I never hide business dealings by using proxies: Sultan
Published on: Friday, March 20, 2015
Johor: Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has defended his involvement in businesses like property development and a power plant project, saying that he cannot rely on his RM27,000 monthly allowance.Sultan Ibrahim said he believes it is healthy for the royalty to be involved in legitimate businesses and that he has never tried to hide his business dealings through proxies."I have to earn my living like everyone else," Sultan Ibrahim said.
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"I cannot depend on my allowances of RM27,000 a month. I must earn a living, like ordinary Malaysians," he added.The Johor ruler noted that the Johor royal family has a long history of doing business, starting with gambier and black pepper in the 19th century."I was doing palm oil business when I was the Tengku Mahkota. Don't tell me that once I become the Sultan, I have to stop everything," said Sultan Ibrahim.The Johor ruler is the largest shareholder of Esplanade Danga 88 Sdn Bhd, which formed a joint venture with China developer Country Garden Holdings for the Forest City property project.
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Another company belonging to the Johor sultan signed an agreement with Tenaga Nasional Berhad last July to construct and operate a power plant in Pasir Gudang, Johor.The Sultan also agreed that there are too many people being awarded Datukships, to the extent that if a stone is thrown it will hit a Datuk and then rebound and hit another Datuk.
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Not wanting to comment on other states and about talk of buying Datukships, he said Johor would not confer awards easily.He said the awards would lose their value and the people would no longer respect the title."We don't want Malaysia to be a country with the most title people. For sure, it will not happen in Johor as long as I'm around," he said.On Wednesday, the Sultan witnessed the full-dressed rehearsal of the "Istiadat Siram Tabal", a royal bathing ritual held in conjuction with the coronation ceremony.The rehearsal was performed at the Bukit Bintang steps in Istana Besar here.Clad in a pink shirt, Sultan Ibrahim arrrived at 3.30pm and sat under the royal tent.The ruler spent about 30 minutes wathcing the rehearsal where 18 teenage girls, all daughters of civil servants, were seen sitting on the steps carrying bowls of water.On the day of the event, the water, sourced from seven rivers across the state, will be used to bathe Sultan Ibrahim and his consort, Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris. The Sultan's eldest sister, Tunku Kamariah, will perform the ceremony.A ceremonial bathing is usually carried out in accordance to traditional customs and the act of symbolises the cleansing of one's soul before taking office.It will be one of the highlights of the sultan's coronation ceremony, and it will take place on Saturday.On Monday, Sultan Ibrahim will be crowned the fifth Sultan of modern Johor, while Raja Zarith will be conferred the title Permaisuri Johor.Several international artistes scheduled to perform at the coronation concert in Danga Bay beginning March 26 have been axed from the events.They are Taboo, American hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas, who were supposed to perform at the concert; Sistar from South Korea; and, pop duo Fuying and Sam from Taiwan.Johor Religious Council Chairman Abdul Mutalib Abdul Rahman said the decision to cancel their performances at the royal concert was made by Sultan Ibrahim.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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