Photos of Sultan Ibrahim’s visits adorn the walls of Hassan’s restaurant in Muar.
HASSAN Daud thought it would be just another typical day but upon opening the doors to his restaurant, he was surprised to find a special guest – none other than Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.
Recounting his first encounter with Sultan Ibrahim from over two decades ago, Hassan said he was shocked to see His Majesty standing outside his shop in the wee hours of the morning.
“It was still very early, probably around 6am, and Sultan Ibrahim was already outside, waiting for me to open my shop.
“I remember His Majesty asking me, ‘Dah siap ke belum?’ (Are you done yet?) the moment I came outside.
“I was not expecting such a special visit that morning. I was nervous at first, but His Majesty’s down-to-earth personality put me at ease,” said the 66-year-old.
Lee serving customers at his restaurant in Johor Baru. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
Hassan said Sultan Ibrahim has since become a regular customer, often dropping by the restaurant along Jalan Maharani in Muar in the early hours of the morning.
“Once, His Majesty even cycled here from Istana Muar, which is about 2km away from my shop.
“I admire His Majesty’s humility. Despite being Johor’s Ruler, Sultan Ibrahim has no issue coming here on a bicycle.
“His Majesty has also never asked me to close my shop whenever he comes here,” said Hassan, who has been running his business for over 30 years.
He added that Sultan Ibrahim often takes the time to connect with his subjects during his trips to the restaurant.
“The Sultan is a Ruler who truly cares for his people and genuinely wants to know how they are doing.
“I have had the opportunity to talk to His Majesty a few times, and among the things he often asks me is whether my business is doing well,” he said.
Janaki serving thosai near a poster with photos of Sultan Ibrahim’s visit to her stall in Kulai.
According to Hassan, Sultan Ibrahim often orders roti canai and mutton biryani with iced ginger water without milk and sugar.
“His Majesty’s visits made my restaurant popular and I’m very grateful for that,” he said.
He added that His Majesty’s last visit was before his installation as the 17th King of Malaysia last year.
Meanwhile, Lee Wen Hao, the third-generation owner of a famous asam pedas restaurant in Johor Baru, said he was honoured to serve Sultan Ibrahim.
“Sultan Ibrahim has been coming here since His Majesty was young, especially during his years as the Tunku Mahkota of Johor.
“However, we had not received a visit from His Majesty since he became the Johor Sultan as his life became busier with more responsibilities to fulfil as the state Ruler.
“We never expected Sultan Ibrahim to visit now that His Majesty is the King of Malaysia and has the entire country to look after.
“We are truly grateful for His Majesty’s visit. It was a very special and unforgettable moment for us,” he said, referring to Sultan Ibrahim’s visit with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which went viral last year.
The 30-year-old, who has seen Sultan Ibrahim dining at his family’s restaurant since he was a young boy, described His Majesty as a down-to-earth and humble person.
“Despite being the King of Malaysia, His Majesty’s character remains unchanged – he is still as humble as ever.
“Serving someone so important can be nerve-wracking, but His Majesty’s down-to-earth nature puts us at ease,” Lee said, adding that Sultan Ibrahim usually orders asam pedas fish, squid and bean sprouts.
He said other members of the Johor royal family, particularly Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, also frequent the restaurant.
“They are our loyal customers who come here to eat once or twice a week,” he said.
For 42-year-old stall owner R. Janaki, a single visit from the beloved Ruler almost a decade ago is a memory that she will cherish forever.
“Sultan Ibrahim visited my stall during the Kembara Mahkota Johor programme in 2016. It was a short but very meaningful visit that my family and I will always remember.
“During the visit, His Majesty even tried his hand at making thosai and was surprisingly pretty skilled at it.
“We thought that we would need to show him how it is done first, but His Majesty seemed to already know what to do,” Janaki said.
Janaki, who sells traditional Indian delicacies in Kulai, said Sultan Ibrahim spent about 10 minutes making a perfectly shaped thosai.
“His Majesty got the shape right on his first try without any assistance from anyone, which I think was very impressive,” she said.
The mother of two described Sultan Ibrahim as a friendly and down-to-earth Ruler who was easy to talk to.
“I asked if we could have a family photo with him, and not only was His Majesty happy to do so, but His Majesty was also willing to wait for me to get my children, who were not at the stall then.
“My children, about five and nine years old at the time, were excited to take photos with Sultan Ibrahim as they had only seen him on television before that,” she added.
Janaki, who is the second-generation owner of the food stall at Jalan Besar Kulai, said Sultan Ibrahim’s visit helped boost the stall’s popularity.
“Previously, only those from Kulai or nearby areas would frequent my stall.
“However, after his visit, I had people coming from as far as Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and other states just to try the dishes here,” Janaki said, adding that the stall has been around since 1985.
