SULTAN IBRAHIM’S LAST EXPEDITION?
Johor sultan wants his son to helm the annual royal tour, starting next year
SULTAN of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has announced that this year’s Kembara Mahkota Johor could likely be the last one led by him as he wants to hand over the royal tour’s responsibility to his son, Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail.
Speaking at the tour’s stopover at the General Operations Force 5th Battalion camp in Simpang Renggam yesterday, Sultan Ibrahim said he wanted to see how his son fared in leading the expedition.
“I think this year might be my last year. I want to hand over the running of Kembara Mahkota Johor to Tunku Ismail.
“I will see how he fares in leading the expedition. I have taught him enough about it (the tour),” Sultan Ibrahim said at the camp near here yesterday.
Yesterday, the ruler and the rest of the Johor royal family covered a 209km route spanning Kluang, Bandar Baru Ayer Hitam, Segamat and Tangkak before stopping at Dataran SRCC in Muar.
This year’s tour will cover 808km in four days. The Johor royal family will travel in several Morgan Three-Wheelers to meet the people.
Now in its 20th edition, the expedition has been led by Sultan Ibrahim since the time he was Tunku Mahkota Johor.
Sultan Ibrahim said when the time came for him to hand over Kembara Mahkota Johor to Tunku Ismail, he would only join the expedition as a guest.
He said he had initially wanted to announce his intention to make this year his last tour, but could not bring himself to do it
“I wanted to make the announcement, but I did not have the heart to do it. I am doing it (this year) for as long as I have the strength to do it.”
Sultan Ibrahim also praised Permaisuri Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah for accompanying him on the expedition.
He said he worried about her health as the sports car they were travelling in had no roof and they had to endure heavy rains in the past two days.
“I advised her to use the other car instead of travelling with me. I was worried that she would catch a cold. But she did not want to. She wanted to ride in the Morgan as she liked it.
“I asked her ‘if it rains, will it be okay for you?’ to which she replied it would be fine for her. She said we should continue even if it was raining because the people were willing to wait in the rain,” said Sultan Ibrahim.
It was reported that people have been lining up at stopovers to meet and take photographs with Sultan Ibrahim’s children, Tunku Temenggong Johor Tunku Idris, Tunku Tun Aminah and her husband, Dennis Muhammad Abdullah, Tunku Panglima Johor Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tunku Putera Johor Tunku Abu Bakar.