Sultanah titles removed due to tradition

JOHOR BARU: Removal of the Sultanah titles for the consorts of the two former state rulers should not be misconstrued as means to embarrass them.

Johor Council of Royal Court secretary Datuk Abdul Rahim Ramli said Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar was merely following tradition by putting things in the right place.

“That is why he has decreed the Sultanah title will no longer be given to the royal consorts including his own consort Raja Zarith Sofiah,” he said.

Abdul Rahim hoped people would not misinterpret the issue as both Tunku Puan Zanariah Iskandar and Tunku Puan Nora Ismail were still members of the royal family.

Zanariah was the consort of the late Sultan Iskandar, while her elder sister Nora was the consort of Sultan Ismail, the third Sultan of modern Johor.

Asked about the privileges of the consorts, he said they were still entitled to some benefits, but they could not longer use any letterheads, envelopes or even stationery bearing the Johor Crown.

“They should know what they are allowed to do and not to do,” he said, adding there has been no reported case of privilege abuse.

In a non-related matter, Sultan Ibrahim had earlier revoked the Justice of Peace awards conferred by the Johor government.

Abdul Rahim said the Sultan felt the award was irrelevant to the present day scenario.

“Previously the JPs were acting as second class magistrates to handle minor offences of up to RM300 such as stealing chickens or riding a bicycle without lights.

“Now we have magistrates in all districts and the ruler feels the JPs are no longer relevant and decided to revoke the award including all the powers that comes with it,” he said.

Abdul Rahim added Johor was the first state to abolish the award.