them to get customs and immigration clearances and stopped them from meeting the people,” he said, adding that as state secretary, he also found it difficult to even organise the Sultan’s birthday party.
He said that he resisted all this attempts against the Ruler as he had taken an oath of loyalty and talk was rife of attempts to remove or even arrest him.
(As a result of him tendering his resignation in 1993, Dr Abdul Rahim only gets 50% of the pension that he is entitled till this day.)
“I always believe in God and the silver lining that came about from that episode was that I learnt to do all my chores by myself including driving, paying bills and mowing the lawn,” he joked.
Dr Abdul Rahim credited the royal family for looking after him including being appointed as a full member of the Johor Royal Court and later on as its secretary.
“When Sultan Ibrahim was the Tunku Mahkota, he gave me moral support and came to the house every other weekend to personally talk to me and encourage me.
“When Tuanku became the Johor Ruler, he made me council president in 2014 and even renovated my old state secretary office in Bukit Timbalan and furnished it at his expense for me to be used as my office now,” he said, adding that His Majesty also gave him an official car.
Dr Abdul Rahim, who has written five books mostly on Johor’s history, the history of the royals, on protocols, on the culture of the palace and on ceremonies, hopes to impart his knowledge to the younger generation especially Bangsa Johor, to strengthen their beliefs and trust in the institution of royalty.
“So far I have helped organise six weddings and six funerals. But the biggest task was organising Sultan Ibrahim’s coronation in 2015, as we did not have a coronation for 52 years and could not refer to anyone who was still alive from the previous one.
“We had to plan the ceremony using documents, photographs and videos,” he said, adding that he also had to fly to London at least three times to refurbish the crown jewels.
Dr Abdul Rahim vividly remembers shedding a tear on the coronation day on March 23 as everything went smoothly.
“I felt a sense of accomplishment as I had completed the mission entrusted by the late Sultan Iskandar to lead his son (TMJ at that time in 1993) by the hand and to make sure he turns out to be a respectable Ruler,” he said, adding that it was an honour for him to serve the royal family.
On the royal family including the children, Dr Abdul Rahim who has two of his own kids, said that they were all humble and down-to-earth.
“In fact, there was one time when I attended a garden party, and a guest of foreign royalty asked me whether the Sultan and royal family walk around with no escort and mingle with the crowd freely,” he said, adding that this was the uniqueness of the Johor Royalty.
Dr Abdul Rahim is confident that His Majesty would be a fair king as it was inborn in him to look after the welfare of each citizen.
