Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ibrahimإبراهيم |
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Ibrahim in 2019
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| Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVII | |||||||||
| Reign | 31 January 2024 – present | ||||||||
| Installation | 20 July 2024 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Abdullah | ||||||||
| Deputy | Nazrin Shah | ||||||||
| Sultan of Johor | |||||||||
| Reign | 23 January 2010 – present | ||||||||
| Coronation | 23 March 2015 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Iskandar | ||||||||
| Heir apparent | Tunku Ismail | ||||||||
| Born | 22 November 1958 Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Bahru, Johor, Federation of Malaya |
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| Spouse |
Raja Zarith Sofiah
(m. 1982) |
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| Issue |
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| House | Temenggong | ||||||||
| Father | Sultan Iskandar | ||||||||
| Mother | Enche’ Besar Hajah Khalsom (née Josephine Ruby Trevorrow) | ||||||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||||||
| Military career | |||||||||
| Allegiance |  Malaysia Johor |
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| Service/ |
 Malaysian Army Royal Johor Military Force |
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| Years of service | 1977–present (active service) |
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| Rank |  Field marshal Admiral of the Fleet Marshal of the Air Force(Commander-in-chief)  Commandant (JMF) Honorary Commissioner-in-Chief (Royal Malaysia Police) |
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| Unit | Johor Military Forces | ||||||||
Ibrahim ibni Iskandar (Jawi: إبراهيم ابن إسکندر; born Tunku Ibrahim Ismail ibni Tunku Mahmood Iskandar, 22 November 1958) is the King of Malaysia and the fifth Sultan of modern Johor.
Ibrahim was born during the reign of his great-grandfather, Sultan Sir Ibrahim, and became heir apparent when his father, Sultan Iskandar, acceded to the throne of Johor in 1981. He was created Crown Prince of Johor on 3 July 1981. He was educated at Trinity Grammar School in Australia. In 1982, he married Raja Zarith Sofiah. They had six children, notably Ismail Idris and Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
Ibrahim became Sultan of Johor upon his father's death in 2010. On 31 January 2024, Ibrahim was sworn in as the 17th King of Malaysia, having been elected to a five-year term on 27 October 2023. Significant events in his reign have included his installation in July 2024.
Contents
Early life
Tunku Ibrahim was born on 22 November 1958 at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Bahru, during the reign of his great-grandfather, Sultan Ibrahim of Johor. He was the third child and eldest son of Sultan Iskandar by his first wife, Josephine Ruby Trevorrow, an English woman from Torquay. Trevorrow, a proprietor by profession, temporarily took on the name Khalsom binti Abdullah following her marriage to Iskandar. Ibrahim's mother later remarried and returned to England. Ibrahim's great-grandfather died in London on 8 May 1959. Thus, Ibrahim's grandfather, Ismail, became Sultan of Johor.
Heir apparent
Ibrahim moved up to second in line to the throne, after his father. His father sent him to complete his secondary education at Trinity Grammar School in Sydney, from 1968 until 1970. After finishing high school, he was sent to the Army Training Centre (PULADA) in Kota Tinggi for basic military training. He also received military training in the United States, at Fort Benning, Georgia, and later at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Ibrahim was appointed as the Crown Prince of Johor on 3 July 1981, and has primarily resided at the Istana Pasir Pelangi since then. He served as the regent of Johor between 26 April 1984 and 25 April 1989 when his father served his term as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. In recent years, Ibrahim gradually took over some state duties and functions from his aging father. These included the 211th Conference of Rulers, where Ibrahim and Abdullah, the Crown Prince of Pahang, represented their fathers in the meetings, among other state functions.
Shortly before Filipino opposition politician Ninoy Aquino was assassinated at Manila International Airport on 21 August 1983, Ibrahim met Aquino upon his arrival in Singapore and later brought him to meet other Malaysian leaders across the Johor–Singapore Causeway. Once in Johor, Aquino also met with Ibrahim's father, Iskandar, who was a close friend.
Reign
Early reign as Regent
A few hours before his father's death on 22 January 2010, Tunku Ibrahim was appointed as the Regent of Johor, following medical reports that suggested Sultan Iskandar's impending death. Sultan Iskandar died on the same night, and Tunku Ibrahim was installed as the Sultan of Johor the following morning. The Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Johor, Abdul Ghani Othman cited that Sultan Ibrahim and immediate members of the royal family would undertake a mourning period of 40 days. During the mourning season, Sultan Ibrahim made his inaugural presence at the Conference of Rulers in February 2010 as the Sultan of Johor.
On 30 June 2011, Sultan Ibrahim drove the last train from Tanjong Pagar railway station, having received tuition from Chief Locomotive Inspector Hasnol Azahari Aman of Keretapi Tanah Melayu to enable him to do this. He stated that he wished to do this as his grandfather, Sultan Ismail, had opened the causeway between Singapore and Malaya in 1923, and that it was appropriate for him to drive the last train out of the station.
Sultan Ibrahim also declared Muar as Johor's new royal capital, replacing Johor Bahru, on 5 February 2012. This coincided with the Maulidur Rasul celebrations.
Sultan Ibrahim became the first ruler of Johor to celebrate his birthday celebration in Muar on 22 November 2012. He picked the town because it was "rich in history and tradition besides being peaceful, beautiful and progressive". He wanted the state government to gazette all the old buildings in the town as a state heritage. He also wants the local authorities to preserve the cleanliness of the Muar River which could be done by relocating the bus and taxi terminals elsewhere.
Johor, as with the former Unfederated Malay States of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, used to rest on Fridays and Saturdays, in contrast with the former Federated Malay States as well as Malacca, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak and the Federal Territory which observe their weekends on Saturdays and Sundays. Johor, together with Perlis, moved their weekend to Saturday and Sunday on 1 January 1994 to synchronise with neighboring Singapore as well as with Kuala Lumpur, as Johor by then was a quickly industrialising state.
However, on 22 November 2013, on Sultan Ibrahim's birthday celebrations, he decreed that Johor would move its weekend back to Friday and Saturday, to enable Muslims in the state to attend their Friday prayers, effective 1 January 2014. This move was not without controversy due to the disruptions it caused, particularly for private businesses dealing with Singapore. The private sector nevertheless continues to rest on Saturdays and Sundays.
As Sultan of Johor
Sultan Ibrahim was crowned as the Sultan of Johor on 23 March 2015. The last coronation was that of his grandfather Sultan Ismail on 10 February 1960. From 2015 onwards, 23 March was made an annual state public holiday as the Sultan's official birthday, replacing the public holiday on 22 November, the Sultan's actual birthday.
In August 2015, Sultan Ibrahim decreed that the name of Kulaijaya district be reverted to its former name of Kulai. He also decreed Nusajaya to be renamed to Iskandar Puteri, as well as renaming Ledang District to Tangkak District.
Sultan Ibrahim issued a decree banning vaping in Johor effective 1 January 2016. The purposes of the ban was for the sake of the health of the residents of Johor. Kelantan and Terengganu followed soon after.
In January 2016, Sultan Ibrahim decreed that signboards for businesses must not exceed 6.1 m × 1.2 m (20 ft × 4 ft), to prevent any dangers to the public as well as to reduce unsightly signboards.
Sultan Johor is noted for advocating religious moderation and has criticised the creeping Arabisation of Malaysian Muslim culture. Despite being the only sultan in Malaysia without tertiary (post-secondary) education, he has promoted quality education for Johor.
On 6 January 2024, Sultan Ibrahim decreed that he would not grant any audiences until he ascended to the throne as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 31 January 2024. He would not accept any appointments except for the previously scheduled events and the weekly audiences with the Menteri Besar and the state government of Johor as he wanted to spend his remaining time before the ascension with the royal family.
As King of Malaysia
On 27 October 2023, the Conference of Rulers elected Sultan Ibrahim as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia), replacing Sultan Abdullah of Pahang. During this time, the Conference of Rulers also elected Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak to a third term as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
His official swearing in and possession of the Istana Negara occurred on 31 January 2024.
The Ceremonial Installation of Sultan Ibrahim as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong took place at the Throne Hall of the Istana Negara on 20 July 2024, a few months after his assumption of the throne. The installation featured traditional Malay rites, ceremonial cannon fire, and was attended by various national dignitaries.
Other activities
Business
Although given a monthly allowance of RM27,000, Sultan Ibrahim had done some business dealings such as
- Investment in Redtone (20% equity)
- Investment in MOL AccessPortal (15% equity)
- Investment in RedTone International (20% equity)
- Investment in 7Eleven Malaysia (8.5% equity)
- Investment in Berjaya Assets
- Investment in Umobile (15% equity)
- Investment in Berjaya Time Square (20% equity)
- Sold 116 acres of prime seafront land in Johor Bahru (previously converted from State land to Sultanate land, formerly the southbound heavy vehicle and passenger vehicle separate border crossings from Malaysia to Singapore, before the Johor–Singapore Causeway) and coastal reclamation rights, to Guangzhou R&F for MYR 4.5 billion
- Benalec Holdings reclamation sites in Pengarang
- Tanjung Piai for petroleum facilities and a maritime industrial park
- Country Garden's reclamation of 4 islands off Tanjung Kupang for the Forest City megaproject (expected size of 3,425 acres, adjacent to the Malaysia–Singapore Second Link), of which Sultan Ibrahim has 64.4% equity in Esplanade Danga 88 Sdn Bhd, which in turn has 34% equity in the joint-venture company Country Garden Pacific View (CGPV) Sdn Bhd.
Cooking
Sultan Ibrahim is known for his culinary skills and his ability to prepare a variety of dishes. On 26 October 2024, he cooked Japanese curry for his officers.
Sports
Sultan Ibrahim has keen interest in sports, especially polo, which has led him to participate in various tournaments up to the international level. He is also interested in tennis, water surfing, shooting, driving sports cars, and parachuting.
A motorcycle enthusiast, Sultan Ibrahim is the founder of the annual motorcycling tour event Kembara Mahkota Johor.
Titles and styles
| Styles of Sultan Ibrahim |
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| Reference style | His Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
| Alternative style | Tuanku |
As a Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim's full title and style in Malay: Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, D.K. (Johor), D.K. (Perak), D.K. (Kelantan), D.K. (Perlis), D.K. (Selangor), D.K. (Negeri Sembilan), D.K. (Terengganu), D.K.M.B. (Brunei), S.P.M.J, S.S.I.J, S.P.M.T, S.M.N, S.P.M.K, S.P.M.P, P.I.S, Sultan Yang Dipertuan Bagi Negeri dan Jajahan Takluk Johor Darul Ta’zim.
while in English: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, D.K. (Johor), D.K. (Perak), D.K. (Kelantan), D.K. (Perlis), D.K. (Selangor), D.K. (Negeri Sembilan), D.K. (Terengganu), D.K.M.B. (Brunei), S.P.M.J, S.S.I.J, S.P.M.T, S.M.N, S.P.M.K, S.P.M.P, P.I.S, The Sultan and Sovereign Ruler of the State of Johor, The Abode of Dignity and its dependencies.
During his tenure as Yang di-Pertuan Agong (2024–present), Sultan Ibrahim's full title and style in Malay is: Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim while in English: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia or simply His Majesty The King of Malaysia
Issue
| Name | Birth | Marriage | Children | Ref | |
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| Date | Spouse | ||||
| Tunku Ismail Idris | 30 June 1984 | 24 October 2014 | Khaleeda Bustamam | 4, including Tunku Iskandar Abdul Jalil Abu Bakar Ibrahim | |
| Tunku Tun Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah | 8 April 1986 | 14 August 2017 | Dennis Muhammad Abdullah | 2, including Layla Sofiah | |
| Tunku Idris Iskandar | 25 December 1987 | ||||
| Tunku Abdul Jalil | 5 July 1990 – 5 December 2015 (aged 25) | ||||
| Tunku Abdul Rahman Hassanal Jefri | 5 February 1993 | ||||
| Tunku Abu Bakar | 30 May 2001 | ||||
Honours
Johor honours
Grand Master and First Class (DK I) of the Royal Family Order of Johor
Grand Master and First Class of the Order of the Crown of Johor (SPMJ) – Dato' (28 October 1980)
Grand Master and Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Loyalty of Sultan Ismail (SSIJ) – Dato' (8 April 1990)
Founding Grand Master and Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ibrahim of Johor (SMIJ) – Dato' (since 30 March 2015)
Sultan Ismail Coronation Medal (PSI 1st class) (10 February 1960)
Sultan Iskandar Coronation Medal (11 May 1981)
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Honours of Malaysia
Malaysia
Recipient and Grand Master (since 31 January 2024) of the Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia (5 June 2024)
Recipient and Grand Master (since 31 January 2024) of the Order of the Crown of the Realm (DMN) (2 March 2015)
Grand Commander and Grand Master (since 31 January 2024) of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) – Tun (1987)
Grand Master of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (31 January 2024)
Grand Master of the Order of Merit (31 January 2024)
Grand Master of the Order of Meritorious Service (31 January 2024)
Grand Master of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia (31 January 2024)
17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (20 July 2024)
Kedah
Royal Family Order of Kedah (DK) (25 February 2018)
Kelantan
Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kelantan (DK) (2010)
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Kelantan (SPMK) – Dato' (1994)
Negeri Sembilan
Member of the Royal Family Order of Negeri Sembilan (DKNS) (14 February 2011)
Pahang
Member 1st class of the Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK I) (8 December 2023)
Member 2nd class of the Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK II) (24 October 1997)
Perak
Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Perak (DK) (19 April 2010)
Perlis
Recipient of the Perlis Family Order of the Gallant Prince Syed Putra Jamalullail (DK) (17 May 2010)
Knight Grand Commander of Order of the Crown of Perlis (SPMP) – Dato' Seri
Sabah
Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima
Sarawak
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DP) – Datuk Patinggi (2009)
Selangor
First Class of the Royal Family Order of Selangor (DK I) (11 December 2010)
Terengganu
Member first class of the Family Order of Terengganu (DK I) (26 April 2013)
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Foreign honours
Bahrain
Order of Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (Wisam al-Shaikh ‘Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa), First Class (2017)
Brunei
Recipient of the Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (DKMB) – (2014)
Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal – (2017)
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Philippines
Grand Cross (GCrS) (Datu) of the Order of Sikatuna (2019)
Honorary doctorate
Singapore
- Honorary degree Doctor of Laws from the National University of Singapore (NUS) – (20 July 2022)
- Malaysia
- Honorary degree Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering Technology from the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) – (2 December 2023)
See also
In Spanish: Ibrahim Ismail de Johor para niños
