Kuala Lumpur (AP) —
Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, 65 years old, was crowned as the new king of Malaysia at the palace. He signed the instrument of proclamation of office in a ceremony witnessed by other members of the royal family, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and members of the Cabinet.
Mohamed Syafik is an engineer living in Kuala Lumpur. His hopes for the new king.
“Able to improve Malaysia's image in the eyes of the world. Another thing, I also hope Tuanku can see the people's social and economic problems that have been going on lately so that our people can stand as tall and sit as low as other ASEAN countries,” he hoped.
One of the richest people in Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim has a vast business empire, from real estate and telecommunications to power generation. The honest king has close ties to Anwar Ibrahim and his government could support Anwar's unity government, which faces strong Islamist opposition.
Ahmad Zaini is a businessman who lives in Kuala Lumpur. His hope for the new king, “We as common people hope that the king can rule better in terms of social economy, and can help the people in life and also integrate our social and political life to be more prosperous and also give a better economy to Malaysia in the coming year come.”
Shukur Khamis is a retiree who also lives in Kuala Lumpur. The hopes are the same as stated by Zaini, related to socio-economic and socio-political. One thing he added was that the new king would bring justice to the Malaysian people.
“For that, I am the one who is proud of this new king because he is strict with everything for the sake of the Malaysian people. God willing.”
The state's nine ethnic Malay rulers take turns being king for five-year terms. It is the only such system in the world since Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957.
Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar (right) speaks with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after the swearing-in ceremony at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday (31/1).
Malaysia has 13 states but only nine have kingdoms. Some of them come from the centuries-old Malay kingdoms which were independent states until they were finally united by the British.
Sultan Ibrahim's ascension to the national throne was widely expected by his fellow sultans in October based on the rotation order that had been established. Sultan Nazrin Shah, ruler of the state of Perak and next in line to the throne, was re-elected as co-king.
Known as Yang Dipertuan Agung, the king plays a ceremonial role because administrative power rests in the hands of the prime minister and Parliament. The king is the head of the government and the armed forces, and is highly respected as the protector of Islam and Malay tradition.
All legislation, Cabinet appointments and dissolution of Parliament for general elections require his approval. The king has the power to declare a state of emergency and pardon criminals.
Sultan Ibrahim replaced Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah from the state of Pahang. He presided over a tumultuous time including COVID-19 related lockdowns and political instability.
The king's political influence has grown in recent years. Sultan Abdullah has intervened in the past to decide who becomes prime minister, including appointing Anwar as prime minister after 2022 elections left parliament in limbo.
Sultan Ibrahim has indicated that, like the man he replaces, he will take a direct approach. In an interview published last month in the Singapore daily Straits Times, he said he did not want to waste his five years in power as a “puppet king.” He said he would focus on eradicating corruption and deepening unity in the country.
The sultan and other rulers have also warned of opposition efforts to overthrow Anwar's government. He called for political stability.
Sultan Ibrahim, whose mother was British, has also been vocal on welfare issues. He goes on an annual road trip by motorbike to meet the people of his state.
He also makes no secret of his wealth. Earlier on Wednesday, the sultan flew from Johor to Kuala Lumpur in his private jet, a gold and blue Boeing 737.
Apart from a fleet of jets, he has a large collection of cars and motorbikes, as well as property abroad. Sultan Ibrahim was also the only ruler to have a private army – a condition agreed to for the state to join modern Malaysia.
Sultan Ibrahim's high-profile corporate profile – including a stake in the multibillion-dollar Forest City development project in Johor with developer China Country Garden – has raised questions amid concerns over possible conflicts of interest. He told the Straits Times that he plans to revive the high-speed rail link project with Singapore and support the troubled Forest City project.
However, the sultan defended his business. In 2015, he said that he had to “earn a living, like ordinary Malaysians” because he could not rely on the 27,000 ringgit or almost IDR 90 million monthly allowance from the state.
His wife Raja Zarith Sofiah, who comes from another royal family, is an Oxford graduate. He is a prolific writer and has written several children's books. The couple had five sons and a daughter. (ka/hour)