JOHOR BAHRU: “Don’t worry, you still have the Sultan!”
As radical political ideologies ravage the country, some are becoming increasingly hostile toward certain ethnicities.
Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar of Johor spoke candidly about such dismal situation during an interview with Sin Chew Daily.
A more lethal virus than Covid
When asked about the current political situation in the country, the Sultan noted that there is a growing trend of political radicalism, and he criticised some politicians who, if coming into power, would undermine the existing system.
“Shouldn’t Singapore be concerned too? They are actually feeling uneasy,” the Sultan lamented.
The Chinese community is also worried, especially during the recent six state elections when they were often labelled as “pendatang”.
In response to Sin Chew Daily’s concerns, Sultan Ibrahim reassured, “You have your Sultan!”
His Majesty said, “Before the pandemic five years ago, I mentioned that a virus was spreading in Johor, one even more dangerous than Zika. Later, this virus, which has no cure, became even worse than the Covid-19 virus that we now know.
“This virus is the ‘divisive virus’,” he explained.
“In my opinion, we are going to have a big problem in another five years!”
“No matter what happens, I will always be with my people. We will come together, sing together; that is the spirit of the people of Johor.”
On another note, Sultan Ibrahim believes the judiciary must be independent and should not be subservient to the executive branch or the Prime Minister’s Office.
“The judiciary should be independent and should report to the Head of State,” he emphasized.
“We can’t allow businessmen or politicians to become judges. How can there be a fair trial if they know each other?”
The Sultan also expressed that the length of a judge’s tenure does not matter; what matters is their performance.
Dealing with Putrajaya is more challenging
Johor and Singapore share close ties, and issues between the two neighbours can often be resolved over a cup of tea, while dealing with the federal government could be more challenging.
“This friendship goes back to the time of Lee Kuan Yew, and generations of Malaysians and Singaporeans have since been very good friends.
“We often have tea and meals together. As I said, many things can be sorted out over a cup of tea.”
By contrast, His Majesty used an interesting analogy, “letter phobia”, in the state’s dealings with the federal government.
“For matters concerning Putrajaya, I have to write letters, and there’s back-and-forth correspondence. When can we stop this ‘letter phobia’?”
At this point, the Sultan brought up the issue of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh), which still troubles him deeply.
“The 2018 general election took place on May 10, and two days later Mahathir was sworn in as the new prime minister. And I was on vacation when Mahathir repealed the appeal for Pedra Branca the following day.”
The Sultan believed the move violated Johor’s constitution.
The Sultan stressed that the Johor constitution is rigorous.
“It took ten years to draft the Johor constitution, while the federal constitution took only one year.
“Not an inch of Johor’s land should be ceded, otherwise it would be seen by the Ruler as an act of treason.
“But he did it without consulting Johor!
“There wasn’t a single member from Johor in his whole team.”
Regarding this issue, the Sultan revealed that he had contacted Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. However, the official preparation and proceedings were time-consuming.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim proclaimed, “Without Johor, there would be no Malaysia today!
“While Kuala Lumpur may be in control today, let’s look back at the 1948 Federation of Malaya Agreement. Which was the last state to sign?”
His Majesty reminded, “What does the agreement say? Land, water, religion — all are state matters, not federal.
“What does that mean? We have an agreement, but if you violate it, what does it imply?”
A prudent Ruler
While Sultan Ibrahim might appear stern on the surface, he is veritably warm-hearted.
He shared that in dealing with a pardon case, there was a Chinese prisoner who had been in jail for over 36 years and was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. The Sultan agreed to his release.
However, he also stressed that he wouldn’t abuse his kindness. For example, in a murder case with clear evidence, he would leave it to the Deputy Public Prosecutor to decide whether to continue with the jail sentence, or for how long more, even if it meant a life sentence without parole.
The Sultan also cares about the reintegration of released prisoners into society: “They must adapt to a normal life, and you must allow them to be reborn. Otherwise, they may return to their old ways.”
The opening speeches made by Sultan Ibrahim at each session of the Johor State Assembly has always been highly anticipated.
All these speeches are personally written by the Sultan himself and are not ghostwritten by any government agency.
“What I say, I write it myself, and then I hand it to the media. Don’t get confused,” he stated emphatically.
In recent years, the Sultan also established the Johor Royal Press Office (RPO) responsible for releasing and providing news and information related to the royal family to ensure accuracy of content.
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