Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar: Private army, fleet of jets; all you need to know about Malaysia’s new king

Kuala Lumpur: Ibrahim Iskandar, a 65-year-old Sultan of Malaysia’s Johor state, on Wednesday became the new king of the country as per a unique rotating monarchy system. Iskandar took the oath of office at the palace in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur. Iskandar’s oath-taking ceremony was attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and cabinet ministers and members of other royal families. It is worth mentioning here that the coronation ceremony will be held later.

All you need to know about Ibrahim Iskandar

• Ibrahim Iskandar, who is known for taking road trips on his motorcycle to meet the people in Johor state, is vocal about welfare issues.
• Born on November 22, 1958, Iskandar’s mother is English. Iskandar is one of the richest men in Malaysia having his private jet and a gold-and-blue Boeing 737. Also, the new Malaysian king has an extensive collection of cars and motorcycles and properties abroad. He is the only ruler to have a private army.
• Iskandar’s business empire ranges from real estate to telecoms and power plants. The new king also has a stake in the multibillion-dollar Forest City development project in Johor with China’s beleaguered developer Country Garden. According to reports, Iskandar wants to revive a high-speed rail link project with the help of Singapore.
• In 2015, Iskandar said he has to earn a living like ordinary Malaysians and he cannot be dependent upon 27,000 ringgit (USD 5,700) monthly state allowance.
• Iskandar married Raja Zarith Sofiah in 1982. Sofiah, who is from a royal family, is an Oxford graduate. The couple have five sons and a daughter.
• Iskandar took over the reins of Malaysia from Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang state. Sultan Nazrin Shah, who is the ruler of Perak state and next in line to the throne, has been elected as the deputy king of Malaysia.

Role of Malaysia’s king

The king of Malaysia majorly plays a ceremonial role and is the head of the government and armed forces. King’s assent is required for making laws, Cabinet appointments and the dissolution of Parliament for polls. The Malaysian king also has the power to proclaim an emergency and pardon criminals.