Sultan Ibrahim Of Johor
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Sultan Sir Ibrahim Al-Masyhur ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Al-Khalil Ibrahim Shah ( Jawi: ; 17 September 1873 – 8 May 1959) was a Malaysian sultan and the 2nd modern
Sultan of Johor The Sultan of Johor (Malay language, Malay: ''Sultan Johor''; Jawi script, Jawi: ) is a hereditary seat and the sovereign ruler of the Malaysian state of Johor. In the past, the sultan held absolute power over the state and was advised by a '' ...
and 22nd Sultan of Johor overall. He was considered "fabulously wealthy." An
Anglophile An Anglophile is a person who admires or loves England, its people, its culture, its language, and/or its various accents. In some cases, Anglophilia refers to an individual's appreciation of English history and traditional English cultural ico ...
, Sultan Ibrahim continued the policy of friendly relations with the crown of the United Kingdom, often manipulating his friendship with the reigning kings of Britain to thwart the expansionist ambitions of the British
Colonial Office The Colonial Office was a government department of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, first created in 1768 from the Southern Department to deal with colonial affairs in North America (particularly the Thirteen Colo ...
. However, he became highly unpopular later in his native land for his opposition to Malayan independence. This led him to spend most of his time away from Johor, traveling extensively in Europe, particularly to Britain.


Early life

Wan Ibrahim was born 17 September 1873 in the Istana Bidadari, Singapore, and received his education at a boarding school in England during his formative years. He was appointed a second lieutenant of the Johor Military Forces (JMF) during his teenage years and was formally installed as the first Tunku Mahkota of Johor on 23 May 1891 and was brought to Europe by his father where he was introduced to the European royal families.Nadarajah, ''Johore and the Origins of British Control, 1895–1914'', pg 48 During his term as the Tunku Mahkota, Tunku Ibrahim occasionally acted as the state's regent and was delegated a few state duties whenever the Sultan was travelling overseas. In his free time, Tunku Ibrahim spent most of his time in hunting and horseracing. Tunku Ibrahim acted as one of the three signatories when Sultan Abu Bakar promogulated the Johor State Constitution in April 1895. The following month, Tunku Ibrahim accompanied Abu Bakar to London, who had the intent of seeking further negotiations with the Colonial Office on state affairs. Abu Bakar was by then very ill when he reached England, and Tunku Ibrahim spent much of his time by his father's bedside before Abu Bakar died the following month.


Sultan of Johor


Early years (1895–1914)

Tunku Ibrahim was proclaimed as the Sultan of Johor on the day of Abu Bakar's burial on 7 September 1895, while his one-year-old son, Tunku Ismail was proclaimed as his heir-apparent. A formal coronation ceremony took place on 2 November 1895. He took over the state government the following year, and one of his first reports was the financial difficulties which the state was facing. Many of his employees complained of delays in receiving their salaries; which were often paid in instalments. Sultan Ibrahim then took charge of closely supervising the state treasury, and personally witnessed the payment of the state's employees during payment day.Winstedt, ''A History of Johore (1365–1941)'', pg 141 In the same year, he also took on the task of appointing the committee members of the Johor Gambier and Pepper Society (also known as ''Kongkek'' in Malay). Sultan Ibrahim was inexperienced in public administration skills and heavily relied on his private secretary, Dato Amar DiRaja Abdul Rahman bin Andak on advice and assistance in running the affairs of the state. The Resident General of the
Federated Malay States The Federated Malay States (FMS, , Jawi script, Jawi: ) was a federation of four protectorate, protected states in the Malay Peninsula — Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang — established in 1895 by the British government, and whi ...
,
Frank Swettenham Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham (28 March 1850 – 11 June 1946) was a British colonial administrator who became the first Resident general of the Federated Malay States, which brought the Malay states of Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and ...
proposed to Sultan Ibrahim in November 1899 the construction of a railway line into Johor, in conjunction with his plan for the North-South Main Trunk Railway down the
Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula is located in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area contains Peninsular Malaysia, Southern Tha ...
. Sultan Ibrahim welcomed Swettenham's plan but was weary of British influence in Johor and insisted on financing the construction of the railway line himself. Swettenham was comfortable with Sultan Ibrahim's prospect of financing the railway line using the state's revenue, and submitted his proposals to the Colonial Office in England. The proposals drew scepticism from the Secretary of State for the Colonies,
Joseph Chamberlain Joseph Chamberlain (8 July 1836 – 2 July 1914) was a British statesman who was first a radical Liberal Party (UK), Liberal, then a Liberal Unionist after opposing home rule for Ireland, and eventually was a leading New Imperialism, imperial ...
, who was aware of Johor's financial difficulties and withheld decision. Sultan Ibrahim then sent his adviser Abdul Rahman Andak the following May to London to negotiate with the Colonial Office, and in April 1901, Sultan Ibrahim made a year-long trip to London to seek private English financiers to fund the construction of the railway line and negotiated with the Colonial Office for a railway loan.Nadarajah, ''Johore and the Origins of British Control, 1895–1914'', pg 57 He managed to obtain a loan for the construction of the railway and the Johor Railway Convention was signed in July 1904 by his adviser, Abdul Rahman Andak, that gave provisions for an extension of the Malayan railway line to be extended into Johor. Sultan Ibrahim returned to Johor the following year, and expanded the state's military forces, JMF. He instituted the Johor Volunteer Forces, which consisted of young Malay boys and served as the state's reservist soldiers. In 1906, he granted land concessions to English capitalists and financiers for development purposes. This drew the concern of the Straits Governor,
Sir John Anderson John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley, (8 July 1882 – 4 January 1958), was a Scottish Civil Service (United Kingdom), civil servant and politician who is best known for his service in the War Cabinet during the Second World War, for which he ...
, who was not very favourable with Sultan Ibrahim's intents to detach Johor's economic dependence from Singapore. He successfully pressured Sultan Ibrahim to dispense with the services of Abdul Rahman Andak as well as ceding the administrative powers of the railway line to the colonial government the following year after reports of the state's troubled finances were revealed. Sultan Ibrahim was also facing political challenges from the British colonial government, who were ostensibly unhappy about his negligence in his state affairs and were seeking to extend greater political influence into the state. The Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements, Victor Bruce, Lord Elgin had met Sultan Ibrahim in 1906 and advised him to administer the state in favour of British interests and to cut down on his overseas travels to Europe. Sultan Ibrahim was adamant about Elgin's advice and was indignant to accept British advice, and was warned two years later by Lord Elgin on the possibility of the British enacting constitutional changes to the state administration. In 1910, Sultan Ibrahim accepted a British adviser for Johor after immense pressure from the colonial government. The British were extremely unhappy with the condition of Johor's finances, which was depleted as a result of Sultan Ibrahim's extensive overseas travels. The British-Resident of
Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan''), historically spelled as Negri Sembilan, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia which lies on the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, wes ...
, Douglas Graham Campbell was appointed as the first adviser of Johor.Nadarajah, ''Johore and the Origins of British Control, 1895–1914'', pg 51 Relations between Sultan Ibrahim and Campbell were excellent within Campbell's first year as an adviser, and Sultan Ibrahim gave him support to improve the state administrative system. However, a tenacious relationship was develop as Campbell proposed numerous administrative reforms which were declined by the Sultan. A political scandal erupted in 1912 after Campbell publicly revealed malpractices in the Johor Bahru Prison. Campbell was particularly unhappy with the way the prisoners were incarcated and lobbied to the British authorities to take charge of the administrative affairs of the prison which caused protest from the Sultan. Grievances between the Sultan's administration and the colonial government over the administrative control of the state railway remained unabated during this period, and the Menteri Besar of Johor,
Dato' Datuk (or its variant Dato or Datu) is a Malay honorific title commonly used in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia, as well as a traditional title by Minangkabau people in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Use of the title various between locations, in some ...
Abdullah bin Jaafar was delegated to handle these matters. Shortly after his fallout with Campbell, Sultan Ibrahim implemented a state executive council ( Malay: ''Masyurat Kerja'') to oversee the administration of state agricultural and mining activities. The Sultan distanced himself from the Campbell and the state's legal adviser, Michael Whitley and took administrative matters into his own hands. This incited worry and unhappiness in Campbell and Whitley, and they submitted a memorandum to the Governor of the Straits Settlements, Sir Arthur Henderson Young to appeal for greater British administrative control over the state. Young gave provisions to Campbell with the power similar to a British Resident-General from other states, but kept the title of "General Adviser" to show protocol deference to the Sultan. Sultan Ibrahim was unhappy with the new proposals as the British adviser would have more direct control over the state affairs, but Young assured the Sultan that he would be available for consultation in the event that they had differing opinions. A treaty was signed on 12 May 1914, which formalised the powers of the state's General Adviser.


World War I and Interwar years (1914–1941)

The state economy experienced a budget surplus as a result of an increase in rubber prices for the rest of the 1910s. Campbell served as its General Adviser until his death in June 1918, and between June 1918 until December 1920, five General Advisers were appointed in succession, each of whom only took office for a few months. As the colonial government lacked decisiveness in the state administration, Sultan Ibrahim attempted to extend his influence in the state administration. Hayes Marriot was appointed as the state's new General Adviser in December 1920 and reorganised the state administration. Sultan Ibrahim took on the role of a ceremonial monarch from the 1920s onwards, and his duties were largely limited to gracing various opening ceremonies around Johor. He occasionally expressed his views on the state administration and economic developments whenever he had grievances, which the British colonial government often took into account as a result of his political influence in the state. He began to take time off to travel abroad from 1928, after he began to suffer from chronic
gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of pain in a red, tender, hot, and Joint effusion, swollen joint, caused by the deposition of needle-like crystals of uric acid known as monosodium urate crysta ...
and myocardial degeneration. He would often visit London and frequented the Colonial Office whenever he had grievances with the state administration.Winstedt, ''A History of Johore (1365–1941)'', pg 178 As a result of his frequent complaints of maladministration of state affairs by the local British government, Sultan Ibrahim's relations with each General Adviser became strained. Sir
Cecil Clementi Sir Cecil Clementi (; 1 September 1875 – 5 April 1947) was a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of Hong Kong from 1925 to 1930, and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Straits Settlements from 1930 to 1934. Early lif ...
, who served as the governor of the Straits Settlements as well as the high commissioner of the Malay States from 1930 to 1934, remarked in December 1932 that Sultan Ibrahim was too independent in state affairs and proposed to the Sultan that he should approach Clementi in future under the capacity of the high commissioner instead of the Straits Governor. Clementi's proposals apparently angered the Sultan, who boycotted the Durbar in February 1934. Early Malay nationalism took root in Johor during the 1920s as a Malay aristocrat, Onn Jaafar, whom the Sultan had treated as an adopted son, became a journalist and wrote articles on the welfare of the Malays. Some of Onn's articles were critical of Sultan Ibrahim's policies, which strained their personal relations. Sultan Ibrahim expelled Onn from Johor after he published an article in the ''Sunday Mirror'', a Singapore-based English tabloid and criticised the Sultan's poor treatment of the Johor Military Forces personnel and the welfare of the
Orang Asli The Orang Asli are a Homogeneity and heterogeneity, heterogeneous Indigenous peoples, indigenous population forming a national minority in Malaysia. They are the oldest inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia. As of 2017, the Orang Asli accounted f ...
. Onn became very popular after he continued to cover issues on Malay grievances, and Sultan Ibrahim invited Onn to return to Johor in 1936. Sultan Ibrahim became an active patron of the state's forestry department around 1930, and encouraged the state forestry department to designate some of the remaining virgin forests in the state as
nature reserves A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geolog ...
, as Johor had gone through a reduction in timber supplies due to extensive logging before. Nature reserves covered about 15 per cent of the state's land area by 1934, mainly in the northern regions of the state. Sultan Ibrahim's relations with Clementi's successor, Sir
Shenton Thomas Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas (10 October 1879 – 15 January 1962) was a British colonial administrator, best remembered as the Governor of the Straits Settlements at the time of the Japanese invasion during the Second World War. Bo ...
did not fare well as Thomas attempted to form a centralised
Malayan Union The Malayan Union (; Jawi: كساتوان مالايا) was a union of the Malay states and the Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca. It was the successor to British Malaya and was conceived to unify the Malay Peninsula under a single g ...
by bringing Johor and the other
Unfederated Malay States The "Unfederated Malay States" (; Jawi: ) was the collective name given to five British protected states in the Malay Peninsula during the first half of the 20th century. These states were Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu. In ...
under the direct authority of the Straits Governor. As the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
broke out in 1939, Thomas introduced the Pan-Malayan war tax scheme to fund for Britain's war efforts. Sultan Ibrahim's rejected the proposals, and made a £250,000 cash gift to
George VI of the United Kingdom George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...
on his 44th birthday in 1939 during his trip to Europe in 1939. From 1934 to 1940 the Sultan's name was associated with that of the
cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
dancer Cissie Hill.


Japanese Occupation (1941–1945)

Sultan Ibrahim became a personal friend of
Yoshichika Tokugawa Marquess was a Japanese botanist, hunter, patron of the arts and sciences, and politician. He was the 19th head of the Owari-Tokugawa family, one of the '' Tokugawa Gosanke''. Life Yoshichika was born into the Matsudaira family of Echizen ( ...
during the 1920s, a member of the
Tokugawa clan The is a Japanese dynasty which produced the Tokugawa shoguns who ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868 during the Edo period. It was formerly a powerful ''daimyō'' family. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and were a branch of ...
whose ancestors included the shoguns who ruled Japan from the 16th to the 19th centuries. When the Japanese invaded Malaya, Tokugawa accompanied General Yamashita Tomoyuki's troops and was warmly received by Sultan Ibrahim when they reached Johor Bahru at the end of January 1942. Yamashita and his officers then stationed themselves at the Sultan's residence, the Istana Bukit Serene and the state secretariat building, the Sultan Ibrahim Building to plan for the invasion of Singapore. The Japanese established a military government in February, shortly after they settled down in Malaya. Tokugawa was appointed as its political adviser at the recommendation of Sultan Ibrahim. Relations between the military government and the monarchy were initially cordial throughout the Japanese occupation, and Tokugawa briefly envisioned a plan for a united Malay Sultanate over the
Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula is located in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area contains Peninsular Malaysia, Southern Tha ...
(including
Pattani Pattani (or Patani in Malay spelling) may refer to: Places Continental Asia * Patani (historical region), a historical region in the Malay peninsula, in Thailand and Malaysia. * Pattani Province, modern province in southern Thailand ** Pattani, ...
) with Sultan Ibrahim as its
figurehead In politics, a figurehead is a practice of who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet '' de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that ...
. However, as the Japanese began to experience economic difficulties and military defeats in the
Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War or the Pacific Theatre, was the Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II fought between the Empire of Japan and the Allies of World War II, Allies in East Asia, East and Southeast As ...
from 1943 onwards, these plans were dropped and the military government channelled its efforts towards state agriculture. The Japanese continued the British policy of appointing a state adviser in Johor, and Sultan Ibrahim spent most of his time doing leisure activities. Sultan Ibrahim, on his part, became resentful of the Japanese military government during the later part of the occupation. The Japanese gave orders to the Malay Sultans to contribute an annual stipend of $10,000 to support the Japanese war efforts, and public speeches which the rulers made were drafted by the propaganda department. In particular, Sultan Ibrahim was once publicly criticised, for leaning on his walking stick before Japanese officers. Shortly before the Japanese surrendered in 1945, Sultan Ibrahim was expelled from his residence at the Istana Bukit Serene and was forced to reside at the Istana Pasir Pelangi, the crown prince's palace.Bayly, Harper, ''Forgotten wars: Freedom and Revolution in Southeast Asia'', pg 132


Malay nationalism (1946–1948)

The British Military Administration set to task of reviving pre-war plans for centralised control over the Malay states within days after British Allied forces landed in Singapore on 5 September 1945. A former Malayan Civil Service legal officer, H.C. Willan, was ordered to interview the Malay rulers and Willan approached Sultan Ibrahim on 8 September. Sultan Ibrahim was living at the Istana Pasir Pelangi with his Romanian wife, and reportedly warmed up to Willan when he first saw him. During the interview with Willan, Sultan Ibrahim spoke bitterly of his experiences during the Japanese occupation, and offered to serve under the British Military Administration. The Sultan asked Willan's permission to fly the
Union Jack The Union Jack or Union Flag is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. The Union Jack was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags. It is sometimes a ...
on his car to attend the surrender ceremony on 12 September, and the British military government granted his requests. Willan made further interviews with other Malay rulers over the next few days, and made assessments of the political situation in each state. His studies were forwarded to the military administration, and Sir Harold MacMichael, the former high commissioner of
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
was empowered to sign official treaties with the Malay rulers over the
Malayan Union The Malayan Union (; Jawi: كساتوان مالايا) was a union of the Malay states and the Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca. It was the successor to British Malaya and was conceived to unify the Malay Peninsula under a single g ...
proposal. MacMichael made several visits to the Malay rulers, beginning with Sultan Ibrahim in October 1945. The Sultan quickly consented to MacMichael's proposal, which was motivated by his strong desire to visit England at the end of the year. MacMichael paid further visits to other Malay rulers over the proposal, and sought their consent on it. Many Malay rulers expressed strong reluctance to signing the treaties with MacMichael, partly because they feared losing their royal status and the prospect of their states falling under Thai political influence.Bayly, Harper, ''Forgotten wars: Freedom and Revolution in Southeast Asia'', pg 133-4 The treaties provided that United Kingdom had full administrative powers over the Malay states except in areas pertaining to Islamic customs. The Malays strongly protested the treaties, as the treaties had the effect of restricting the spiritual and
moral authority Moral authority is authority premised on principles, or fundamental truths, which are independent of written, or positive laws. As such, moral authority necessitates the existence of and adherence to truth. Because truth does not change the princip ...
of the Malay rulers, which the Malays held in high regard. Communal tensions between the Malays and Chinese were high, and the prospect of granting citizenship to non-Malays was deemed unacceptable to the Malays. In particular, politicians in Johor were extremely unhappy with the willingness of Sultan Ibrahim to sign the treaties with MacMichael, and voiced that the Sultan Ibrahim had violated the Johor State Constitution which explicitly forbade any foreign powers to assume legitimate control over the state. In early February 1946, seven political dissidents led by Awang bin Hassan organised a rally to protest against the Sultan's decision to sign the treaties, and Onn Jaafar, who was then serving as a district officer in
Batu Pahat The Batu Pahat District is a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. It lies southeast of Muar, southwest of Kluang, northwest of Pontian, south of Segamat and Tangkak District. The capital of the district is Bandar Penggaram. Geograph ...
, was invited to attend the rally. The rally was held on 1 February 1946 at the Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque, and protesters shouted nationalistic slogans and called for the dethronement of Sultan Ibrahim and accused him for committing treason against the
Malay race The concept of a Malay race was originally proposed by the German physician Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752–1840), and classified as a brown race. ''Malay'' is a loose term used in the late 19th century and early 20th century to describe ...
by signing the treaties. News of the rally reached Sultan Ibrahim on 22 February, who was then residing at
Grosvenor House Hotel ] JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, formerly the Grosvenor House Hotel, is a luxury hotel that opened in 1929 in the Mayfair area of London, England. Across from Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park, the hotel is built on the former site of the 19th ...
in London. Sultan Ibrahim approached the colonial office and withdrew his support of the proposal, but this did not appease the political dissidents and Onn continued to organise more rallies in the other Malay states to muster further support for his calls against the Malayan Union, and formed
United Malays National Organisation The United Malays National Organisation (Abbreviation, abbrev: UMNO; , PEKEMBAR) is a Conservatism, conservative, Nationalism, Malay nationalist political party in Malaysia. As the oldest national political party in the country (since its ince ...
(UMNO) in May. Sultan Ibrahim returned to Johor in early September 1947 and attended UMNO's second general meeting at the Istana Besar. Although many Johorean politicians still held critical opinions of Sultan Ibrahim over the treaties with MacMichael, the UMNO delegates gave him a rousing welcome when he arrived at the palace. Critical opinions against the Sultan waned after the
Federation of Malaya Malaya, officially the Federation of Malaya, was a country in Southeast Asia from 1948 to 1963. It succeeded the Malayan Union and, before that, British Malaya. It comprised eleven states – nine Malay states and two of the Straits Settleme ...
was established the following January, which restored the rulers' powers. Shortly before Sultan Ibrahim left for England in May, he personally donated $5,000 to UMNO, hoping to improve relations with UMNO leaders and Onn himself, who had been appointed the
Menteri Besar of Johor The Menteri Besar of Johor or Chief Minister of Johor is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Johor. According to convention, the Menteri Besar is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Johor State Legisla ...
in 1946.


Pre-independence Malaya (1948–1957)

The establishment of the federation did not go down well with the Chinese, as favourable conditions for obtaining citizenship for the Chinese and other non-Malays were withdrawn. The
Malaysian Chinese Association The Malaysian Chinese Association (Abbreviation, abbrev: MCA; Malay language, Malay: ''Persatuan Cina Malaysia''), formerly known as the Malayan Chinese Association, is an ethnic List of political parties in Malaysia, political party in Malaysi ...
(MCA) was formed in 1949 under the leadership of a
Straits Chinese The Peranakan Chinese () are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang (), namely the British, Portuguese, and Dutch colonial ports i ...
businessman, Tan Cheng Lock who frequently raised grievances over the citizenship terms that were set when the federation was established. As a result, communal tensions between the Malays and Chinese surfaced, and Onn kept his distance from Tan. Tan encountered initial difficulties with meeting the Sultan, who was not accustomed to working with Chinese businessmen. Sultan Ibrahim also became increasingly disappointed in Onn's work commitment, whom he saw as neglecting state affairs as a result of his commitments towards the UMNO. In early 1950, Sultan Ibrahim approached Onn, who was asked to choose between committing his efforts to the state or the UMNO. Onn chose to the latter, and resigned as the Menteri Besar of Johor in May. Sultan Ibrahim became increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of Johor as a state within the Federation of Malaya, particularly when the prospect of an independent federation free from British interference became increasingly clear under
Tunku Abdul Rahman Tunku Abdul Rahman (8 February 19036 December 1990), commonly referred to as Tunku, was a Malaysian statesman who served as prime minister of Malaysia from 1957 to 1970. He previously served as the only chief minister of Federation of Malaya ...
's leadership. In a letter which he wrote to ''
The Straits Times ''The Straits Times'' (also known informally by its abbreviation ''ST'') is a Singaporean daily English-language newspaper owned by the SPH Media Trust. Established on 15 July 1845, it is the most-widely circulated newspaper in the country and ...
'' in 1953, "Straits Settlement Forever", Sultan Ibrahim expressed a sceptical opinion of Johor's future as part of an independent Malaya, and voiced support for the continuation of British Adviser system in Johor. At his
Diamond Jubilee A diamond jubilee celebrates the 60th anniversary of a significant event related to a person (e.g. accession to the throne or wedding, among others) or the 60th anniversary of an institution's founding. The term is also used for 75th annivers ...
celebrations in September 1955, Sultan Ibrahim publicly called for Johor's secession from the Federation. Sultan Ibrahim's calls for secession inspired the formation of the ''Persatuan Kebangsaan Melayu Johor'' (PKMJ) the following month, a secessionist movement led by Ungku Abdullah bin Omar, a relative of Sultan Ibrahim who was serving as one of Johor's state executive councillor. The Sultan voiced public support for the PKMJ during a public gathering in mid-December 1955, and the PKMJ courted considerable grassroot support from in first half of 1956.Sopiee, ''From Malayan Union to Singapore Separation: Political Unification in the Malaysia region, 1945–65'', pg 78 The Alliance Party reacted strongly to the events which motivated the formation of the PKMJ, and called for the Alliance-dominated Johor state executive council to vet all future state-policy speeches that will be made by the Sultan or members of the royal family. In particular, the Alliance Party reacted with great hostility to the existence of the PKMJ, and actively attempted to suppress and discredit the party. The PKMJ rapidly lost most of its members to UMNO, and by mid-1957 Ungku Abdullah only had ten members left in the party. Meanwhile, at the
Conference of Rulers The Conference of Rulers (also known as Council of Rulers or Durbar, ; Jawi: ) is a council comprising the nine rulers of the Malay states, and the governors (''Yang di-Pertua Negeri'') of the other four states in Malaysia. It was officially ...
in March 1957, Tunku Abdul Rahman expressed his desire to elect Sultan Ibrahim as the first
Yang di-Pertuan Agong The King of Malaysia, officially ''Yang di-Pertuan Agong'' ( Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ), is the constitutional monarch and Figurehead, ceremonial head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957, when the Federation of Malaya gained ...
of Malaysia, but Sultan Ibrahim declined on grounds of his old age and desire to lead his final years in retirement. Four months later in July 1957, Ungku Abdullah made one last call to urge Sultan Ibrahim not to sign the Malayan Federal Constitution. The Sultan, who was now residing in London, replied to Ungku Abdullah that he had empowered the Tunku Mahkota, Tunku Ismail (later Sultan Ismail) to decide on the matter. Ungku Abdullah then called upon Tunku Ismail not to sign the constitution, but his calls were ignored and Tunku Ismail proceeded to sign the constitution at the ruler's meeting. Following the ordeal, Ungku Abdullah formally disbanded the party a few days before Malaya's declaration of independence on 31 August.


Foreign relations

Sultan Ibrahim spent much of his time residing in England, often dealing with the colonial office in London over state affairs. His relations with the United Kingdom were often strained over both state and personal matters, especially with leading figures from the colonial office. From the mid-1930s onwards, Sultan Ibrahim fostered personal friends with the British monarchs, and made a cash donation of £500,000 for the
Silver Jubilee Silver Jubilee marks a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, the 25th year of a monarch's reign or anything that has completed or is entering a 25-year mark. Royal Silver Jubilees since 1750 Note: This ...
of
King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...
, much of which was used to fund the construction of the
Singapore Naval Base His Majesty's Naval Base, Singapore, also Her Majesty's Naval Base, Singapore (HMNB Singapore), alternatively known as the Singapore Naval Base, Sembawang Naval Base and HMS Sembawang, was situated in Sembawang at the northern tip of Singapore ...
at
Sembawang Sembawang ( ) is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential town located in the North Region, Singapore, North Region of Singapore. Sembawang planning area is bordered by Simpang to the east, Mandai to t ...
. Three years later, Sultan Ibrahim made a detour to Germany during his visit to Europe and met with
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
and was briefly detained by the French police following the visit when they mistook him for a spy. Sultan Ibrahim also became a close acquaintance with Yoshichika Tokugawa after the latter visited Johor in 1921. They became friends, partly due to their shared interest in
tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is a large Felidae, cat and a member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is ...
hunting, as well as Tokugawa's ability to communicate in fluent Malay. Tokugawa's personal friendship with the Sultan encouraged Japanese businessmen to invest in the state's rubber plantations from the 1920s onwards. The Sultan visited Japan in 1934, at the invitation of Tokugawa.


Wealth

During his reign, the Sultan was considered to be "fabulously wealthy." He also had a reputation as a wild international playboy. His exploits included changing the colour of his racing horse to present it as an unknown with better odds and going to the red-light area of
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
. He gave a pair of Malayan tigers to the Edinburgh Zoo and sent a huge cash present to
King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...
on his Jubilee. The Sultan was an
Anglophile An Anglophile is a person who admires or loves England, its people, its culture, its language, and/or its various accents. In some cases, Anglophilia refers to an individual's appreciation of English history and traditional English cultural ico ...
and spent much of his life away from Johor, preferring the more liberal delights of Europe. He sent his sons, by his Malay wives, to be educated in Britain. The Sultan was reported to have given Sultanah Helen Ibrahim a spectacular jewel collection, reputedly giving her an emerald on her birthday and a diamond on their wedding anniversary, even after the divorce.


Family

Sultan Ibrahim was the only son of Che Wan Abu Bakar,
Temenggung Temenggong or Tumenggung ( Jawi: تمڠݢوڠ; ''Temenggung'', Hanacaraka: ꦠꦸꦩꦼꦁ​ꦒꦸꦁ​; ''Tumenggung'') is an old Malay and Javanese title of nobility, usually given to the chief of public security. Responsibilities The Te ...
of Johor by Che Puan Besar Zubaidah (née Cecilia Catharina Lange, 1848–1936). Zubaidah was the daughter of Mads Johansen Lange; a
Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...
nese-based Danish businessman and his Chinese wife, Nonna Sang Nio (born Ong Sang Nio). Nonna, who was born in Southern China, lived in East Java for a time prior to her marriage to Lange. He had one sister, Mariam (born 1871).


Marriage

Sultan Ibrahim married at least four official wives who became sultanahs of Johor. They were: # Ungku Maimunah Binti Ungku Abdul Majid (died 1909); married 5 October 1892, they had one son, Tunku Ismail (Sultan of Johor) (28 October 1894–10 May 1981). # Enche' Rogayah (died 1926); married in 1920, they had one son, Tunku Haris Abu Bakar (Tunku Aris Bendahara of Johor) (17 February 1898–1 May 1956). # Enche' Hasnah Binti Dato' Ja'afar: Hasnah was the daughter of Dato' Ja'afar bin Haji Muhammad, the first Johor Menteri Besar, and the younger sister of Dato' Onn Bin Ja'afar, He also had a son by Hasnah Binti Dato' Ja'afar: Tunku Ahmad (Tunku Temenggong of Johor) (28 July 1898–26 October 1983). # Ungku Intan Binti Ungku Ahmad: Married in 1926, Ungku Intan was the daughter of Ungku Ahmad bin Ungku Muhammad. # Helen Bartholomew Wilson (1899–1977), former wife of William Brockie Wilson; married 15 October 1930, divorced 30 March 1938. # Marcella Mendl (1915–1982), daughter of Edgar Mendl from
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
and cousin of British diplomat Sir Charles Mendl. Upon converting to Islam, she took the name ''Fawzia binti 'Abdu'llah'' and was known as ''Lady Marcella Ibrahim'' (1940–1955) and Her Highness Sultana Fawzia binti 'Abdu'llah (1955–1982). Married in 1940, they had one daughter, Tunku Meriam (18 September 1950–4 July 2014) (married, 1976–1980, to British rock star Barry Sapherson, aka Barry Ryan) Besides Malay, she was fluent in several European languages such as German, French, and English.


Death

Sultan Ibrahim spent the last two years of his life at his apartment at
Grosvenor House Hotel ] JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, formerly the Grosvenor House Hotel, is a luxury hotel that opened in 1929 in the Mayfair area of London, England. Across from Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park, the hotel is built on the former site of the 19th ...
in London. He spent most of his time watching television and visiting theatres and enjoyed the company of his sixth wife, Marcella Mendl and their beloved daughter, Tunku Meriam. The Sultan died on 8 May 1959 at his apartment, with his wife reportedly at his bedside during his last hours. Tunku Ismail succeeded his father as the Sultan of Johor, and many Malay and British leaders who worked with him publicly expressed their condolences to the late Sultan within the first two weeks of his death. The Sultan's body was shipped back to Johor Bahru and arrived the following month, where he was given a state funeral and with body laying in state between 4 and 6 June at the Istana Besar. At the time of his death, Sultan Ibrahim was the longest reigning Sultan of Johor, having ruled for 64 years.


Legacy

In recent years, efforts have been made by the Sultan's heirs to rehabilitate his image and paint him as a benevolent ruler. Critics claim that he is largely remembered as an anti-independence figure, a wastrel and a close ally of the British. Even with that view, he is viewed as the man whom continued his father's legacy of investing in pepper, gambier and rubber, which largely improved the economic situation of Johor. The posthumous title of "the Famous" (in Malay, ''mil Masyhur'') conferred on him by his grandson Iskandar of Johor, Sultan Iskandar, never caught on.


Honours

* ** Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm (DMN) (31 August 1958) * ** Grand Commander (DK I) (23 May 1891) and Grand Master (1895) of the Royal Family Order of Johor ** Knight Grand Commander (SPMJ) (23 May 1891) and Grand Master (1895) of the
Order of the Crown of Johor The Most Honourable Order of the Crown of Johor ( Malay: ''Darjah Mahkota Johor Yang Amat Mulia'') is an Order of chivalry awarded by the Sultan of Johor. It was first instituted on July 31, 1886. It is awarded in three classes: *Knight Grand Co ...
* ** Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kelantan (DK) (9 October 1953) * ** Recipient of the
Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Medal The Diamond Jubilee Medal was instituted in 1897 by royal warrant as a British decoration. The medal was awarded to members of the royal family and the court, guests and dignitaries present at the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Vict ...
(1897) ** Honorary Knight Commander of the
Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III ...
(KCMG) – Sir (22 June 1897) ** Recipient of the King Edward VII Coronation Medal (1902) ** Recipient of the King George V Coronation Medal (1911) ** Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III ...
(GCMG) – Sir (1 January 1916) ** Knight Commander of the
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(KBE) – Sir (1 January 1918) **
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver Ju ...
(1935) ** Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(GBE) – Sir (3 June 1935) ** King George VI Coronation Medal (1937) ** Recipient of the
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal () is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Award This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir from the Queen to members of the Royal Family ...
(1953) * ** 1st Class of the Imperial Order of Osminieh (''Nishan-e-Osmanieh'') (1898) * ** Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the Crown of Italy The Order of the Crown of Italy ( or OCI) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate Italian unification, the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for ...
(1938) * ** Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Romania (1920) * ** Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the
Order of the White Elephant __NOTOC__ The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (; ) is an order (decoration), order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Mongkut, Rama IV of the Thailand, Kingdom of Siam. Along with the Order of the Crown of Thailand, it is r ...
(KGE) (1924) ** Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Order of the Crown of Siam * ** Grand Cross of the
Royal Order of Cambodia The Royal Order of Cambodia (, ; ) was a colonial order of chivalry of French Cambodia, and is still in use as an order of chivalry in the present-day Kingdom of Cambodia. History Colonialism On 8 February 1864, the king founded the Royal Orde ...
(1933) * ** Grand Cordon of the Order of the Dragon of Annam (1933) * ** Grand Cordon of the
Order of the Rising Sun The is a Japanese honors system, Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government, created on 10 April 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge feat ...
(1934) * ** Grand Cross of the Order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar


Footnotes


Notes


References

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Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is an academic publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University. It is a member of the Association of University Presses. Its director since 2017 is George Andreou. The pres ...
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Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
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Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 1978, * Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Malaysian Branch, ''Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society'', 1966 * Schefold, Reimar, Vermeulen, Han F., ''Treasure Hunting?: Collectors and Collections of Indonesian Artefacts'', Published by CNWS, 2002, * Sopiee, Mohammed Nordin, ''From Malayan Union to Singapore Separation: Political Unification in the Malaysia region, 1945–65'', University Malaya Press, 2005, * Stockwell, A.J., ''British policy and Malay Politics during the Malayan Union Experiment, 1945–1948'', Council of the MBRAS by Art Printing Works, 1979 * Stockwell, A.J., ''Malaya: The Malayan Union Experiment'', 1942–1948, Council of the MBRAS by Art Printing Works, 1995, * Straits Settlements. Statistical Office, Malayan Information Agency, ''Malayan Year Book, 1935'', Government Printing Office, 1939 * Tate, D.J.M, ''The Making of Modern South-East Asia'',
Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 1971 * Trocki, Carl A., ''Prince of Pirates: The Temenggongs and the Development of Johor and Singapore, 1784–1885'', Singapore University Press, 1979 * Winstedt R.O., ''A History of Johore (1365–1941)'', (M.B.R.A.S. Reprints, 6.) Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1992, *
University of Malaya The Universiti Malaya (lit 'University of Malaya'; abbreviated UM) is a public university, public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest Malaysian institution of higher education, and was the only university in ...
, ''Journal of Malaysian and Comparative Law (Jernal Undang-undang), Vol. 14'', 1984,
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
, Universiti Malaya, Fakulti Undang-undang * Wells, J. Kathirithamby, ''Nature and Nation: Forests and Development in Peninsular Malaysia'',
University of Hawaii A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
Press, 2005,


External links


Glasgow girl and the Sultan of Johore
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ibrahim of Johor 1873 births 1959 deaths Ibrahim Malaysian Muslims Malaysian people of Malay descent Malaysian people of Chinese descent Malaysian people of Danish descent Ibrahim People from Singapore Malayan collaborators with Imperial Japan Ibrahim Ibrahim Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia Recipients of the Order of the Dragon of Annam Recipients of the Order of the Crown of the Realm Sons of sultans