Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar waving to the crowd during the annual Johor Chingay procession in Johor Baru held on Feb 11, 2023.
JOHOR Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has been known to be one of the few leaders who never shies away from speaking his mind, especially when it comes to the welfare of his subjects.
Since ascending the throne in 2010, Sultan Ibrahim has had no qualms about voicing his opinions or displeasure on various issues, including reprimanding politicians who sow distrust and disunity among the people.
In 2017, the Johor Sultan ordered a controversial launderette in Muar to immediately stop its discriminatory practice of only allowing Muslims to use its facilities, or risk being shut down by the Ruler himself.
The Johor Ruler has also slammed a former Cabinet minister for giving a ceramah at a mosque, stressing political elements were barred at all mosques in the state.
Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar was awarded an honorary PhD in mechanical engineering technology by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia in December 2023. With him is Permaisuri Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah.
Last year, following allegations that only Muslim students from an all-girls school were invited to an SPM workshop held in a hotel in Johor Baru, Sultan Ibrahim decreed no one should be left out of any public programme because of their race or religion.
The Ruler has also been using Facebook, which currently has over 1.1 million followers on its official page, to post his thoughts and comments.
Social media has also been Sultan Ibrahim’s preferred communication platform on several occasions to express displeasure over cleanliness and environmental matters – issues close to His Majesty’s heart.
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Sultan Ibrahim appealed to his subjects to keep calm and adhere to advice and follow the standard operating procedure set by the Health Ministry.
Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar shaking hands with Singapore Prime Minsiter Lee Hsien Loong at Istana Singapore during His Majesty's official visit in October 2023. Looking on are Permaisuri Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah and Lee's wife Ho Ching. The royals were hosted to a private dinner at the Istana.
Sultan Ibrahim called upon the people to band together to curb the spread of the virus and stop the spread of fake news. Sultan Ibrahim also directed teachers to get vaccinated so they do not spread the virus to their students.
The Ruler is also a firm believer in Bangsa Johor, a concept aimed at promoting greater unity among people in the state.
Sultan Ibrahim places emphasis on racial unity and wants representation from Malay, Chinese and Indian NGOs in the committee to provide feedback and input on the annual Kembara Mahkota Johor expedition.
Despite His Majesty’s sternness, Sultan Ibrahim is also known as a compassionate Ruler who is well loved and respected by his subjects.
Those who have met Sultan Ibrahim describe His Majesty as a warm-hearted Ruler with an amiable personality and a good sense of humour.
Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar sharing some tender moments with his grandchildren while having their tea at a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur.
The Ruler’s soft, gentle side is most evident when His Majesty becomes teary-eyed listening to their stories of pain and suffering.
On Oct 25, 2016, when a fire broke out at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, killing six patients, the Ruler again demonstrated great love by directing the hospital administration to use the Royal ward to temporarily house displaced patients affected by the fire.
Three years later in 2019, during the Sungai Kim Kim chemical pollution issue in Pasir Gudang, the Johor royal family made at least three visits to meet with victims at Hospital Sultan Ismail and Pasir Gudang Indoor Stadium, which housed the medical units.
Last year, Sultan Ibrahim also cut short a private trip to Turkiye and the Middle East when news about the devastating floods in Johor broke out, returning to Johor earlier than scheduled to personally visit those affected.
Even when Sultan Ibrahim was still abroad, the Ruler was in constant contact with the state government and directed his Sultan Ibrahim Johor Foundation to provide aid since the beginning of the floods.
Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar (right) with Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah during His Majesty's visit to Brunei Darussalam in late 2023.
Over the years, the Sultan Ibrahim Johor Foundation has provided more than RM170mil in aid to the people, including 103,000 tents in anticipation of floods in Johor and the other states.
Sultan Ibrahim and Johor Permaisuri Raja Zarith Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah have always paid close attention to the people’s welfare and provided assistance to countless Johoreans who faced hardships during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Now, Sultan Ibrahim will be taking on a new role as the country’s 17th king beginning Jan 31, for the next five years.
Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said that Malaysians will be blessed to have Sultan Ibrahim as their next king as he has always prioritises the people.
“He is a person who goes down to the ground. During the Covid-19 pandemic the royal family gave out a lot of aid over two years,” he said, adding that every time there was a flood, his foundations were the first on the ground distributing aid.
He also described His Majesty as a very knowledgeable person especially on the history of Johor.
“A lot of historical events were shared during my sessions hitching a ride with him in his car during his visits to the districts.
Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar shaking hands with devotees at the state-level Thaipusam celebration at the Arulmigu Sri Balasubramaniar Temple in Skudai, Johor Baru on Feb 5, 2023.
“He is very knowledgeable on security matters and it is something I enjoy listening to.
“He also knows a lot about boats, planes, cars and trains. He can actually pilot all those vehicles and even a helicopter,” he said, describing talking to Tuanku as motivating and inspiring.
For Johor council of royal court president Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Ramli who has served under the reign of three Johor Sultans, of which two have become kings, all of them may be of different personalities, but the one common thing is their caring attitude and the determination to ensure Johor progresses in all aspects.
“They do not want anyone to be marginalised. They always put the people first,” he said, adding that he was confident Sultan Ibrahim would project the same image because the Johor Sultanate has always been tolerant and caring for the people.
He added that that is how raja dan rakyat berpisah tiada (ruler and people cannot be separated) was coined.
He added that His Majesty was a determined man and will surely have a lot of plans for the development of not just the state but also the country.
“He wants people to have progressive ideas. He wants the people to have discipline, have high integrity, help each other, and cooperate with each other.
“He wants to make sure this place is a better place to live in,” he said, adding that it was inborn in him to look after the welfare of each citizen.
Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim (second from left) surprising Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar (left) with the Piala Malaysia trophy that was won by Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) football club, while His Majesty was having tea at a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur in December, 2023.
Sultan Ibrahim, who comes from a line of strong-willed, savvy and independent Rulers, is passionate about developing Johor into a modern and progressive state.
The Sultan’s vision is to transform the state into Malaysia’s next economic powerhouse after the Klang Valley.
Sultan Ibrahim was crowned the fifth Ruler of modern Johor in March 2015, marking a historical moment as the last coronation in the state was held for his late grandfather, Almarhum Sultan Ismail Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim, in February 1960.
A savvy investor with investments in an array of businesses both local and foreign, the Ruler is also an avid traveller just like his ancestors, who embarked on various voyages.
The Sultan regularly brings along top Johor state officials and heads of government-linked companies during these business and trade trips abroad to help bring more investments into the state.
One of his passions is collecting old and new cars and motorcycles, which are all parked in garages within the palace grounds.
Sultan Ibrahim is also proud of his latest palace in Mersing, better known as Istana Flintstones.
This palace, located on a 24ha site overlooking the sea with a nine-storey lighthouse, is now a tourist attraction in Mersing town, which is a town known for its tourism and island-hopping packages.
The Flintstones was an American animated series framed against a romanticised Stone Age backdrop and was hugely popular during its run from the early to mid-1960s.
In 1994, it was also made into a movie featuring big-name actors like John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Halle Berry and even Elizabeth Taylor.
On his interaction with his subjects, the Ruler is clearly happy with the Kembara Mahkota Johor programme, which started in 2001.
However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the programme has not been held since 2020.
The expedition on vehicles, led by the Ruler, is aimed at forging closer ties between Johor’s royal family and the people through various programmes carried out at each stopover along the journey.
Sultan Ibrahim’s passion for sports is also well known. In his youth, he played a mean game of polo not just locally, but also in tournaments held in Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines.
He earned the distinction of being the best polo player in Asia during the polo world qualifications in the 1990s.
Besides that, Sultan Ibrahim also enjoys parasailing, boating (jet ski), parachuting, shooting and driving sports cars. He once emerged champion in a falling plate shooting event organised by the army at the Malaysian Army Combat Training Centre (Pulada) in Johor.
Sultan Ibrahim, who is the third of 10 children and the eldest son, was born at Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru on Nov 22, 1958. He received his formal education at Sekolah Temenggong Abdul Rahman (1) before leaving for Trinity Grammar School in Australia. Later on, he travelled to the United States to pursue his studies in law and diplomacy.
He obtained his religious education from Sekolah Agama Air Molek in Johor Baru.
After completing his secondary education, Sultan Ibrahim underwent basic military training at Pusat Latihan Darat in Kota Tinggi, Johor, for three months.
He also received military training in the United States at Fort Benning, Georgia, and later, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was appointed deputy commander of the Johor Military Force upon completing his military training overseas.
He has trained and served in the Air Force and Navy, and is a qualified green beret commando in Malaysia and the United States.
He is also a member of the Red Beret Kompasus of Indonesia and a fully qualified divemaster.
As part of his training for kingship, Sultan Ibrahim joined the Johor Civil Service and served in various departments, including the district office and the land, health and treasury departments.
In 1981, he was proclaimed the Tunku Mahkota of Johor. Sultan Ibrahim is married to Raja Zarith Sofiah, a Perak princess and an Oxford University graduate. She is also the Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
The couple is blessed with six children – Tunku Ismail, Tunku Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, Tunku Idris Iskandar Ismail Abdul Rahman, the late Tunku Abdul Jalil Iskandar Ibrahim Ismail, Tunku Abdul Rahman Hassanal Jeffri and Tunku Abu Bakar Mahmood Iskandar Ibrahim.
