EXPLORER Mohd Faris Johari has amassed thousands of artefacts over the years, but a gift from Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar remains his most treasured possession.
The 37-year-old recounted how late last year, he and his team received a once-in-a-lifetime invitation to meet His Majesty personally at Istana Danga in Johor Baru.
“A palace official told me that our King wanted to meet me because of my passion for finding historical artefacts that tell the story of Johor’s illustrious history.
“I will never forget meeting Sultan Ibrahim with my team on Dec 5, 2024. To this day, I still cherish that moment,” Mohd Faris said when met at his public gallery at a shopping mall in Johor Baru.
He said four members of his 10-man team accompanied him to the audience, adding that they arrived at the palace grounds at around 9.30am.
“All of us wore proper attire, including suits, ties, long pants and songkok.
“We brought along old photographs of Johor Baru to show how the state’s capital city has developed over the years, along with other artefacts to present to Sultan Ibrahim,” he recalled.
As Mohd Faris and his team were arranging the artefacts they brought, a palace official called his name at around 10am and instructed him to wait in a living room.
“At first, I wasn’t nervous at all. However, the moment Sultan Ibrahim entered the room and I kissed His Majesty’s hand as a sign of respect, I suddenly felt nervous and jittery.
“I kept stuttering and struggling to get my words out. I was worried that Sultan Ibrahim might become annoyed with me and cut our meeting short.
“However, to my surprise, His Majesty walked toward me, placed his hand on my left shoulder and told me to relax, assuring me that it was just a normal conversation,” he said.
Mohd Faris explained that he was taken aback by His Majesty’s kind gesture, especially when he cracked jokes, as he had always seen Sultan Ibrahim as a very serious and no-nonsense individual.
He said that Sultan Ibrahim’s kind words made him feel calmer and they began discussing Johor’s history, particularly sites within Kota Tinggi.
“What was supposed to be a 10-minute audience turned into an hour-long conversation, as we talked about history and the many historical locations around Johor.
“My team and I are explorers. We venture into forest areas, along riverbanks and even enter abandoned tunnels, searching for artefacts in the hope of learning more about our past.
“To my surprise, during our conversation, Sultan Ibrahim knew every place my team had visited over the years, including the tunnels. His Majesty even knew the exact details of these locations,” he added.
Mohd Faris said it is clear that Sultan Ibrahim knows every corner of Johor like the back of his hand, which shows how knowledgeable and caring the King is towards the state.
After discussing Johor’s historical sites, Sultan Ibrahim asked the explorer about the artefacts he had on display at his gallery.
“His Majesty asked if I charged visitors a fee to view the artefacts. There is no set fee; visitors can donate any amount they wish.
“Sultan Ibrahim also asked if anyone had offered me money to purchase the artefacts I’ve collected over the years,” he said.
Mohd Faris explained to His Majesty that he had received many offers, notably for a rare set of train keys used between the Woodlands and Johor Baru stations.
“However, I told Sultan Ibrahim that despite the generous offers, I have no intention of selling these rare artefacts, as they are valuable pieces of Johor’s history.
“His Majesty gave his blessing to me and my team, encouraging us to continue our efforts in exploring Johor and uncovering more historical artefacts.
“The King also reminded us that any artefacts we discover in Johor must remain in the state and should not be sold to third parties, especially those claiming to represent Sultan Ibrahim,” he said.
Mohd Faris added that as the audience was about to conclude, Sultan Ibrahim called for a palace official to bring something from another room.
To the team’s surprise, His Majesty presented each member with various gifts, including a wristwatch featuring the Johor Sultan emblem, a coat pin, a signed Johor Sultan coronation book, and signed coin and stamp collections celebrating Sultan Ibrahim’s coronation as the 17th King of Malaysia.
“His Majesty told us that not everyone he meets receives such gifts. Sultan Ibrahim also advised us to wear the coat pin, which bears his picture, during official functions.
“His Majesty stated that the coat pin is only given to government officials and we should always treasure it,” he said, adding that he and his team would always cherish the gifts.
Mohd Faris said that he displayed some of the items in his gallery and as expected, collectors expressed interest in purchasing the signed Sultan Ibrahim memorabilia.
“Following His Majesty’s advice, these items and other artefacts displayed in my gallery will never be for sale.
“We are truly grateful for the opportunity to meet Sultan Ibrahim in person,” Mohd Faris added.
