Traveling the World

Before Malaya came together to form the country of Malaysia, each “state” had it’s own Sultan. The word Sultan (سلطان)‎ is an Islamic title given to people, which comes from the word سلطة sulṭah, meaning “authority.” Later, it came to be used as the title of certain Muslim rulers who claimed almost full sovereignty in practical terms. Many Sultans abused their rights, but not the Sultan of Johor Bahru. Once Malaysia gained independence and embraced democracy, the Sultans lost most of their power but kept the name and wealth, and continued to live amongst the people.

Singapore Strait

I went to the Sultan’s residence to see how he lived. To show he was a man of the people, he opened his estate to the public during the day so they could relax, jog, and view the beautiful scenery. His estate is situated on a hill above the Singapore Strait, which separates Malaysia and Singapore and provides for a somewhat romantic break from the day-to-day stress of life. Interestingly enough, he has several very old cars rusting away in the back of the residence, as well as an ostrich and several other animals for which I don’t know the names.

As I began writing this post after I returned to China, Evelyn informed me that the Sultan of JB had passed away, and the entire nation was grieving. What I found quite interesting was this passage from an article on the internet:

During the mourning period you are required to wear a 3″ black band on your left arm. There is no specific rule or law stating you need to comply with this, but you could be hassled by the police if you do not do so since it shows a lack of respect for the late Sultan. This applies to both Malays and non-Malays, and should especially be adhered to if you enter public and government buildings. There have already been reports of fines up to RM$2000 for several shop owners not wearing the black arm band.

Sultan's Domain

Just as a side note, RM$2000 is about $600 USD and most people don’t even make that much each month in Malaysia. Continuing on, I found that even though Sultans in the Middle East are associated with absolute power and rule, this Sultan caused the “Gomez Incident,” which involved passing a bill which allowed rulers who violated Malaysian law to be prosecuted. Furthermore, he amended the Sedition Act of 1948 to allow public criticism of the rulers. Quite a few crazy events in his lifetime, but I have to admit I’m impressed with his style. RIP Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail.

Despite my brief two day stint in southern Malaysia, it was a great learning experience I’m glad I can look back on and appreciate. If you ever get the travel bug and want to explore this area or possibly even Singapore or Indonesia, let me know and I can put you in contact with my friend Evelyn.