Iskandar of Johor

Iskandar
  • إسكندر
Al-Mutawakkil Alallah (The Leaner on God)
Yang di-Pertuan Agong VIII
Reign26 April 1984 – 25 April 1989
Installation15 November 1984
PredecessorAhmad Shah
SuccessorAzlan Shah
Sultan of Johor
Reign11 May 1981 – 22 January 2010
PredecessorIsmail
SuccessorIbrahim
Born(1932-04-08)8 April 1932
Istana Semayam, Johor Bahru, Johor, Unfederated Malay States
Died22 January 2010(2010-01-22) (aged 77)
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Burial23 January 2010
Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Spouse
Josephine Ruby Trevorrow (Khalsom binti Abdullah)
(m. 1956; div. 1962)
(m. 1961)
Issue
Names
Tunku Mahmood Iskandar ibni Tunku Ismail
Regnal name
Baginda Almutawakil Alallah Sultan Iskandar ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail
HouseHouse of Temenggong
FatherSultan Ismail Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim Al-Masyhur
MotherSultanah Ungku Tun Aminah Binti Ungku Ahmad
ReligionSunni Islam

Sultan Iskandar ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail[1][2][3] (Jawi: المتوكل على ﷲ سلطان إسكندر الحاج ابن المرحوم سلطان إسماعيل الخالدي; 8 April 1932 – 22 January 2010) was Sultan of Johor, succeeding his father Sultan Ismail upon the latter's death in 1981. He reigned as the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional monarch of Malaysia, from 1984 to 1989. Sultan Iskandar's reign as Sultan of Johor lasted almost 29 years until his death in 2010.

His children are married into the different royal houses of Malaysia. His eldest daughter Tunku Kamariah married the Tengku Laksamana of Selangor, Tengku Sulaiman Shah. His successor and eldest son Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar 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 married a member of the Kedah Royal Family, Tunku Teh Mazni.

As was the case with his grandfather, Sultan Ibrahim,[4] Sultan Iskandar's independent mindset resulted in strained relations with the Malaysian federal government on numerous occasions. This was most prevalent during his time as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,[5] as there were a number of notable public incidents involved Sultan Iskandar.[6] 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 and Orang Aslis.[7] 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 approached the Sultan in his later years described him as a person with a warm[8] and generous personality.[9] However, past critics had also argued that Sultan Iskandar was a person with a turbulent temper.[10][11] These claims were made by citing records of notorious incidents,[12] 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.[13][14]

During his younger days as a prince,[15] Iskandar was commonly known by his first name, "Mahmood"[16][17] or his full name "Mahmood Iskandar". He largely discontinued the use of his first name after he became Sultan in 1981,[18] although some people occasionally referred to him by his full name.[19][20]

  1. ^ "JOHOR (Sultanate)". Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  2. ^ Negara Brunei Darussalam: A Biographical Dictionary (1860–1996), Horton, pg 290
  3. ^ Siapa kebal, Mahathir atau raja-raja Melayu?, Yahaya Ismail, pg 42
  4. ^ Johore and the Origins of British Control, Nesalamar Nadarajah, pg 128
  5. ^ Asian Recorder (1984), pg 17808
  6. ^ Constitutional Heads and Political Crises: Commonwealth Episodes, 1945–85 (1988), Low, pg 185
  7. ^ 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 Special (Sultan of Johor's Birthday)
  8. ^ Inspiring ruler Archived 4 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Nelson Benjamin, 8 April 2007, The Star (Malaysia)
  9. ^ Johor Sultan's birthday celebration at Dataran Bandaraya in JB today Archived 4 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine, 8 April 2008, The Star (Malaysia)
  10. ^ Tan, Chee Khoon (1985), pg 5
  11. ^ Milne, Mauzy (1999), pg 32
  12. ^ Clad (1989), pg 57
  13. ^ Abdullah (2003), pg 148
  14. ^ Kershaw (2001), pg 102–3
  15. ^ Tunku is spelled as in Johor. Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen: His Story, K.N. Nadarajah, pg 50
  16. ^ Facts on File Yearbook, by Facts on File, inc., 1957, Phrase: "Married: Prince Tunku Mahmud, 24, grandson of the Sultan of Johore, & Josephine Ruby Trevorrow, 21, daughter of an English textile ..."
  17. ^ Malaysia, by British Association of Malaysia, British Association of Malaysia and Singapore, Phrase: " Mahmood of Jo-hore. On 5 August 1960, at the Istana Bukit ..."
  18. ^ Andresen (1992), pg 138
  19. ^ Demolish causeway: Johor Sultan Archived 4 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine, 5 November 2006, Dailyexpress
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference _Azizah was invoked but never defined (see the help page).