Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, 65, took his oath at a lavish traditional ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, broadcast on state television and attended by leading representatives of the Muslim country. In recent years, the traditionally representative office of the King of Malaysia has become increasingly important due to political instability. The king oversees the appointment of politicians, acts as the religious leader of the predominantly Muslim population and is supreme commander of the army.
In Malaysia, the peculiarity is that the king rotates every five years – the nine kingdoms of Malaysia select the new king for the country.
Bild: APA/AFP/POOL/MOHD RASFAN
Estimated wealth of at least $5.7 billion
The new King Sultan Ibrahim comes from the southern province of Johor on the border with Singapore. The financial company Bloomberg estimates his and his family’s assets at at least $5.7 billion (€5.3 billion), including in the form of land in Singapore and shares in various companies, for example in palm oil production and in the real estate industry or telecommunications. The wealthy investor is also known for riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle through the poor areas of his country every year and handing out donations.
New king should be very social media savvy
Politically, the 65-year-old, religiously moderate billionaire is close to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. However, the father of six, who studied in the US and is said to be very social media savvy, said in an interview with Singapore’s The Strait Times in December: “Over 30 million people live out in the country. I’m not not with you (the MPs), but with them.” The coronation ceremony is scheduled to take place in a few months.
