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Malaysia's new king owns Boeing 737, private army

King Ibrahim has a fleet of jets, including a gold -and-blue Boeing 737. The new king also has a huge collection of cars and motorcycles.

Published on: Jan 31, 2024, 19:53:29 IST
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Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar was on Wednesday sworn in as Malaysia's new king . He took the oath of office in a ceremony held at the national palace in the country's capital Kuala Lumpur. The ceremony was witnessed by other royal families, prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and cabinet members.

New Malaysian King  Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, front center, walks out after the oath taking ceremony at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday (AP)
New Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, front center, walks out after the oath taking ceremony at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday (AP)

Malaysia has a unique system of monarchy under which the heads of Malaysia's nine royal families take turns to be the king, every five years. Ibrahim has succeeded Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is returning to lead his home state of Pahang having completed his five-year tenure as the king.

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About Malaysia's new king

65-year-old Ibrahim is a billionaire who has an extensive business empire ranging from real estate to telecoms and power plants.

His wife Raja Zarith Sofiah is an Oxford graduate and a prolific writer who has authored several children’s books. The royal couple have five sons and a daughter.

Details about Ibrahim Iskandar's enormous wealth

Ibrahim has a fleet of jets, including a gold -and-blue Boeing 737. The new king also has a huge collection of cars and motorcycles.

He has a private army as well.

He owns $4 billion worth of land in Singapore, reported NDTV.

Ibrahim has an investment portfolio of $1.1 billion with substantial cash flow from share and real estate transactions. He has a stake in the multibillion-dollar Forest City development project in Johor.

Powers of the king in Malaysia

Malaysia's king plays a largely ceremonial role, as administrative power is vested in the prime minister and the parliament. The king is highly regarded as the protector of Islam and Malay tradition.

He is the nominal head of the government and the armed forces. All laws, cabinet appointments and the dissolution of parliament for general elections require his assent. He has the power to proclaim an emergency and pardon criminals.

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