Iskandar Al-haj
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Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail
Retrieved 3 January 2009
( Jawi: ; 8 April 1932 – 22 January 2010) was the 24th
Sultan of Johor The Sultan of Johor is a hereditary seat and the sovereign ruler of the Malaysian state of Johor. In the past, the sultan held absolute power over the state and was advised by a ''bendahara''. Currently, the role of ''bendahara'' has been take ...
and the 4th Sultan of Modern Johor. He succeeded his father Sultan Ismail upon the latter's death on 10 May 1981. He was the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Supreme King or High King) of Malaysia from 26 April 1984 to 25 April 1989. Sultan Iskandar's reign lasted for almost 29 years until his death in January 2010. His children are married into the different royal houses of Malaysia. His eldest daughter Tunku Kamariah, the Tengku Puan Laksamana, married the Tengku Laksamana of Selangor,
Tengku Sulaiman Shah Tengku Sulaiman Shah Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj (born 17 June 1950) is a Malaysian corporate figure and a member of the Selangor Royal Family. He is the second son of eighth Sultan, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz ...
. His successor and eldest son Sultan Ibrahim married Raja Zarith Sofiah of the Perak Royal Family. His daughter Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah married the heir apparent of Pahang, now Sultan Abdullah. His younger son
Tunku Abdul Majid Tunku Abdul Majid Idris Ismail Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar (born 20 July 1970, Johor Bahru)Sultan Ibrahim, Sultan Iskandar's independent mindset resulted in strained relations with the Malaysian federal government on numerous occasions. This was more so during his days as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, whereby a number of notable public incidents involved Sultan Iskandar.''Constitutional Heads and Political Crises: Commonwealth Episodes, 1945–85 (1988)'', Low, pg 185 Nevertheless, Sultan Iskandar was reputed to show great concern to his subjects, and was held in high esteem by many of his subjects–particularly the
Malays Malays may refer to: * Malay race, a racial category encompassing peoples of Southeast Asia and sometimes the Pacific Islands ** Overseas Malays, people of Malay race ancestry living outside Malay archipelago home areas ** Cape Malays, a communit ...
and
Orang Asli Orang Asli (''lit''. "first people", "native people", "original people", "aborigines people" or "aboriginal people" in Malay) are a heterogeneous indigenous population forming a national minority in Malaysia. They are the oldest inhabitants of ...
s.Thanam Visvanathan, ''Ruler with deep concern for people–Sultan Iskandar revered as protective guardian and helpful to all his subjects'', pg 1, 8 April 2001,
New Sunday Times The ''New Straits Times'' is an English-language newspaper published in Malaysia. It is Malaysia's oldest newspaper still in print (though not the first), having been founded as ''The Straits Times'' on 15 July 1845. It was relaunched as the ' ...
''Special'' (Sultan of Johor's Birthday)
His time as the Sultan of Johor was marred by accusations of violence and brutality. Sultan Iskandar was notorious for his bad temper which often resulted in violent episodes of rage and brutality to members of his staff and the general public. The 1992 Gomez incident surrounding the Sultan eventually culminated in the removal of "legal immunity" for members of the royal family. Sultan Iskandar is reputed to have been a staunch disciplinarian, with willingness to occasionally voice personal opinions on governmental issues. On the personal side, subjects who have personally approached the Sultan in his later years described him as a person with a warmInspiring ruler
, Nelson Benjamin, 8 April 2007, The Star (Malaysia)
and generous personality.Johor Sultan's birthday celebration at Dataran Bandaraya in JB today
, 8 April 2008, The Star (Malaysia)
However, past critics had also argued that Sultan Iskandar was a person with a turbulent temper.Tan, Chee Khoon (1985), pg 5 These claims were made by citing records of past notorious incidents, which include an experience of being disinherited from being the Tunku Mahkota of Johor (or Crown Prince in English) by his father, in 1961, as well as a series of alleged criminal acts occurring between the 1970s and the 1990s which were published in the press and provoked widespread moral outrage within the Malaysian public.Abdullah (2003), pg 148 During his younger days as a prince, Tunku is spelled as in Johor. ''Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen: His Story'', K.N. Nadarajah, pg 50 Iskandar was commonly known by his first name, "Mahmood" or his full name "Mahmood Iskandar". He largely discontinued the use of his first name after he became Sultan in 1981, although some people still referred to him by his full name on an occasional basis.


Early life

Sultan Iskandar (known as Tunku Mahmood Iskandar until 1981) was the third and eldest surviving son of Sultan Ismail ibni Sultan Ibrahim by Sultanah Aminah binti Ungku Ahmad, and was born on at 11:30 am. Friday 8 April 1932 in Istana Semayam, Johor Bahru.''Pemerintah dan pemimpin-pemimpin kerajaan Malaysia'', Siti Rosnah Haji Ahmad, pg 71 (He had two older brothers, both of whom died in infancy.) Mahmood received his primary and lower secondary education in Ngee Heng Primary School and the
English College Johore Bahru The English College Johore Bahru, also known as Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar, abbreviated as English College, EC, MSAB, The college, and sometimes dubbed "The Pride Of Johore", is an old premier school in Malaysia. It is an all-boys school in Johor ...
(now Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar) in Johor Bahru. In 1952, he was sent to
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
for higher secondary education at the Trinity Grammar School. After completing high school in 1953, Mahmood travelled to the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, where he enrolled into the Upper Chine School for three years.


Sultan of Johor

Upon completing his studies, Mahmood returned to Malaysia in 1956 and briefly served as a cadet officer in the Johor Civil Service, taking charge of affairs in District Affairs, Land and Treasury departments until his appointment as the Tunku Mahkota of Johor in May 1959. Mahmood was appointed the Tunku Mahkota of Johor from 1959 to 1961, and Raja Muda of Johor from 1966 to 1981, by Sultan Ismail. On 29 April 1981, he was re-appointed as the Tunku Mahkota shortly before his father's death. On 10 May 1981, Mahmood was appointed as the Regent of Johor following the death of his father, and was sworn in as Sultan a day later, shortly before his father was buried.Asian RecorderPublished by K. K. Thomas at Recorder Press, 1981, pg 16108 In turn, his younger brother, Tunku Abdul Rahman (not to be confused with Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first Prime Minister), formerly the Tunku Mahkota of Johor for twenty years under Sultan Ismail, was demoted to a lower position, the Tunku Bendahara of Johor, a post which he held until his death in 1989. In the same year on 12 December, Sultan Iskandar was appointed as the Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Unlike the other preceding Sultan of Johors who had their own coronation ceremony, he did not have one. Under the council of rulers, the elective monarchy system of Malaysia, Sultan Iskandar was elected on 9 February 1984 as the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, shortly before his predecessor's term expired on 26 April 1984. He succeeded the Sultan of Pahang as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong on 26 April. A royal investiture was held shortly after that, in which he donned the traditional suit of the Agong, whereby he was officially installed. Sultan Iskandar served in the capacity as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong until 1989, whereby the Sultan of Perak succeeded him. As the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Iskandar was automatically designated under constitutional provisions as the Supreme Commander of the
Malaysian Armed Forces The Malaysian Armed Forces (: MAF; ms, Angkatan Tentera Malaysia; Jawi: ), are the armed forces of Malaysia, consists of three branches; the Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The number of MAF active pers ...
, holding the rank of the Marshal of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, Admiral of the Fleet of the
Royal Malaysian Navy The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN, ms, Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia; TLDM; Jawi: ) is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. RMN's area of o ...
and Field Marshal of the Army. On 8 April 2006, the Sultan appointed his grandson
Tunku Ismail Idris Major General Tunku Ismail Idris Abdul Majid Abu Bakar Iskandar ibni Sultan Ibrahim Ismail ( Jawi: تونكو إسماعيل إدريس عبدالمجيد أبو بكر إسكندر ابن سلطان إبراهيم إسماعيل; born 30 June 19 ...
—the son of the Tunku Mahkota then—as the Raja Muda during an investiture in conjunction on his birthday. The rank of Raja Muda denotes that Ismail is second in position in terms of the order of succession to the Johor royal throne. Mahkota's son named Raja Muda of JohorThe Star online
Star Publications, 9 April 2006.


State affairs

Sultan Iskandar held annual open house events either at Istana Bukit Serene, his official residence, or at Istana Besar. On these days, the Sultan and his eldest son, the Tunku Mahkota, held special sessions whereby Johoreans came up to pay their respects to him. The Sultan also bestowed honorary awards on distinguished Malaysians from his annual birthday honours list on his birthdays. As a matter of convention, the state government gazetted 8 April as a state public holiday to mark his birthday. Shortly before he became Agong in April 1984, Sultan Iskandar issued a proposal for the
Orang Asli Orang Asli (''lit''. "first people", "native people", "original people", "aborigines people" or "aboriginal people" in Malay) are a heterogeneous indigenous population forming a national minority in Malaysia. They are the oldest inhabitants of ...
s to be referred to as the "Bumiputera Asli" (literally, Original Sons of the Soil). The proposal was made as Sultan Iskandar suggested that the Orang Aslis maintained a distinct identity from the Malays as the majority of them were not
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
s. The proposal was subsequently scrapped, and the government made subsequent attempts to assimilate the Orang Aslis with the mainstream Malay society. After his inauguration as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, he donated his Agong's salary to various scholarship boards that were open to Malaysians of all races. Sultan Iskandar issued a decree in 2007 which only allowed residences and properties owned by the Sultan and the Tunku Mahkota to be called
Istana ''Istana'' is an Indonesian language, Indonesian and Malay language, Malay word meaning "palace". Notable Istanas *Istana Alam Shah, the official palace of the Sultan of Selangor *Istana Besar, 19th- and early 20th-century residence of the Sultan o ...
, while properties belonging to other members of the royal family are to be known as "Kediaman". The terms "Istana" and "Kediaman" are translated as "
Palace A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...
" and "Residences" in English, respectively. The following December, Sultan Iskandar gave his endorsement for the state government to gazette a proposed legislation which bans Muslims in the state from practising Yoga, citing that
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
elements in the exercise went against Islamic teachings. Applications to seek the Sultan's consent came from the state religious council, who acted under the instructions of the National Fatwa Council. Sultan Iskandar graced the official landmark opening of the Sultan Iskandar customs, immigration and quarantine complex on 1 December 2008, in the presence of the Tunku Mahkota and several key cabinet ministers. The complex was named in honour of the Sultan, who expressed optimism in its success during his opening speech.


Foreign relations

Since his ascension to the throne, Sultan Iskandar fostered particularly close neighbourly ties with Singapore, by developing a personal rapport with top Singaporean leaders. This practice has also been taken up by his sons, the Tunku Mahkota and Tunku Aris Bendahara. Media reports highlighted the particularly warm reception which leaders of both countries received whenever they visited each other's domains, particularly in July 1988, when Sultan Iskandar's visit to Singapore marked the first official visit by any Yang di-Pertuan Agong since 1957. Between these years, Sultan Iskandar has been awarded or been given the following awards by Singaporean political leaders: * 1988: Then-Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong received the Dato' Paduka Mahkota Johor (Kehormat) from the Sultan himself * 2007: Sultan Iskandar was presented with the Honorary Master Parachutist Wing by then-Singapore Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean * 2007: Conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by the
National University of Singapore The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...
. Relations with Singapore took a dive after the International Court of Justice ruled in Singapore's favour following a long legal battle over the sovereignty of Pedra Branca. At the inaugural session of the 12th Johor State Assembly in 2008, the Sultan stated his stand on Malaysia's sovereignty over Pedra Branca, and vowed to find legal means to retrieve the island's sovereignty. Sultan Iskandar also fostered a fairly close relationship with the
Sultan of Brunei The sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state of Brunei and head of government in his capacity as prime minister of Brunei. Since independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates bac ...
,
Hassanal Bolkiah Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
, particularly during his days as the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. In 2006, they were again seen together in public, after Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah made a state visit to Johor to express his interest in Iskandar Development Region.


Controversies


Succession

Prior to his life as the Sultan or Agong, and even during the 1980s and early 1990s, Mahmood's reputation was more or less marred by a number of alleged controversial incidents which received occasional attention from the media. One of these earliest incidents was the loss of his status as Mahkota in 1961—a position which his father, Sultan Ismail, appointed to him two years earlier, citing reasons of alleged misbehaviour after confidential reports accusing him of incarcerating a policeman reached the Sultan.Kershaw (2001), pg 103 Iskandar's younger brother, Abdul Rahman (Tunku Mahkota of Johor) Tengku is spelled as in Johor. ''Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen: His Story'', K.N. Nadarajah, pg 50 was appointed as the Tunku Mahkota in favour of him. Nevertheless, in 1966, Mahmood Iskandar was appointed the Raja Muda—which puts him second in line to the throne. In April 1981, Mahmood was reinstated as Mahkota shortly before his father's death the following month and was subsequently installed as the Sultan of Johor, under the orders of his father. However, some eyewitnesses challenged the legitimacy of Mahmood's reappointment as the Mahkota, by arguing that they witnessed Sultan Ismail already having lapsed into coma at the time of his appointment as the Regent. Records stated that Sultan Ismail lapsed into a coma on 8 May, three days before his death. Relations with the Menteri Besar of Johor,
Othman Saat Othman Saat (4 April 1927 – 27 October 2007) was a Malaysian politician from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), and later, Spirit of 46 Malay Party (S46), who served as the 11th Menteri Besar of Johor in Malaysia. Political ca ...
deteriorated when the latter questioned Iskandar's legitimacy to the throne, which led to an incident which saw the Sultan issuing an order to the Menteri Besar to vacate his office within 24 hours, shortly after Sultan Ismail's death, citing reasons for the need for that office space for his own. The Menteri Besar heeded his order, though the Sultan did not move in as he had said.
Othman Saat Othman Saat (4 April 1927 – 27 October 2007) was a Malaysian politician from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), and later, Spirit of 46 Malay Party (S46), who served as the 11th Menteri Besar of Johor in Malaysia. Political ca ...
subsequently resigned the following year as the Menteri Besar.


Allegations of criminal misconduct

In 1972, Mahmood was charged for causing assault with a mace to two men for overtaking his car and was convicted the following year. A year later, reports also surfaced another similar attack upon a young couple, when Iskandar, together with his bodyguard, attacked them with chemicals and a mace after having offended him. Another alleged incident took place at about this time when Mahmood chained up two policemen in a dog kennel for a day after having angered him. Five years later, Mahmood was charged and convicted of manslaughter after shooting and killing a man near his private helicopter whom he took to be a smuggler. In both cases, his father, Sultan Ismail, intervened and granted official pardons to Mahmood. Similarly, his eldest son, Tunku Ibrahim Ismail, was convicted in the 1980s of shooting dead a man in a nightclub during a feud, but was quickly pardoned. In 1987, Sultan Iskandar was accused of causing the death of a golf caddy in Cameron Highlands by assault, following an incident in which the golf caddy laughed when the Sultan missed a hole. Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first Prime Minister, pointed out that the Sultan (then the Agong) could not be prosecuted due to the immunity that was accorded to the rulers, yet he condemned Sultan Iskandar's actions at the same time. In the end the matter was let off without much public attention. The brother of the caddy – who also suffered injuries from the incident, being distressed from what he saw, subsequently ran amok in Kuala Lumpur and had to be quarantined in a mental hospital.Crouch (1996), pg 146


Gomez Incident


Assault

In late 1992, two separate assault cases by the Sultan himself as well as his younger son, Tunku Abdul Majid Idris, on hockey coaches culminated in the stripping of immunity of rulers from prosecution. Both cases received considerable headlines in the local and international news which was aptly dubbed as "The Gomez Incident". The incident was kicked off on 10 July 1992, when Sultan Iskandar's second son, the Tunku Bendahara– Tunku
Abdul Majid ʻAbd al-Majīd (ALA-LC romanization of ar, عبد المجيد) is a Muslim male given name and, in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-Majīd'', one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to th ...
Idris, lost his temper during a hockey match with the Perak hockey team after Perak won the match by a penalty stroke, and assaulted the
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
goalkeeper, Mohamed Ja'afar Mohamed Vello. The goalkeeper later lodged a police report on 30 July. The incident received public attention, especially when the matter was debated in parliament.Kershaw (2001), pg 110 The incident resulted in the Malaysian Hockey Federation issuing Majid -- then second-in line to the throne after his elder brother -- a ban of five years from participating in any tournaments following investigations. Tunku Abdul Majid was later convicted of assault in January 1993, of which the chief justice sentenced him to a year in prison, on top of a RM 2000 fine. He was released on a bail, and these charges were later dropped on grounds of immunity, which was still applicable at the time when the act was committed.Asian Bulletin, Asian Peoples' Anti-Communist League, Asian Peoples' Anti-Communist League (China: Republic: 1949– ), Asian-Pacific Anti-Communist League, APLFD (Organization), Published by APACL Publications, 1993, pg 30 The Sultan responded to the ban by putting pressure on the state authorities to enforce isolation of the Johor hockey teams from all national tournaments. In November 1992, Douglas Gomez, a coach for the Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar field hockey team, expressed his displeasure of being called to withdraw from a semi-final national hockey match by the Director of the Johor Education Department. The incident attracted the attention of the Sultan, who personally summoned Gomez to his palace, Istana Bukit Serene, where he was promptly reprimanded and assaulted by the Sultan. Following Gomez's meeting with the Sultan, Gomez sought treatment to his face and stomach. Subsequently, he lodged a police report against the Sultan for assault. Gomez elaborated that the Sultan's bodyguards and members of the Johor Military Force present were merely onlookers, and that the Sultan was solely responsible for the injuries.


Public responses and follow ups

The assault resulted in a public outcry over the event which pressured all levels of the government right up to the top ranks of the federal government to investigate into the matter. In the closing months of 1992, and also the opening months of 1993, dozens of articles mentioning misdeeds by the royal families of several states–but in particular Sultan Iskandar himself were published. A good deal of these alleged misdeeds that were mentioned included the charging of exorbitant fines–way above the prescribed legal limits–upon offenders who had obstructed the Sultan's car, amongst others. Sultan Iskandar, nevertheless bore the brunt of the backlash by the numerous references centred towards alleged acts of criminal wrongdoings even though many of the listed acts were committed by other members of the royal family. The vociferous spate of criticisms roused by the press prompted Members of Parliament of the
Dewan Rakyat The Dewan Rakyat (English: 'House of Representatives'; ) is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament, the federal legislature of Malaysia. The chamber and its powers are established by Article 44 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The Dewan Ra ...
to convene a special session on 10 December 1992. All 96 parliamentarians present on that day passed a unanimous resolution which called for action to curb the powers of the rulers if necessary. During the special meeting, parliamentarians disclosed past criminal records of Sultan Iskandar and his two sons, all of whom had been involved in a total of at least 23 cases of assault and manslaughter,''Asian Recorder (1993)'', pg 22904 five of which were cases committed by the Sultan after 1981, two cases by the Mahkota and three cases by the Bendahara. A bill was passed by both the
Dewan Rakyat The Dewan Rakyat (English: 'House of Representatives'; ) is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament, the federal legislature of Malaysia. The chamber and its powers are established by Article 44 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The Dewan Ra ...
and
Dewan Negara The Dewan Negara (English language, English: Senate; Literal translation, lit. "State Council") is the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia, consisting of 70 senators of whom 26 are elected by the State legislative assemblies of Malaysia, ...
on 19 and 20 January 1993 respectively. The bill, which proposed to remove legal immunity was approved by six out of nine sultans—but saw stiff opposition from three, two of which included Ismail Petra, the Sultan of Kelantan and the Sultan Iskandar himself. Sultan Iskandar took up the initiative to obtain more royal support to stall the implementation of the proposed bill. The bill, which proposed to strip rulers and members of the royal families of legal immunity, would make them prosecutable by the law in any cases of proven criminal wrongdoings. Sultan Iskandar organised a rally which was to be held outside the palace with the aim of garnering public support to stall the bill's implementation. However, this was cancelled after intense pressure from the government. A report made during the rally quoted Sultan Iskandar calling upon all local civil servants to boycott state and federal functions in a show of support for his motion. Meanwhile, the federal government continued to pressure the rulers into assenting to the bills, which they did after several revisions of the bill were made by the government. Following which, the proposed bill was enshrined into the Federal Constitution in March 1993. The bill allowed rulers who violated the laws to be prosecuted, while the Sedition Act of 1948 was also amended to allow public criticism of the rulers. A special court was created–presided by the
Lord President of the Federal Court The title of Lord President of the Supreme Court was formerly the title of the head of the judiciary in Malaysia, until 1994 when the office was renamed " Chief Justice of the Federal Court". The Lord President was head of the highest court in Mal ...
–to empower and prosecute members of the rulers and immediate members of the royal household.


Aftermath

Sultan Iskandar and his family members were not prosecuted for their past violations of the law on grounds that the royal immunity was still applicable when the incidences occurred. Nevertheless, shortly after the incident, Sultan Iskandar was prompted to take steps to rehabilitate his public image, which was more or less tarnished by the incident. In a public speech shortly after the episode, the Sultan was noted to have toned down somewhat on his hardline image and appeared to be somewhat more humble, appealing to Johoreans to maintain their loyalty to him. The Gomez incident also led to a review and proposal by the Federal Government in August 1993 to disband the Johor Military Force (JMF). However, the bill to disband the JMF was subsequently repealed by parliament.


Political


Days as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia (1980s)

Shortly before his election as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong in 1983, a spate of reports alleging Sultan Iskandar's intention to launch a coup d'état by launching a
state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
to overthrow the government circulated within political circles, which reached Mahathir himself. The Sultan was reportedly having fostered close relations with several key military personnel, including the Army chief himself Jeneral Zain Hashim. The government subsequently took action to curb constitutional loopholes within the constitution and took to task of reducing the power of royal veto in passing legislation, culminating to a constitutional crisis in late 1983. Nevertheless, during his inaugural speech as the Agong in 1984, about a month after the constitutional amendments were passed in parliament, Sultan Iskandar voiced public support for the revised constitution and pledged to act in accordance to the Prime Minister's advise. A diplomatic scandal between the United Kingdom and Malaysia broke out in 1984, when several British newspapers published pieces on Sultan Iskandar's coronation, citing the headlines such as "Killer becomes King" and "King a Killer", which enraged the Malaysian government, who demanded an apology from the British government. The British government refused to apologise on behalf of the newspapers, hence triggering tensions between the two countries. Two months later, in June 1984, Sultan Iskandar in his capacity as the Agong, surprised the Malaysian public when he publicly called upon the Deputy Prime Minister, Musa Hitam, to make a public apology in front of the entire congregation present at the
National Mosque This is an incomplete list of some of the more famous mosques around the world. List See also * Islamic architecture * List of largest mosques * List of the oldest mosques in the world ** List of mosques that are mentioned by name in the Q ...
. Sultan Iskandar, on his part, was angry over remarks which Musa made during the course of the 1983 constitutional crisis that he deemed to be disrespectful. Musa abided to the Agong's demand and boldly came forward to make the apology, which was greeted by a thunderous applause from the entire congregation. The event, which was broadcast live throughout the nation on Malaysian Radio (although the television stations abruptly terminated its broadcast halfway), was seen by many observers as an act of confrontation by the Agong to put Musa in his place. In 1988, also serving in his capacity as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong, the
Lord President of the Federal Court The title of Lord President of the Supreme Court was formerly the title of the head of the judiciary in Malaysia, until 1994 when the office was renamed " Chief Justice of the Federal Court". The Lord President was head of the highest court in Mal ...
Tun Salleh Abas was sacked by the Agong in what led to the
1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis The 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis (also known as the 1988 judicial crisis) was a series of events that began with United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party elections in 1987 and ended with the suspension and the eventual removal ...
. However, observers suggested a remarkably warm relationshipCrouch (1996), pg 146 between then- Prime Minister Dr.
Mahathir Mohamad Mahathir bin Mohamad ( ms, محاضير بن محمد, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; ; born 10 July 1925) is a Malaysian politician, author, and physician who served as the 4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the office ...
with the Agong, both of whom shared common resentment against the chief justice, Salleh Abas. In 1973, Iskandar was convicted of assault and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, of which Salleh Abas served as the public prosecutor hearing the case. As the public prosecutor, Salleh had appealed to the chief justice,
Raja Azlan Shah Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuff Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-lah (Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ; 19 April 1928 – 28 May 2014) was the 34th Sultan of Perak and served as the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 26 Ap ...
(father to the current Sultan of Perak), for handing down a heavier sentence for Iskandar, which naturally earned his wrath. The sacking of the Lord President, was however not without controversy, given the alleged manner in which the Agong and Prime Minister had handled the matter–including an incident which the Agong had refused to forgive the Lord President in spite of Salleh's willingness to offer his apology to the Agong, which he turned down.


Later years (2000 onwards)

Sultan Iskandar's public call to support Abdullah Badawi's administration in October 2006 created a minor stir among Mahathir's supporters, when he remarked that "Mahathir should act like a pensioner". The call came at a time when Mahathir's spate of criticisms against Abdullah's were at its most vociferous period. The Sultan was the first state ruler to publicly defend the policy of the government during the period of Mahathir's criticisms against the Abdullah administration. Earlier sources however, noted Sultan Iskandar's concerns with the deepening rift between Mahathir and Abdullah and had asked to be photographed together with the two leaders during the United Malays National Organisations (UMNO) 60th anniversary celebrations in Johor Bahru. A month later, in November 2006, another small stir erupted during the launching ceremony of the Iskandar Development Region, when Sultan Iskandar voiced his opinion that the
Causeway A causeway is a track, road or railway on the upper point of an embankment across "a low, or wet place, or piece of water". It can be constructed of earth, masonry, wood, or concrete. One of the earliest known wooden causeways is the Sweet Tra ...
, which connects Johor and Singapore, should be removed to allow ships to pass through and promoting development of the state. He also remarked that the people should be wary of all foreigners as they were "vultures" and also urged the people not to hold them in high regard, citing his displeasure that his ancestors were "deceived" by dirty tactics employed by colonialists to build the Causeway. At the inaugural 12th Johor State Assembly Seating in April 2008, a minor controversy erupted when one opposition member of parliament (MP), Gwee Tong Hiang, flouted dress regulations by appearing in a lounge suit and tie instead of the usual official attire and songkok. This resulted in him being dismissed from the assembly chamber shortly before the Sultan's arrival. Gwee, a Democratic Action Party (DAP) MP, reportedly argued that there was no stated order to wear the official attire and songkok and stated his desire to wear a western suit, promptly drew flak from other MPs and the Menteri Besar, Abdul Ghani Othman who had earlier on met to agree to don in the official attire and songkok prior to the assembly, whereby Gwee was absent. The Sultan, apparently angry at Gwee, sharply criticised him two days later and publicly called upon Gwee to seek an audience with him.


Lifestyle

During his days as the Agong, Sultan Iskandar was often seen in public carrying a pistol in his waistband, which drew considerable concern and discomfort from the Malaysian public due to his past record of criminal offences.''Asia & Pacific'' (1984), pg 229 He was also reputed to have led a flamboyant lifestyle, which also drew similar scepticism. He was also known to be a motorbike enthusiast; documentaries on national patriotism would feature Sultan Iskandar, the then-Agong, riding out on a police motorbike and his flamboyant appearance during a few public ceremonies. These documentaries drew criticisms from the Malaysian public, who felt that the television clips of Sultan Iskandar were inappropriate for its theme and national image.


Personal life

In 1956, Mahmood married Josephine Ruby Trevorrow, from Cornwall, United Kingdom, with whom he had four children, including his successor, Ibrahim Ismail and the current queen of Malaysia, Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. The marriage ended with divorce in 1962. He remarried in 1961 – shortly before his divorce to Trevorrow, to Tengku Zanariah, who came from the Kelantan royal family. Tengku Zanariah had six children with the Sultan.Sleeman (2004), pg 827 Analysts such as Kate Wharton have observed that any literal references to Trevorrow's association with Sultan Iskandar was carefully omitted in all official biographies. As a youth, Mahmood qualified as a pilot, having trained in handling light and medium aircraft and helicopters. He was also apt in handling motorcycles, reportedly possessing the skills to strip a motorcycle down to its component parts and then reassembling it. The Sultan is also well known for his passion in many types of open-air sports, especially polo and golf. In his later years, he spent much of his free time at the Royal Johor Country Club. In addition, he also played tennis and squash on a regular basis. Within private circles, Sultan Iskandar was fondly known as "Moody", a testimony to his first name "Mahmud." Azizah is one tough princess
The Star, Kee Hua Chee, 19 March 2005
His son, Abdul Majid, inherited his interest in amateur golf and once served as the President of the Malaysian Golf Association. He is involved in the
1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis The 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis (also known as the 1988 judicial crisis) was a series of events that began with United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party elections in 1987 and ended with the suspension and the eventual removal ...
1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis The 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis (also known as the 1988 judicial crisis) was a series of events that began with United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party elections in 1987 and ended with the suspension and the eventual removal ...
which the then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad used his 1992 Gomez beating incident as a leverage to hijack the Malaysian judiciary system by sacking the then Lord of President of the Federal Court of Malaysia (Now known as Chief Justice of Malaysia), Tun Haji Mohamed Salleh bin Abas in an effort to claim his political success. In addition, he kept a large collection of pets, particularly peacocks, at his Istana Bukit Serene compound, where he lived with the Sultanah. In his youth, Iskandar resided at Istana Bukit Coombe, located at the top of Coombe Hill. It was built upon Dutch architectural designs, and was later renamed Istana Bukit Iskandar. The palace was later demolished in 1987, six years after Sultan Iskandar succeeded his late father as Sultan. He made a personal friendship with Philippine opposition leader
Benigno Aquino Jr Benigno "Ninoy" Simeon Aquino Jr., (; November 27, 1932 – August 21, 1983) was a Filipino politician who served as a senator of the Philippines (1967–1972) and governor of the province of Tarlac. Aquino was the husband of Corazon Aquino ...
. His son picked Aquino up at Changi airport and drove to Johor where he and Aquino had a meeting with the latter days before the former Philippine senator was
assassinated Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...
.


Issue


Health

After undergoing a coronary bypass operation in the United States in 2000, close aides reported that Sultan Iskandar slowed down somewhat in his pace of life and took to playing golf only on an occasional basis. A bout of bronchitis in January 2008 saw the Sultan being briefly admitted and treated in a local hospital.


Death

Sultan Iskandar died on 22 January 2010 at 7:15 pm at the Puteri Specialist Hospital,
Johor Bahru Johor Bahru (), colloquially referred to as JB, is the capital city of the state of Johor, Malaysia. It is located at the southern end of Peninsular Malaysia,along the north bank of the Straits of Johor, opposite of the city-state Singapore. T ...
. after being admitted earlier in the day following an illness at age 77. His death was only officially announced at 11:20 pm by Menteri Besar of Johor Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman announced that flags be lowered to half mast Johor starting from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. He was brought to the Istana Besar,
Johor Bahru Johor Bahru (), colloquially referred to as JB, is the capital city of the state of Johor, Malaysia. It is located at the southern end of Peninsular Malaysia,along the north bank of the Straits of Johor, opposite of the city-state Singapore. T ...
for laying in state and is buried in the Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum the next day at 2:00 pm. Before that, the public was allowed to pay their last respects to Sultan Iskandar from early morning. Among the royal family were present and other dignitaries were present to give their last respects is the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong
Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Al-Wathiqu Billah Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah ( Jawi: ; born 22 January 1962) is the 18th and current Sultan of Terengganu. He served as the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutio ...
and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah, the Sultan of Brunei
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
, the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, the Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah, the Sultan of Kedah Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, the Sultan of Perak
Sultan Azlan Shah Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuff Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-lah ( Jawi: ; 19 April 1928 – 28 May 2014) was the 34th Sultan of Perak and served as the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 26 April 1989 to 25 ...
, the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz, the Regent of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Tengku Abdullah, and the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra. Prime Minister Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak, cut short his visit to India to attend his funeral. Also present were Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. His son the Tunku Mahkota of Johor
Tunku Ibrahim Ismail Sultan Ibrahim ( ms, سلطان إبراهيم, label=Jawi script, Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 22 November 1958) is the seventeenth and current Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia. He is also the fifth Sultan of Johor, Sultan of ...
was proclaimed as the next
Sultan of Johor The Sultan of Johor is a hereditary seat and the sovereign ruler of the Malaysian state of Johor. In the past, the sultan held absolute power over the state and was advised by a ''bendahara''. Currently, the role of ''bendahara'' has been take ...
also on 23 January.


Legacy

Several projects and institutions were named after the Sultan, including:


Educational institutions

* Institute Sultan Iskandar of Urban Habitat and Highrise, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia * SMK Tunku Mahmood Iskandar, Sungai Mati, Muar * SMK Mahmood Iskandar, Parit Saidi,
Batu Pahat The Batu Pahat District is a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. It lies southeast of Muar, southwest of Kluang, northwest of Pontian, south of Segamat and Tangkak District. The capital of the district is Bandar Penggaram. Geography ...
* SK Tengku Mahmood Iskandar 1 and 2, Pontian *
Sekolah Menengah Sains Sultan Iskandar This is a list of deities of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', including all of the 3.5 edition gods and powers of the "Core Setting" for the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') roleplaying game. Religion is a key element of the D&D game, since it is requi ...
, Mersing, Johor


Buildings

*
Bangunan Sultan Iskandar The Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI; ms, Bangunan Sultan Iskandar) is a customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) complex in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Located at the northern end of the Johor–Singapore Causeway, it is one of two land port ...
, or the Sultan Iskandar Complex in English, a customs, immigration and quarantine complex opened in December 2008 * Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Kota Tinggi district office of the Malaysian Public Works Department * Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Federal government headquarters for Youth and Sports in Sarawak, located in
Kuching Kuching (), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River ...
, Sarawak. * Dewan Sultan Iskandar, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia * Planetarium Sultan Iskandar the first
planetarium A planetarium ( planetariums or ''planetaria'') is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation. A dominant feature of most planetarium ...
in Malaysia. The planetarium is located in Kuching Civic Centre,
Kuching Kuching (), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River ...
, Sarawak. It was named in honour of the Sultan, then the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong. * Sultan Iskandar Broadcasting Complex, headquarters of
Johor FM Johor FM is a Johor-state Malay language radio station operated by Radio Televisyen Malaysia out of the Johor state capital Johor Bahru in Malaysia. It features local news and Malaysian music, 18-hours a day from 06:00 to 00:00 MST. Johor FM ...
at
Jalan Datin Halimah Jalan Datin Halimah (Johor state road J3) or Jalan Kolam Ayer is a major road in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal ter ...
* Pusat Islam Iskandar Johor, the Johor Islamic Centre in Johor Bahru * Masjid Iskandar, a mosque at Kem Iskandar, a Commando military camp in Mersing. * Sultan Iskandar Mosque, a mosque at Mersing and
Bandar Dato' Onn Bandar Dato' Onn is a suburb in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three ...
*
Kota Iskandar Mosque The Kota Iskandar Mosque ( ms, Masjid Kota Iskandar) is a Johor's state mosque located at Kota Iskandar, Iskandar Puteri, a Johor State Administrative Centre at Johor Bahru District, Johor, Malaysia. It is the second state mosque of Johor after ...
, a state mosque in Kota Iskandar, Iskandar Puteri. *
Sultan Iskandar Power Station Sultan Iskandar Power Station (Malay: Stesen Janaelektrik Sultan Iskandar) is a Malaysian gas turbine power station located in Pasir Gudang, Johor. History Construction of the plant began in 1977 and completed in 1980. The station was officially ...
, Pasir Gudang * Sultan Iskandar Reservoir, a water reservoir east of Johor Bahru. *
Iskandar Coastal Bridge Iskandar Coastal Bridge or Jambatan Persisir Pantai Iskandar (Jawi: جمبتن ڤسيسير ڤنتاي إسکندر) is an arch-shaped river bridge in Johor Bahru District, Johor, Malaysia. It is a second arch bridge in Johor Bahru after Permas J ...


Roads

*Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar, a stretch of the
Iskandar Coastal Highway The Iskandar Coastal Highway (ICH) (formerly Johor Bahru West Coast Parkway) (Malay Language, Malay: ''Lebuhraya Pesisir Pantai Iskandar (LPPI)'') or the stretch of road that includes Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar, Persiaran Sultan Abu Bakar (formerl ...
from Danga Bay to Iskandar Puteri. *Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar (formerly Lebuhraya Mahameru), part of the
Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1 Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1 or the stretch of roads including Jalan Tun Razak, Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar (Lebuhraya Mahameru), Jalan Damansara, Jalan Istana and Jalan Lapangan Terbang is an urban and municipal main ring road in Kuala Lumpur. ...
in Kuala Lumpur. *Jalan Sultan Iskandar, a major road in Bintulu, Sarawak.


Others

*
Iskandar Johor Open The Iskandar Johor Open was a golf tournament held in Malaysia and part of the Asian Tour. It was first held in 2007 when it was played at the Royal Johor Country Club in Johor Bahru. The 2008 purse was US$500,000. In 2009, Johor Open's purse was ...
, an Asian Tour golf tournament funded by the Johor state government * Iskandar Malaysia, formerly Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandar or Iskandar Development Region (IDR) in English * Kota Iskandar (formerly Johor State New Administrative Centre (JSNAC)) is an administrative centre for the state government of Johor located at Iskandar Puteri * Kem Iskandar, a Commando military camp in Mersing * Iskandar Puteri, a planned city which was formerly known as Nusajaya * Taman Iskandar, a housing estate near Pasir Pelangi, Johor Bahru * Sultan Iskandar Deep Sea Park, a deep sea park in Pulau Mensirip, Mersing. * Pertandingan Menembak Piala Sultan Iskandar One of his grandsons (the son of his second son, Abdul Majid), Mahmood Iskandar, was named after him. Some of his children and grandchildren are also similarly named after his forebears, notably his older son, Ibrahim, who was named after the Sultan's grandfather, Sultan Ibrahim. Sultan Iskandar also followed his grandfather's and father's footsteps of using the royal monogram "S.I.". The monogram's letters represent the initials of their title and names respectively.


Honours

He was awarded:


Johor honours

* Second Class (DK II, 8.5.1959), First Class (DK I, 28.10.1959) and Grand Master of the
Royal Family Order of Johor The Most Esteemed Royal Family Order of Johor (Bahasa Melayu : ''Darjah Kerabat Johor Yang Amat Dihormati''),World Medal IndexDecorations of Johor/ref>Colecciones Militares (Antonio Prieto Barrio)Decorations of Johor/ref> is a chivalrous order a ...
* First Class (SPMJ, 28.10.1967) and Grand Master of the Order of the Crown of Johor * Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Loyalty of Sultan Ismail (28.10.1975, SSIJ) * Sultan Ibrahim Coronation Medal (PSI 1st class) * Star of Sultan Ismail (BSI 1st class) * Sultan Ismail Coronation Medal (1960)


National and Sultanal honours

* (as Yang di-Pertuan Agong): ** Recipient of
Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia The Most Excellent Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia ( ms, Darjah Yang Maha Utama Kerabat Diraja Malaysia) is a Malaysian federal award conferred to the Malay rulers who were appointed as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. It only has one r ...
(DKM) (1984) ** Recipient (1987) and Grand Master (1984-1989) of the
Order of the Crown of the Realm The Most Exalted Order of the Crown of the Realm ( ms, Darjah Utama Seri Mahkota Negara) is a Malaysian federal award. It is ranked lower than the Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia. It should not be confused with the Order of Loyalty to the ...
** Grand Master (1984-1989) of the Order of the Defender of the Realm ** Grand Master (1984-1989) of the
Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia The Most Esteemed Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia ( ms, Darjah Yang Mulia Setia Mahkota Malaysia) is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country and awarded by the sovereign. The order was instituted on ...
** Grand Master (1984-1989) of the Order of Merit of Malaysia ** Grand Master (1984-1989) of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia * : ** Recipient of the
Royal Family Order of Kelantan The Most Esteemed Royal Family Order of Kelantan or the Star of Yunus (Malay: ''Darjah Kerabat Yang Amat Di-Hormati'' or ''Bintang al-Yunusi'') is an honorific order of the Sultanate of Kelantan. History Instituted on 9 August 1916, this order ...
(DK) (1984) * : ** Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kedah (DK) (1985) * : ** Member of the
Royal Family Order of Negeri Sembilan Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a ci ...
(DKNS) (1985) * : ** First Class Member of the Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK I) (1990) * : ** Recipient of the Perlis Family Order of the Gallant Prince Syed Putra Jamalullail (DK) * : ** Member of the first class of the Family Order of Terengganu (DK) (1982) * : ** First Class of the
Royal Family Order of Selangor The Most Esteemed Royal Family Order of Selangor (Malay: ''Darjah Kerabat Selangor Yang Amat Dihormati'') is an order awarded by Sultan of Selangor to members of the Selangor and other Royal families, and to high officers of state. It is the high ...
(DK I) (1985) * : ** Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima * : ** Grand Commander of the
Premier and Exalted Order of Malacca Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...
(DUNM) – Datuk Seri Utama (1988)


Foreign honours

* : ** First Class of the
Family Order of Laila Utama The Most Esteemed Family Order of Laila Utama ( ms, Darjah Kerabat Laila Utama Yang Amat Dihormati) is an order of Brunei. It was established on 1 March 1954 by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The order carries the post-nominal letters "DK" as ...
(DK) – Dato Laila Utama (1972) ** Recipient of the Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (DKMB) (1988) * : **
Star of the Republic of Indonesia The Star of the Republic of Indonesia ( id, Bintang Republik Indonesia) is Indonesia's highest order awarded to both civilians and the military for their merits to the republic and the people. It was officially instituted in 1959. It is awarded t ...
(1st Class) (1987) * : ** Knight of the
Order of the Rajamitrabhorn The Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นมงคลยิ่งราชมิตราภรณ์; ) is the highest royal order of Thailand. It ...
(KRM) (1985)


Ancestry

Sultan Iskandar is a fourth generation descendant of Sultan Abu Bakar, who in turn was the son of Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim, the Temenggong of Johor. In turn, some of Daeng Ibrahim's patrilineal ancestors were also Temenggongs of Johor serving under their respective Sultans. It is from this ancestral heritage to which the dynastical name of his lineage is known—Temenggong dynasty.''Johore and the Origins of British Control'', Nesalamar Nadarajah, pg 44 The preceding Sultan prior to Sultan Abu Bakar, Ali and his predecessors who ruled Johor from the 17th to 19th centuries, were descended from Abdul Jalil, a Bendahara. Abdul Jalil became Sultan in 1699 after the death of
Sultan Mahmud Shah Sultan Mahmud Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah (died 1528) ruled the Sultanate of Malacca from 1488 to 1511, and again as pretender to the throne from 1513 to 1528. He was son to Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah. As a monarch, he was kno ...
and adopted the title Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah IV. In this pattern, the names of the dynasties which the ruling houses of Johor were known. The Temenggong dynasty is also related to the Bendahara dynasty by bloodline; genealogical records show that Sultan Abdul Jalil IV is also a direct patrilineal ancestor of Sultan Iskandar.Winstedt (1992), pg 181, 187


Footnotes

α. Al-Mutawakkil Alallah (also spelled in Arabic as Motawakkil Alallah), which means "He who puts his trust in God" is an Islamic title used by the Sultan. (Najeebabadi, pg 465) β. In Islamic cultures, the title Al-Marhum means "to one whom mercy has been shown. This is used for Muslim rulers who are deceased. (Schimmel (1989), pg 59) γ. His first name, Mahmud, is also sometimes spelled as Mahmood by some sources. Bowker-Saur, pg 297 δ. In Malaysian royalty, ibni means "son of" in English, derived from the Arabic term " ibn. Most laymen would otherwise use the term "bin" to denote "son of" in their names. ''Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules'' (1978), pg 390 ε.
Section B Planning and Implementation, Part 3 Physical Planning Initiatives, CHAPTER 13, Johor Bahru City Centre
Iskandar Malaysia, pg 6, "... This was followed later by the 21st Sultan of Johor – Sultan Abu Bakar (1862–1895) who laid the foundation for developing Johor into a modern state. ..." NB: Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor is the great-grandfather of Sultan Iskandar. ζ. On Sultan Iskandar's 69th birthday, various companies and organisations published congratulatory advertisements wishing him well for the birthday. In these advertisements, the Sultan was addressed by his honorary titles and name: Duli Yang Maha Mulia Baginda Al Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail, D.K. Sultan Dan Yang Dipertuan Bagi Negeri Dan Jajahan Takluk Johor Darul Ta'zim. (His first name "Mahmud" was not mentioned.) Advertisements, 8 April 2001, pg 2–3, 5–7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17–19,
New Sunday Times The ''New Straits Times'' is an English-language newspaper published in Malaysia. It is Malaysia's oldest newspaper still in print (though not the first), having been founded as ''The Straits Times'' on 15 July 1845. It was relaunched as the ' ...
''Special'' (Sultan of Johor's Birthday) η. The Temenggong is a high-ranking Malay official in ancient times, who is responsible to the Sultan. The duty of the Temenggong is to maintain law and order within the kingdom. In the case of Johor during the 19th century, the Sultan's powers were gradually diminished over the decades and it was under Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim when his authority supersedes those of the Sultan, effectively becoming Johor's paramount ruler. (Sardesai (1989), pg 58)


Citations


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Stanford University Press Stanford University Press (SUP) is the publishing house of Stanford University. It is one of the oldest academic presses in the United States and the first university press to be established on the West Coast. It was among the presses officially ...
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Macmillan MacMillan, Macmillan, McMillen or McMillan may refer to: People * McMillan (surname) * Clan MacMillan, a Highland Scottish clan * Harold Macmillan, British statesman and politician * James MacMillan, Scottish composer * William Duncan MacMillan ...
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Odense Universitetsforlag University Press of Southern Denmark () is Denmark's largest university press and was founded in 1966 as ''Odense University Press'' (''Odense Universitetsforlag''). The press publishes books from the world of science in the broadest sense of the ...
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Stoddart Stoddart is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alexander "Sandy" Stoddart (born 1959), Scottish sculptor *Andrew Stoddart (1863–1915), English cricketer and rugby union player * Cassie Jo Stoddart (1989-2006), American murder v ...
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Universiti Malaya The University of Malaya ( ms, Universiti Malaya, UM; abbreviated as UM or informally the Malayan University) is a public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest and highest ranking Malaysian institution of highe ...
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Macmillan MacMillan, Macmillan, McMillen or McMillan may refer to: People * McMillan (surname) * Clan MacMillan, a Highland Scottish clan * Harold Macmillan, British statesman and politician * James MacMillan, Scottish composer * William Duncan MacMillan ...
, 1988, * Mackie, Ronald Cecil Hamlyn, ''Malaysia in Focus'' published by
Angus and Robertson Angus & Robertson (A&R) is a major Australian bookseller, publisher and printer. As book publishers, A&R has contributed substantially to the promotion and development of Australian literature.Alison, Jennifer (2001). "Publishers and editors: A ...
, 1964 * Means, Gordon Paul, ''Malaysian Politics: The Second Generation'', published by Oxford University Press, 1991, * Milne, Robert Stephen; Mauzy, Diane K., ''Malaysian Politics Under Mahathir'', published by Routledge, 1999, * * Morais, John Victor, ''Who's who in Malaysia ... & Profiles of Singapore'', published by Who's Who Publications, 1982 * Nadarajah, K. N, ''Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen: His Story'', Pelanduk Publications, 2000, * Nadarajah, Nesalamar, ''Johore and the Origins of British Control, 1895–1914'', Arenabuku, 2000, * Najeebabadi, Akbar Shah, ''History of Islam (Vol 2)'', published by Darussalam, * Petts, Judith, ''Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment'', published by
Blackwell Publishing Wiley-Blackwell is an international scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons. It was formed by the merger of John Wiley & Sons Global Scientific, Technical, and Medical business with Blackwell Publish ...
, 1999, * Rich, Mark; Copetas, A. Craig, ''Metal Men: How Marc Rich Defrauded the Country, Evaded the Law, and Became the World's Most Sought-After Corporate Criminal'', by A. Craig Copetas, Marc Rich, published by
Little Brown Little, Brown and Company is an American publishing company founded in 1837 by Charles Coffin Little and James Brown in Boston. For close to two centuries it has published fiction and nonfiction by American authors. Early lists featured Emily D ...
, 2001, * Richmond, Simon; Cambon, Marie; Rowthorn, Chris; Harper, Damian, ''Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei'', published by Lonely Planet, 2004, * Sardesai, D. R., ''Southeast Asia Past and Present: Past and Present'', published by Macmillan Education, 1989, * Schimmel, Annemarie, ''Islamic Names: An Introduction'', published by
Edinburgh University Press Edinburgh University Press is a scholarly publisher of academic books and journals, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. History Edinburgh University Press was founded in the 1940s and became a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Edinburgh ...
, 1989, * Saw, Swee-Hock; Kesavapany, K., ''Singapore-Malaysia Relations Under Abdullah Badawi'', published by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2006, * Shome, Anthony S. K.; Shome, Tony, ''Malay Political Leadership'', published by Routledge, 2002, * Sleeman, Elizabeth, ''The International Who's Who 2004'', Europa Publications, published by Routledge, 2003, * Somun, Hajrudin; Somun-Krupalija, Lejla, ''Mahathir, the Secret of the Malaysian Success'', published by Pelanduk Publications, 2003, * Tan, Chee Khoon''Sistem beraja di Malaysia'', by
Tan Chee Khoon Tan Chee Khoon (; 4 March 1919 – 14 October 1996) was a major figure in Malaysian politics from 1959 to 1978, at one point being nicknamed "Mr. Opposition" for the outspoken views he presented in Parliament. He was the official Leader of the ...
, published by Pelanduk Publications, 1985 * Tan, Ding Eing, ''A Portrait of Malaysia and Singapore'', published by Oxford University Press, 1978, * Taylor & Francis Group, Bernan Associates, ''The Europa Year Book: A World Survey'', Europa Publications Limited, published by Europa Publications, 1984 * Thomas, K.K, ''Asian Recorder'', published by Recorder Press, 1984 * Thomas, K.K, ''Asian Recorder'', published by Recorder Press, 1993 * Winstedt, R. O, ''A History of Johore (1365–1941)'', (M.B.R.A.S. Reprints, 6.) Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1992, {{DEFAULTSORT:Iskandar Monarchs of Malaysia Sultans of Johor 1930 births 2010 deaths House of Temenggong of Johor Malaysian aviators Malaysian people convicted of manslaughter Marshals of the Royal Malaysian Air Force People convicted of assault People from Johor Bahru Recipients of Malaysian royal pardons Malaysian Muslims Malaysian people of Malay descent Malaysian people of Chinese descent Malaysian people of Danish descent First Classes of the Royal Family Order of Johor Second Classes of the Royal Family Order of Johor Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Loyalty of Sultan Ismail Recipients of the Darjah Kerabat Diraja Malaysia First Classes of Royal Family Order of Selangor First Classes of the Family Order of Terengganu Grand Commanders of the Order of Kinabalu 20th-century Malaysian politicians 21st-century Malaysian politicians Recipients of the Order of the Crown of the Realm First Classes of the Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang