JOHOR Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar making an entry as the new King of Malaysia with big plans for checks and balances on both the executive government headed by Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the ‘self-serving politicians’.
His objective is to ensure political stability in Malaysia. The Sultan identified a significant factor contributing to political instability as the discontent of those on the losing side, referring to it as “sour grapes”.
In an interview with The Straits Times, the Sultan made it clear that he was not interested in giving up five years of his life to just be a “puppet king” in Kuala Lumpur, where the national palace is located.
To shake things up, he is considering using his influence to “make things right” nationally, he told the Singapore paper. His plans include checking on both the executive government led by Anwar and the “machinations of self-serving politicians”.
“There’re 222 of you in Parliament. There are over 30 million outside. I’m not with you, I’m with them (the rakyat),” he said. “When I hit in my speech, I hit. If not, the MPs behave like monkeys.”
Sultan Iskandar noted he intends to make his presence felt in Kuala Lumpur, both for the government and others.
“When I say I don’t want to see you, that’s already a big question why. And I have my own social media team. What I tell the PM, I make sure it goes out—the whole country will know. Either he works with me closely or things will get difficult,” he added.
Furthermore, he does not foresee problems working with Anwar, as they already enjoy a close relationship. He pointed out that the PM “calls me sometimes, even at midnight, asking for advice,” insisting that Malaysians should give Anwar a chance to prove himself.
“I don’t think you can change the country in one year. I think there are good ministers like (Transport Minister) Loke,” he claimed. “I will support the government, but if I think they are doing something improper, I will tell them.” – Dec 10, 2023
