The release of Sultan of Johor’s book ‘Johor Throne – HM Sultan Ibrahim’s First Decade of Rule’ is most timely. — Others

HE calls a spade a spade. When the Sultan of Johor grants an interview, it’s likely to make front-page news because he doesn’t mince his words.

Although he is the Ruler of Johor, His Majesty is a national figure, and while his views are mainly confined to state issues, they always have a national impact.

He is outspoken and assertive, so most Malaysians rally behind him for daring to tackle subjects which reflect their sentiments but are avoided by others who want to be politically safe.

Whether it’s about corruption, poor maintenance, excessive religious rules or royal titles, Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar gives his views unflinchingly.

His Majesty will be in the news in the coming months because he is next in line to be the King.

The present Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, will complete his five-year term at the end of January 2024.

Malaysia has a unique system where the nine Rulers pick their choice of King for a five-year reign.

While there’s an election by secret vote, respect is also accorded to the rotational system of which state is in line, where the selection follows an order based on the seniority of each Ruler.

The most important criterion is that a Ruler may only be elected if he consents to it, as clearly inscribed in the Constitution as well as the Regulations of the Conference of Rulers.

To most Malaysians, including Johoreans, Tuanku is regarded as a stern disciplinarian.

That’s understandable given his army training background, but many stories about His Majesty are exaggerated, and by people who don’t even know him.

The release of his book, Johor Throne – HM Sultan Ibrahim’s First Decade of Rule, is most timely.

The Royal Press Office, headed by veteran journalist Ravi Nambiar, has done a tremendous job in conceptualising, designing, writing and publishing this 356-page book.

The team laboriously pored over 50,000 pictures accumulated over six years, before short-listing 15,000 photographs, and finally, 320 made the grade.

The process took over eight months with 11 chapters determined to reflect the various facets of Tuanku’s reign of more than 10 years.

It begins with his momentous days, from the time His Majesty ascended the throne as the 25th Sultan of Johor on Jan 23, 2010.

But this book, available in Bahasa Malaysia and English, has provided a deeper insight to the man who has reached a milestone of ruling Johor for 10 years and is poised for the national stage.

Readers of this book will get a deeper and better understanding of this extraordinary figure.

He attended the American Special Forces Green Beret and Pathfinder course, where he completed 19 parachute jumps, eight of which were executed at night, earning him the prestigious Green Beret and Wings.

Tuanku has also made several successful parachute jumps in Bandung, Indonesia, which has made him an honorary member of the Indonesian red beret, Kopassus (Komando Pasukan Khusus).

He can fly a helicopter, training for which came from the Royal Malaysian Air Force, and he received his wings from his father, Sultan Iskandar, in 1982. And as we’ve seen, he can drive a train, too.

Basically, he is a fully-trained army, navy and air force officer – the only Ruler with that distinction.

Indeed, there’s an entire chapter of photographs of his army tenure, entitled “Disciplined’’, where he shares his perseverance and discipline.

Not many people outside Johor are aware he is the commandant of the Johor Military Force (JMF), the only state in Malaysia with its own army.

But my favourite chapter features his role as the “Head of Religion” where he has not only chosen photographs of his prayers at mosques, but also his attendance of celebrations of other races and religions.

He is the Head of Religion, but as the book rightly put – “His Majesty is also fair in his approach to people of other faiths and always emphasises the importance of unity and solidarity amongst ‘Bangsa Johor,’ irrespective of race and religion.”

The book includes a quote uttered by Tuanku on June 1, 2019, when he said, “I wish to emphasise that in living amongst people of various religions and races, it is imperative that we adopt the principle of mutual respect, spirit of goodwill and a heart of love.”

There are pictures of his visits to the state-level Thaipusam celebrations at the Arulmigu Thendayuthapani and Sri Subramaniar Temples in Johor Baru as well as the annual Chingay procession.

At a time when certain religious leaders cast doubt on the attendance of Muslims at such events, Tuanku must be commended for putting on record his presence at these ceremonies.

This book, as expected, has detailed his more published moments like his annual Kembara road trip, where he leads a convoy of motorcycles to all the districts where he meets and hears directly from the people about their issues.

His many welfare programmes to assist less fortunate Johoreans, especially during the monsoon season when villagers are hit, are documented here, too.

He goes to these affected areas and personally takes charge of relief work.

But an interesting chapter in the book is where His Majesty shared pictures of himself whipping up many kinds of dishes in the kitchen. From simple curry puffs to lobster nasi briyani to Japanese curry, he has real culinary skills as well.

It runs in the family as his sister, Her Majesty, Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, is also an excellent cook.

This book will serve as a useful and simple guide to showcase the momentous times of the Sultan of Johor for Malaysians to better understand him and his values.

“This collection of photographs that vividly capture the significance of the culture, ceremonies, functions and gatherings is a unique work for the benefit of my people and also future generations.

“Most people may not have had the opportunity to witness the regal ceremonies conducted inside the Palace. I hope through this book, the people will be able to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the rich culture, history and heritage of the Sultanate of Johor,” Sultan Ibrahim wrote in his foreword.

More importantly, let’s hope this book inspires Malaysians, whether in Johor or other states, to renew and strengthen their loyalty and respect for our Rulers.

For more information on the book, email general@sijf.my.

The state election will be a litmus test for the unity government and will determine whether the PKR-DAP-Barisan alliance can work together at grassroots levels. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

IT’S doubtless that when the elections in six states take place next month, the battleground between Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional will be jewel in the crown, Selangor.

As the most important state in the country, the results of the elections there will immensely impact the situation nationwide.

Selangor has been the stronghold of PKR – Pakatan’s lead party – for the last 15 years, or more significantly, three terms.

This time, at stake are 56 state seats, where Pakatan is expected to contest in 43 constituencies with Barisan Nasional doing likewise in 11.

This will be the first time Pakatan and Barisan, following the setting up of the Unity Government, will be working together as former rivals to thwart Perikatan.

While Pakatan still has a grip on the state, it’s evident that the coming state polls will be the fiercest ever. Voters in the Klang Valley, including Selangor, have always been pro-Pakatan, but Perikatan has been able to whittle that support, especially among Malays in the coastal areas.

Perikatan is eyeing capturing the northern part of Selangor, where most of the seats have predominantly Malay voters. The party will even want to make inroads in the southern and urban seats with strong Malay presence.

The coalition of Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan seems convinced that its Malay rights and religious narratives will work – even in Selangor.

The focus will be on Hulu Selangor, Kuala Langat, Tanjung Karang, Sabak Bernam, Sungai Besar and Kapar – all Umno strongholds until the last general election. It’s the 14 state seats that Perikatan will want to capture although not all of them were directly won by the coalition during GE15 because they were the results of split votes among the contenders.

It will be a litmus test for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Prime Minister and the unity government, and will determine whether the PKR-DAP-Barisan alliance can work together at grassroots levels.

Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi will also have to prove that he can deliver the crucial Malay votes.

A padi field in Tanjung Karang. This former Umno stronghold is one of the state seats that Perikatan will want to capture in the upcoming polls. — The Star

While there’s consensus at the leadership level, it’s much harder to convince and persuade the working level to campaign, let alone, vote for each other after years of acrimonious relationships.

After all, just over seven months ago, both sides had hurled bitter accusations at each other on the campaign trail and now, they are expected to tell their audience that they need to support each other.

Then, there are the Umno warlords who have been left out, or expelled from Umno, who are more than ready to trade blows with their party bosses for their humiliating exits.

The wounds are still raw, and surely they can’t be blamed for their disinterest in wanting to help their party.

PAS supporters are better at taking orders from their leaders – they had no problems campaigning for DAP under the former Barisan Alternatif pact and for Umno under the Muafakat Nasional pact.

For non-partisan voters with no political allegiance, Anwar and his Cabinet members must work harder to explain to them voter issues like the cost of living and the depreciating ringgit.

The perception now is that only Anwar and a few Pakatan ministers are on the offensive.

Where are the rest of the ministers and top Pakatan leaders who should be pitching in to defend the unity government?

Even worse, some have shot themselves in the foot with their brash and ill-advised remarks and actions. Perikatan has been quick to catch them and strike, and that’s expected at this juncture.

Silence is clearly golden for the government appointed Islamic scholars against PAS, which suggests they fear challenging the Islamist party.

PAS leaders have gained ground among sections of Malays where Pakatan has compromised Malay interests because of DAP, and now, the red lines have been crossed as the politics of fear are being whipped up.

It may seem unbelievable but there are enough Malay voters who believe their interests are being challenged.

At the social media level, even PAS scholars have learnt fast and furiously as they, or their team, have bombarded TikTok with their daily messages to reach young voters.

As part of the psychological warfare, both sides have come up with purported surveys. It isn’t likely that Kedah will fall into Pakatan hands and likewise, Selangor and Penang will probably retain the status quo.

In both states, many of the seats are mixed or Chinese-majority, with the Malay-majority seats centred on Penang’s mainland, while in Selangor, there are about 30 Malay areas from the 56 seats.

In Penang, there are 40 seats with PKR holding 12, DAP 19 and Amanah two with Umno. Both Perikatan and PAS had one each, with four Bersatu state assemblymen who got booted out.

There are possible dents by Perikatan this time in these two states, but it will be difficult to dislodge Pakatan.

A pre-election survey among Malay voters in Selangor found there is no significant vote transferability between Pakatan and Barisan.

According to a study done in March by Marzuki Mohamad and Khairul Syakirin Zulkifli – published by the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute – Malay voters are more likely to transfer their votes from Barisan to Perikatan candidates instead of Pakatan candidates.

A good turn-out by Chinese voters is crucial in this state polls. The community has a history of low turnout in by-elections, but their presence could be crucial here. Out-of-state and overseas voters also won’t be motivated to return home to cast their votes but will do so via postal ballots.

This certainly won’t be an ordinary state poll, but it will be fought as fiercely as in a general election. Expect the political temperature to shoot up as race and religion come into play. While the police have given ample warnings that the 3Rs – race, religion and royalty – are taboo, it’s most likely that these errant politicians will snub our police.

But it will come at a grave cost to Malaysians if this is the chosen approach.

The interests of the nation and its people are invariably more important than the selfish ambitions of the politicians.

IF we are expecting PAS to leave non-Muslims alone to practise their own lifestyles, then we must be naïve.

The Kota Baru Municipal Council has agreed to cancel the fine imposed on a non-Muslim boutique owner for “indecent” attire after a discussion with the Local Government Department director-general.

“The woman should not have paid the fine, as she may have been misled to do so. She wore shorts in her own shop, which sells shorts,” Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming told a press conference yesterday.

However, the council’s severe action, according to the interpretation of its enforcement officer, isn’t the first.

Previously, unisex hair salons in the PAS-run state had been penalised for opening their doors to both genders. The authorities have imposed separate check-outs in its supermarkets and cinemas have long been shut down.

For those of us outside of Kelantan, we can protest our hearts out at this form of overreaction, but the reality is that the officer was reportedly acting within his rights.

After all, it has been reported that there is the Kelantan Business and Industrial Trade By-Laws 2019, under Section 34 (2) (b), which stipulates that non-Muslim business licensees must ensure they and their non-Muslim workers wear decent clothes. If their employees are Muslims, they should wear attire covering their aurat (modesty).

The trouble is the criteria for modest dressing, in the eyes of PAS leaders and even the security guards at our government offices, are always different.

In the latest case, a woman was stopped by a Rela member from entering a Socso office in Penang for “indecent dressing”.

Over-reaction?: A boutique owner was fined for ‘indecent’ attire for wearing shorts at her shop in Kota Baru last Sunday. — Facebook/Others

Fortunately, Socso issued a statement on Friday to set the record straight that there were no instructions given by its management to bar visitors from entering its Penang office because of their attire.

And just two weeks ago, the PAS MP for Kuantan took issue with nurses’ uniform. Almost all our Muslim nurses in hospitals wear slacks and headscarves but to this PAS MP, it is still not enough. He finds their uniforms provocative, weird as it may sound.

I have a reader who sends me critical emails on a regular basis. Nothing wrong with disagreeing voices as discourse, especially constructive criticism, is healthy. No one, especially public figures, is spared from scrutiny.

Like some of my peers, I have lodged police reports when threats were received. And legal letters were dispatched when defamatory remarks were made.

But in most cases, we chose to ignore such critics, who seemed to have plenty of time or need mental help.

In fact, most journalists consider it a hazard of scribes. If we wish to pen critical pieces, then we must also be prepared to come under the microscope.

This person, who hides behind a pseudonym in his emails, would call me all sorts of names but has never taken up my challenge that he rebuts my comments with an intelligent, substantive, and persuasive argument.

Recently, he criticised my article on the subject of nurses’ attire. In his support of the PAS MP, he sent a link which showed that nurses were all covered up in the United Kingdom – except that it was an illustration of nurses during the Victorian age!

Some simple detective work revealed the regular critic to be a chemistry professor at a public university in Kuala Lumpur.

But the point is this. While we have a right to different opinions and it must be respected, it is something else when supposedly learned people holding high positions in institutions send anonymous, cryptic messages with bizarre and even defamatory messages which sounds threatening.

We have come to a point where enforcement officers and the “pak guard” at government buildings carry out their duties without any respect for the rights of non-Muslims under the Federal Constitution.

It has gone to ridiculous lengths, pardon the pun. In many cases, we are not even talking about non-Muslim women wearing mini-skirts or pants but proper skirts, which were deemed improper.

In February, a businesswoman was barred from using the elevator at the Pasir Gudang Municipal Council for improper dressing although the hemline of her dress reached her mid-calf.

“I’m a 60-year-old woman. It does not make sense for me to dress scantily or wear inappropriate clothing in public,” she was quoted as saying in The Star.

These are other cases where common sense was not used. A woman, who was in shorts, wanted to lodge a report about an accident at the Kajang police station on Jan 30. She was told to change into something “more appropriate” before she was allowed entry.

Just two weeks after the controversy, news emerged that a woman was scolded by a medical worker at Hospital Kampar for being “indecently dressed”.

Nobody wants to go to a hospital unless it’s necessary, so it was commendable of the Health Minister to speak out against it, but in many other cases, the superiors seem defensive or protective of their own staff.

Even the guys are not spared.

Seven men wearing shorts in Tanah Merah, Kelantan, were given warning by the Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department in March. Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said that Muslim men should not wear clothes that expose their knees. Shorts are okay but they must cover the knees, he said.

And over in Terengganu, the state government has remained firm on its ban on unisex hair salons. Those who break the gender-segregation rule can be fined between RM500 and RM1,000.

After 66 years of independence, there is rising concern among people that the plural Malaysia that we know of is losing its moderate identity.

While we have grown accustomed to the use of race and religion during elections, the tone this time is much more unsettling.

Non-Muslims have every reason to fear that their rights and welfare are being jeopardised.

Their perception is that not many Muslim national leaders, regardless of their affiliations, are prepared to speak up for the minorities now as the fight for the crucial predominant Malay votes heats up.

The coming state polls in six states may not change the position of the Federal Government but Malaysians in these states have a responsibility to send the right message about the Malaysia that they want to protect.

Equal partners?: (From left) PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Lau holding a press conference after the coalition’s meeting on seat allocation for the upcoming state elections at Perikatan‘s headquarters. Gerakan can only bargain if it has sufficient clout to balance out PAS, says the writer. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

IT’S going to be a tough state election for Gerakan, the only multiracial partner in the mainly Malay-Muslim platform Perikatan Nasional, since the two main partners, Bersatu and PAS, are mono-ethnic.

Gerakan looks like an odd bedfellow. Its philosophy and principles contrast with what Bersatu and PAS preach.

When its party president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau sits among PAS leaders decked in their robes and skull caps, he must surely feel out of place.

He will be testing his luck in the Bukit Tengah state seat of Penang in the coming state polls.

It’s a racially mixed seat with a composition of 47.33% Chinese, 35.5% Malays, 16.7% Indians, 0.8% East Malaysians and 0.18% constituting others.

In the 2018 state polls, Pakatan Harapan’s Gooi Hsiao Loong from PKR won the seat with a 8,558 majority in a five-way contest. PAS managed only 2,355 votes.

In 2013, PKR’s Ong Chin Wen beat Barisan Nasional’s Teng Chang Yeow of Gerakan with a 5,190-vote majority.

Lau will be vying to get all the votes from PAS, the discontented Malay votes and the disgruntled Umno ballots, who can’t accept working with DAP. If he succeeds, then he may just pull through.

The strong showing of Perikatan, especially PAS, in the predominantly Malay electorate on the mainland in 2022, must have emboldened him, with all the expectations of a green wave continuing its course at the state polls.

After all, if a big name like Nurul Izzah Anwar can be defeated by an unknown PAS ulamak, Muhammad Fawwaz Mat Jan, with a majority of 5,272 votes, Lau must be hedging his bets on having a fighting chance with the Malay votes.

As political analyst Mustafa Anuar rightly wrote, “Lau’s confidence also seems to derive from the personal conviction of Perikatan chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the opposition could win ‘nearly 20’ state seats to gain a simple majority in the 40-seat Penang state legislative assembly.

Lau has nothing to lose except his image and pride. After all, he has lost twice consecutively, while trying to capture the Batu parliamentary constituency in Kuala Lumpur in the 2013 and 2018 general elections.

Those old enough to have seen Gerakan trounce the Alliance in 1969 through the dynamism of the late Tun Dr Lim Cheng Eu, and the eventual end of Gerakan by DAP in 2008, would know the reign of the Penang-based party is over.

Lau is almost anonymous in Penang, a state where voters expect to always see and hear their politicians. It’s not a walk in the park, but that’s how it works in parochial Penang.

Gerakan not only lost in the polls, but also failed to challenge DAP imports like Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and Dr P. Ramasamy, who aren’t even Penangites. At least Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow studied and worked in Penang.

Chow studied at Universiti Sains Malaysia and worked as a journalist in the now defunct English daily National Echo in Penang, before taking the plunge into politics full-time in the 1990s.

Gerakan has yet to produce a leader capable of making a dent in the DAP armour. Even less enviable, it must now play a token presence in Perikatan with emphasis on race and religion. When PAS lawmakers make the most outrageous remarks, Gerakan seems prepared to look the other way, and pretend the cat was never put among the pigeons, and if it were, would slink away.

There are the obligatory responses to PAS, mostly by insignificant Gerakan leaders, whose voices are invariably meek. None of them are prepared to oppose the extreme stand taken by PAS leaders. Put simply, Gerakan has lost all respect and dignity from its base, likely also including its members in Penang who’ve seen better days.

The party is adrift and rudderless. It serves only Bersatu and PAS, who want to project some semblance of a multi-racial Malaysia.

Some have justified that PAS isn’t extreme and that the green wave isn’t real, but merely a manifestation of a discontent Malay electorate which has no one to vote against Barisan.

While there may be some truth, it’s hard to convince non-Malays and progressive Malays that PAS isn’t bigoted since its pronouncements and stand on religious and racial divisiveness are clearly against plural Malaysia. As some PKR and Umno leaders say, it isn’t Islam, but PAS.

Yes, it’s true that politics is about winning power. Gerakan can only bargain if it has sufficient clout to balance out PAS.

But Gerakan should start earning respect and stand up against race and religious narratives which are tearing up Malaysia.