Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar becomes the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong today. He is known for his unwavering commitment to the people's welfare besides his no-nonsense approach to issues. The Johor ruler is a staunch opponent of corruption and strict disciplinarian, given his extensive military background. Nor Ain Mohamed Radhi takes a look at Sultan Ibrahim's life and achievements.
PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER
Born on Nov 22, 1958, at Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru, Sultan Ibrahim is the eldest son of Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail and the late Enche Besar Khalsom Abdullah (Josephine Ruby Trevorrow).
He has been brought up with a military education and his leadership qualities were evident from the day he was selected as a platoon commander during his training at the Army Combat Training Centre (Pulada) in Ulu Tiram, Johor.
Sultan Ibrahim also excelled in numerous training programmes at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in the United States.
They included specialised courses conducted by US Special Forces and the US Army Pathfinder Course, where he successfully executed 19 parachute jumps, eight of them under the cover of darkness.
His exceptional performance earned him a prestigious wing designation, and he was promoted to commander.
Sultan Ibrahim is also a commissioned member of the US Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) team, apart from being an honorary member of Indonesia's Commando Special Forces (Kopassus) after completing several air jumps in Bandung, Indonesia.
He also attended helicopter pilot training with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) apart from participating in a three-month training with the Royal Malaysian Navy in Lumut, Perak.
In addition to his military training, Sultan Ibrahim has also completed two academic courses, namely the Southeast Asian Strategic Studies and the International Law of the Sea at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Tufts University, Boston.
JOHOR RULER
Sultan Ibrahim was proclaimed as Tunku Mahkota Johor on July 3, 1981, and later as the regent of Johor from April 25, 1984 until April 25, 1989, when his father Sultan Iskandar was installed as the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong from April 26, 1984, to April 25, 1989.
Sultan Ibrahim was proclaimed as the sultan of Johor on Jan 23, 2010, following the passing of Sultan Iskandar and was officially crowned on March 23, 2015.
FAMILY MAN
Sultan Ibrahim married Permaisuri Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah on Sept 22, 1982.
The couple was blessed with five sons, a daughter and six grandchildren. They are Tunku Ismail (the current Tunku Mahkota Johor); Tunku Tun Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah; Tunku Idris Iskandar Ismail Abdul Rahman (Tunku Temenggong Johor); Tunku Abdul Jalil Iskandar Ibrahim Ismail (Tunku Laksamana Johor who passed away on Dec 5, 2015); Tunku Abdul Rahman Hassanal Jeffri (Tunku Panglima Johor) and Tunku Abu Bakar Mahmood Iskandar Ibrahim (Tunku Putera Johor).
AVID SPORTSMAN
Beyond his royal duties, Sultan Ibrahim is widely known for his passion in sports.
His favourites include tennis, sailing, shooting, driving, skydiving and polo, in particular, where he has participated in international tournaments.
He also made history as the first sultan to drive a train for a distance of 391.3 kilometres over three days and perform a "turntable" procedure, in which he rotated a 86-tonne locomotive within 10 minutes at the Gemas station in Negri Sembilan.
Sultan Ibrahim received recognition from the 'Malaysia Book Of Records' on June 29, 2010, as the first sultan to earn a Class 26 locomotive driving licence.
KEMBARA MAHKOTA JOHOR
Known for his people-centric approach, Sultan Ibrahim, when he was the Tunku Mahkota Johor, inspired a royal touring programme as a way of bringing the palace closer to the people, and help the less fortunate while promoting tourism in his state.
The first Kembara Mahkota Johor (KMJ) took place from July 2 to 4, 2001. The three-day, two-night expedition, accompanied by 28 superbikes, traversed every corner of the state spanning approximately 870km, covering eight districts.
The programme enabled state leaders and government officials to witness firsthand and gather information about the aspirations and needs of the people.
With the information obtained, they were able to implement development policies that truly benefited the local communities.
VEHICLE COLLECTION
Sultan Ibrahim is known for his extensive collection of cars and motorcycles — from rare classics to the latest models. Among those in his garage are Harley-Davidson motorcycles, customised Mack trucks, Morgan three-wheelers, Ford Mustangs, a Genesis G90 Limousine, Lamborghinis, Maseratis and Chevrolet Corvettes
COMBATING CORRUPTION
In an exclusive interview with 'The Straits Times' of Singapore last year, Sultan Ibrahim vowed to make eradicating corruption in Malaysia as one of his key priorities in his tenure as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"From my great-grandfather, we were great hunters. I make sure when I go hunting, I bring back nice returns. But when I'm in Kuala Lumpur, it's a concrete jungle, so what do I hunt?
"I'm going to hunt all the corrupt people. I make sure I bring results," he was quoted as saying recently.
He had also suggested that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission reported directly to the king instead of to Parliament.
He further opined that judicial appointments must "be separated from the executive — they must be independent".
