Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, a ruler revered by the rakyat

JOHOR BARU: Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar is a ruler revered by the rakyat from all walks of life, not only by Johoreans, but also those residing out of the state.
Despite being the head of state of one of the most developed states in Malaysia, His Royal Highness is known widely as a down to earth ruler due to his personality.
Sultan Ibrahim regularly organises sessions for him to meet his citizens and give the public opportunities to meet the renowned figure face to face.
Born on Nov 22, 1958, Sultan Ibrahim was groomed from young to be a respectable and knowledgeable ruler.
Following the footsteps of his forefathers, he participated in military and civilian training to establish a foundation for resilience, discipline and character building.
Sultan Ibrahim had also served in various offices in the state in which he acquired knowledge on the intricacies of management and administration as a prelude to his role as a ruler.
When his late father Sultan Iskandar Almarhum Sultan Ismail ascended the throne of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim was appointed as heir and proclaimed as the Crown Prince of Johor on July 3, 1981.
On the demise of Sultan Iskandar, Sultan Ibrahim was proclaimed the Sultan of Johor on Jan 23, 2010.
Sultan Ibrahim married Raja Zarith Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah in 1982, and the royal couple have been blessed with six children.
His Majesty is synonymous with the Kembara Mahkota Johor, a charity-based activity which he initiated in 2001 when he was then the Crown Prince of Johor.
Following the success of the inaugural event, His Highness decreed that it would be an annual charity event with the main objective being to help the less fortunate.
The Kembara Mahkota Johor has now been going on 14 years and brings aid to the less fortunate via land and sea, using different modes of transportation.
Sultan Ibrahim is passionate about sports, especially polo, and this led him to participate in international championships.
He is also an avid tennis player, sailor, shooter, racer and parachutist.
A unique figure, Sultan Ibrahim was also the first Malay ruler to officially drive a train and gain the Class 26 Train Driver's Licence upon completing the 86-tonne locomotive turn-around using the railway turn-table device.