Malaysia welcomed its new king, Sultan Ibrahim, in a grand ceremony at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. The newly crowned monarch, known for his passion for riding motorcycles, took his oath in January and is now officially the country’s 17th king.
Malaysia’s monarchy rotates every five years among the rulers of its nine states, each with its own royal family.
Though largely ceremonial, the position of king has become increasingly significant in recent years, particularly due to political crises. Royal intervention was required to appoint prime ministers three times following government collapses and a hung parliament after the 2018 electoral defeat of scandal-tainted premier Najib Razak.
In addition to overseeing major political appointments, the king serves as the official head of Islam in the Muslim-majority country and as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
According to Bloomberg, the 65-year-old Sultan Ibrahim and his family, rulers of southern Johor, are estimated to be worth at least US $5.7 billion. The family owns land in Singapore and invests in the palm oil, real estate, and telecommunications industries.
The grand crowning ceremony was attended by dignitaries including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
Sultan Ibrahim is married with six children and is known for making annual trips around Johor on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, distributing charity to the poor. He also has a deep interest in business, including a stake in the $100 billion development project called Forest City, and possesses a collection of luxury cars and private jets.
Sultan Ibrahim’s father, Sultan Iskander, was the last Johor sultan to hold the crown, serving as king in 1984.
