Saturday, 23th January 2010
The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail, has passed away. He died at the Puteri Specialist Hospital here at 7.08pm on Friday. He was 77.
He was admitted to the hospital earlier in the day due to an unspecified illness. The ruler's death was announced by Mentri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman over national TV and radio at 11pm.
The sultan will be buried at the Royal Mausoleum at 2pm on Saturday. The public can pay their respects at the Istana Besar from 9am to 10.30am, while dignitaries can do so from 11am to noon.
Sultan Iskandar was born on April 8, 1932 in Johor Baru and became ruler of the state on May 11, 1981. In his younger days, his hobbies included horse-riding, fast cars, go-carts, race boats, hunting, tennis, golf, boxing, swimming and polo.
He is survived by his consort Sultanah Zanariah Almarhum Tunku Ahmad and 10 children, including the Tengku Mahkota of Johor, Tunku Ibrahim Ismail and the Tengku Bendahara, Tunku Majid Idris.
News of illness surfaced on Thursday
Two hours before the sultan's death, Tunku Ibrahim Ismail was appointed the Regent. Head of the Johor Council of the Royal Court, Tunku Osman Tunku Temenggong Ahmad, who proclaimed the appointment of the crown prince, said the court made the decision after receiving the medical report on the sultan from three medical specialists.
Tunku Osman declared that Tunku Ibrahim will perform the duties of the Sultan of Johor as required under Section 9(1)(b) and 9(2) of the Johor State Constitution 1895.
News about the sultan being ill had surfaced Thursday night. Ghani cut short his trip to India with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to return here by 6pm Friday. The first to visit the Sultan in the morning was the Sultan and Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, who arrived by helicopter. Former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi visited him at about 3.40pm.
Second time for Tunku Ibrahim
For Tunku Ibrahim, this is the second time he has been appointed the Regent.
The first time was on April 25, 1984 when Sultan Iskandar was appointed the eighth Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, ruling as King for five years.
On Friday, as he took his oath as the acting ruler, Tunklu Ibrahim said he would rule all his subjects fairly.
“I also swear to guard and respect Islam as well as the Malay tradition under the state constitution,” he said.
In attendance were Tunku Majid and the Raja Muda of Johor, Tunku Ismail Ibrahim.
Present were also state dignitaries, including state assembly speaker Ali Hassan, state Mufti Tahrir Shamsuddin, Johor Islamic Council adviser Nooh Gadut, several state executive council members and state police chief Deputy Comm Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff.
Studied at home and abroad
Tunku Ibrahim, 51, was installed as the Tunku Mahkota of Johor on July 3, 1981 at the age of 22.He is married to Raja Zarith Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah and they have five sons and two daughters.
The late Sultan Iskandar received his early education at the Ngee Heng Primary School here before furthering his studies at the English College, now known as Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar.
He continued his studies at the Trinity Grammar School in Australia and then in Britain, where he completed his studies. On retutning to Johor in 1956, the sultan served as a cadet officer with the Johor Civil Service.
He also received basic military training with the Johor Military Forces, founded by his great-grandfather Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar in 1885 and who was the JMF commander before he passed away.
Sultan Iskandar was formally appointed the Tengku Mahkota on April 29, 1981. On May 11, 1981, he was proclaimed the fourth Sultan of Johor following his father’s death
Sultan Iskandar laid to rest at royal mausoleum
The late Sultan Iskandar ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail was laid to rest today next to his father’s grave at the Bukit Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum here.
Present were the newly-proclaimed Sultan of Johor Tunku Ibrahim Ismail, Sultanah Zarith Sofiah, Sultanah Zanariah and other members of the royal household.
Also present were Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah, Sultan of Kedah Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlah Shah, Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tunku Muhriz and Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong were also present.Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Khalil Yaakob, Sarawak Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng, Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah and Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri were also at the burial ceremony.
Among leaders who attended the burial were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
Earlier, Sultan Iskandar’s body was taken in a 3km procession from Istana Besar to the Royal Mausoleum, with thousands of people lining up both sides of the road.
A 77-gun salute were fired by the 41st Ceremonial Battery of Sungai Buloh Camp to mark Sultan Iskandar’s age during his death.
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