The country of Malaysia has inaugurated a bold king who rides motorcycles, in a unique system of monarchy that is believed to be the only one of its kind in the world.
The monarchy of Malaysia has been occupied by nine different ethnic Malay rulers for five-year intervals since the country gained independence from Britain in 1957.
Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s new position is largely ceremonial but has in recent years featured heavily in the country’s fractured political landscape, prompting the king to wield rarely used discretionary powers to quell political instability.
The monarchy has had to step in three times to appoint prime ministers, following government collapses and a hung parliament after elections in recent years.
During a December interview with The Straits Times of Singapore, the 65-year-old expressed his lack of interest in becoming a “puppet king”.
The quote from the broadsheet stated that there are 222 lawmakers in parliament and over 30 million people outside. The speaker declared that they are not with the lawmakers, but with the general population.
“I am in favor of the government, but I will speak up if I believe they are behaving inappropriately.”
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The monarch holds the authority to grant pardons as well. In 2018, Sultan Muhammad V, a former ruler before Ibrahim, pardoned Anwar Ibrahim, who had previously been imprisoned for sodomy and now holds the position of Malaysia’s prime minister.
The king not only supervises important political appointments, but also holds the role of being the official leader of Islam in the country with a Muslim majority. Additionally, the king is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Sultan Ibrahim and his family have gained recognition for their extensive assortment of high-end automobiles and motorcycles. According to Bloomberg, their estimated net worth is at least $5.7 billion, which includes property in Singapore and investments in multiple industries such as palm oil, real estate, and telecommunications.
Sultan Ibrahim, who is of Malay-British descent, belongs to the powerful Johor royal family, the head of which commands a small private army.
He maintains a strong bond with Anwar and has been vocal about the state of Malaysian politics and issues with corruption.
In 2017, Sultan Ibrahim requested that a launderette owner apologize for purportedly discriminating against individuals of non-Muslim faith, highlighting his reputation as a religious moderate.
He is a married man with six children and has previously taken yearly trips on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle around Johor, distributing charitable donations to those in need.
Making negative comments that encourage disrespect towards the king can lead to imprisonment.
With Agence France-Presse, Associated Press and Reuters
Source: theguardian.com
