Ripples ahead of Royal arrival

THE Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, is one of the most media savvy Royals among the nine Malay Rulers.

His Majesty uses the media to connect with his Johor subjects, to tell off those not doing their work and to stamp his authority.

But Sultan Ibrahim has broken new ground in the way he has engaged the media as he prepares for the role of a lifetime - becoming the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.

No other incoming King in the country’s history has been as uninhibited or as frank in sketching out his intentions ahead of his imminent reign which begins on Jan 31.

And all this is happening as the reigning Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah’s own monarchical journey is about to draw to a close.

But it was Sultan Ibrahim’s interview with the Singapore Straits Times that became the talk of the town. It was a strategic interview targeted at audiences in Malaysia as well as in Singapore.

It sent ripples through the corridors of power with a highly-placed Putrajaya source confiding that the Royal views were discussed at this week’s Cabinet meeting.

“I have no doubt the other Malay Rulers are also watching closely,” said the source.

The interview spanned a dizzying range of subjects and His Majesty's opinions and comments must have tingled nerve points across the board, be it the powers-that-be, civil society or the chattering class.

For instance, #Agong and #YDPA were trending on X the day the story broke, with many opposed to the suggestion that the judiciary, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Petronas be answerable to him.

For the thinking class, that is beyond the pale in a constitutional monarchy.

But his bold stand on corruption is in line with public sentiments although it is debatable how he is going to do it without crossing the line.

Other take-aways from the interview included his pro-business views, especially on reviving the HSR or high speed rail project and for it to go through Forest City, which had been dubbed a “ghost city” by the foreign media, his warm ties with Singapore and a fascinating insight into why he snubbed Umno’s choice of mentri besar after the Johor snap election in 2022.

Political stability is also His Majesty's priority and he is keen that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim be given time to deliver.

The subtext to that is that Sultan Ibrahim will not look kindly on any attempt at another backdoor government.

And although he will be focused on his federal role, he wants key developments like the special financial zone in Forest City and the Johor-Singapore special economic zone to proceed.

Sultan Ibrahim has been a hands-on sovereign from day one on the Johor throne. He flies his own private jet, he has driven trains and his Kembara Mahkota Johor is very popular.

The Malay Rulers are famous for showing their displeasure by refusing to grant an audience to political leaders. Sultan Ibrahim, on the other hand, has no qualms about telling off ministers.

He summoned Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming to the palace earlier this year to complain that some low-cost housing in Johor resembled “reban ayam,” or chicken coops.

He once blasted Datuk Dr Latiff Ahmad, a former deputy defence minister, at a public event for failing to build a training pool for the military unit in Mersing as promised.

“Johoreans are used to his gung-ho, in-your-face style and they like it. What he said in the interview were warning shots. Please don’t imagine that he doesn’t understand the role of a constitutional monarch, he knows,” said an aide to a Johor leader.

And as Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim said a while ago, the Royals do not get involved in politics but they have opinions about politics.

The Prime Minister on his part has responded in a manner that was tactful, yet unequivocal - he is open to discussions as long as it is in line with the Federal Constitution.

In other words, Anwar will uphold the Federal Constitution.

The Royals used to live in gilded cages but they have assumed an increasingly bigger and more direct role in politics as a result of the political tumult of the last few years.

Social media has also opened windows for them to see the real world. The current King and Queen were the first Royal couple to embrace social media in a big way, providing the common person a closer look of their reign and glimpses of their often endearing habits.

Sultan Ibrahim has an amazing media team and intends to utilise it to make sure that what he says and does reaches the rakyat.

But can Royal personality take the good with the bad and the ugly? What if people criticise what he says or does?

The Internet can be both wonderful and terrible at the same time. And as some pointed out, this is not the 1980s when the mainstream media controlled public opinion. The power has shifted to social media.

Sultan Ibrahim is a larger than life personality in Johor, where he is directly involved in many aspects of Johor affairs and where he has the last word.

The Kingship means moving from a sea where he is lord and master to an ocean teeming with all sorts of creatures big and small and who have grown more vocal than ever.

How will His Majesty deal with the court of public opinion?

“There needs to be a lot of give and take when Tuanku ascends the throne,” said an Umno official.

From what has been shared so far, it looks like Sultan Ibrahim means to be a King like no other before him and if that happens, the next five years could be like no other five years we have ever lived through.