King in name only

Sultan Ibrahim cares deeply about others and is a man of action who wants to get things done.

Many Malaysians who have never met the Malaysian King, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, have the impression that he is stern and fierce.

I thought the same thing a decade ago before I was granted an audience with Tuanku. A mutual friend arranged for me to meet the king, who wanted to better understand how the media worked.

I was reluctant at first, but my friend insisted and assured me that he would accompany me to the palace.

Tuanku wanted to understand why the national media, which is based in Kuala Lumpur, only focuses on the Klang Valley and Penang, but not much on Johor.

Tuanku also wanted me to be honest with him about what people thought of him and his state.

“You can ask me anything you want, and you can say anything you want,” His Majesty said at the beginning of our conversation, and I took that as a green light to express myself freely.

Tuanku listened patiently without interrupting me and then answered every question and comment truthfully. His Majesty never spoke loudly.

I was pleasantly surprised by how affable, forthright, sometimes humorous, and definitely not intimidating.

But I reminded Tuanku that this was not an interview and added that I hoped Tuanku would agree to my conducting the interview.

On March 15, 2015, His Majesty again graciously received me and I had my first official interview at the Istana Bukit Serene in the Johor capital.

I have had the privilege of interviewing His Majesty several times over the past decade.

I also met Tuanku informally on a regular basis to listen to him share his views on various issues and provide advice to me and the media.

Indeed, I was very honored to meet Tuanku up close.

If there is one topic that is very dear to him, it is the importance of unity among the people, especially the Johoreans.

There is no doubt that Sultan Ibrahim is a symbol of unity which means a lot to people of all races and religions in Malaysia.

Tuanku has always said that extremism has no place and His Majesty has personally attended celebrations held by people of all faiths.

Sultan Ibrahim cared deeply about his people.

Royal insight: Sultan Ibrahim talks with The Star Media Group Advisor and Bernama President Datuk Seri Wong Chin Wai (right) and The Star Johor Bureau Chief Nelson Benjamin at the Bukit Slim Palace in Johor Bahru on March 15, 2015. Wong was The Star’s CEO at the time and it was the first time Sultan Ibrahim had given an exclusive interview to His Majesty.

From day one, Sultan Ibrahim constantly stressed the need for unity among all ethnic groups.

His Majesty is a man of great attention to detail. State leaders and civil servants who deal with him must be well prepared, as His Majesty has no tolerance for sloppy work and has an excellent memory.

Although he is both feared and respected, His Majesty is a kind man.

I understand there were Orang Asli fishermen waiting outside his residence, asking for help in getting boat engines. When His Majesty learned of this, Tuanku instructed his people to help this community immediately.

Three years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the King helped countless people.

Whenever a flood occurred, Sultan Ibrahim would go out by boat to check the situation.

After his sambal, His Majesty sat at a snack bar, leisurely enjoying nasi lemak and coffee. So it was no surprise that His Majesty chose nasi lemak for breakfast when he recently celebrated his first official birthday as King in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur.

This may come as a surprise to many, but Tuanku has a great sense of humour. In fact, Sultan Ibrahim is very good at telling jokes. The staff at the National Palace were delighted to discover this.

Sultan Ibrahim is the first king I know who is so strongly against corruption. He has publicly expressed his desire to fight the scourge of corruption. His Majesty is serious and resolute.

Tuanku is also well-informed. Sultan Ibrahim said he has eyes and ears everywhere, believe me, it is true.

His Majesty wishes to restore the pride and prestige of the pillars of government, namely the judiciary, the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

As Tuanku is well versed in business and financial matters, he is also very keen on promoting the economic development of the country.

Sultan Ibrahim sees great potential in Johor as the only state close to Singapore and Indonesia’s Batam. It would not be surprising if His Majesty is eager to get things moving.

Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Shariff, who served as Johor’s longest-serving police chief from 2008 to 2015, said the king was a symbol of legitimacy and authority, and a symbol of stability and unity.

“He cared very much. The king’s instructions to me, the then chief minister, were simple – ensure the safety of the people and investors of Johor. Remember, there will be impacts and consequences on the economy, especially investments,” the former Bukit Aman Narcotics Bureau chief recalled.

Mohammad Mokhtar said Tuanku was very concerned about the welfare of the police force and he used his own money to buy motorcycles for the police officers to use for patrols.

He added: “Sultan Ibrahim even bought a caravan and converted it into a mobile police patrol point because Tuanku wanted people to see and feel the police presence.”

He described Sultan Ibrahim as “strict but tolerant” and said Tuanku had zero tolerance for extremism.

“His message is to nip any form of extremism in the bud. Don’t make any racial issues,” he shared.

Sultan Ibrahim is also a straight-talking man who doesn’t beat around the bush and prefers to personally visit sites for inspection.

He is the only ruler who visits every district in the state through the annual Kembara Royal Motorcycle Tour to personally listen to the demands of the people.

Many people don’t know that at the National Palace, His Majesty the King’s series of meetings and audiences all start on time at nine in the morning.

This meant that every Palace official had to be ready by 9am, and Tuanku was especially punctual.

What kind of king will Sultan Ibrahim be?

His Majesty will reinforce the imperatives of peace, racial unity, harmony and solidarity; bring about political stability and economic progress; incentivize civil servants to improve efficiency and service; and free the country from corruption.

His Majesty will not be a king in name only. Sultan Ibrahim is a man of action.