Malaysia welcomed a new king, Sultan Ibrahim, in a grand ceremony at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. The newly crowned monarch is known for riding motorcycles, who took his oath in January, and is now officially the country’s 17th king.
The monarchy of this country rotates every five years among the rulers of the nine states, each with its own royal family.
While chiefly ceremonial, the position of king in this part of the world has in recent years played an increasingly important role, especially because of the political crisis.
Royal intervention was needed to name prime ministers three times following the collapse of governments and a hung parliament that followed the 2018 electoral defeat of scandal-tainted premier Najib Razak.
In addition to overseeing major political appointments, the king serves as the official head of Islam in the Muslim-majority country and commander-in-chief of its armed forces.
As per Bloomberg, the 65-year-old and his family, who are also known as the rulers of southern Johor, are estimated to be worth at least US $5.7 billion.
Additionally, the family owns land in Singapore and is an investor in the palm oil, real estate, and telecommunications industries.
The grand crowing ceremony was attended by dignitaries including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of neighbouring Brunei, and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
Ibrahim is married with six children; he has in the past made annual trips around Johor on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, handing out charity to poor people.
The motor-cycle rider also has a deep interest in business, including a stake in a $100 billion development project called Forest City. He has a collection of luxury cars and private jets.
Earlier in 1984, Sultan Ibrahim’s father, Sultan Iskander, held the crown; this was the last time a Johor sultan became king.
