Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor Elected as Malaysia's Next King in Rotational Monarchy

Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's strong outspoken behavior and close relations with Singapore and China viewed as potential factors influencing Malaysia's future policies and international relationships.

Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has been elected as Malaysia's next king and will be installed on January 31, 2024.
Sultan Ibrahim is known for expressing his thoughts publically, recently criticizing the standards of low-cost housing in Johor, slow COVID-19 vaccination rates, and warned lawmakers against political maneuvers causing instability.
The new king has demonstrated a good working relationship with the current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, representing a potentially strong partnership between the monarchy and the government.
Analysts predict Sultan Ibrahim's close ties with Singapore and China, strengthened through good relations with their leaders and business investments, could positively impact Malaysia's international relations.
In Malaysia's unique rotational monarchy, Sultan Ibrahim will serve a largely ceremonial role for five years, although recent political instability has led to increasing intervention from the monarchy in selecting political leadership.