Sultan of Johor’s Birthday in Malaysia Date in the current year: March 23, 2024

Although the Johor Sultanate was officially founded in 1528, its history began when the Portuguese conquered Malacca in 1511. Sultan Mahmud Shah of Malacca made several attempts to reconquer the city, but all his efforts were in vain. His second son, Alauddin Riayat, moved the royal court to Johor and founded a successor state of Malacca. At its peak, Johor was a powerful empire that controlled considerable territories.

Abu Bakar, who ruled over the sultanate from 1886 to 1895, is widely regarded as the “Father of Modern Johor”. Thanks to his pro-European views and friendship with Queen Victoria, Abu Bakar modernized the sultanate’s economy, developed an efficient administration system, initiated the construction of new buildings, and minimized the British influence on local politics. However, it didn’t prevent Johor from becoming a British protectorate in 1914.

During World War II, Johor was temporarily occupied by Japan. When the war ended, it became a federated state in the Malayan Union, which was dissolved and replaced by the Federation of Malaya in 1948. In 1957, Malaya gained independence from the United Kingdom, and Johor became a state within the newly independent federation. During all this time it remained a sultanate.

The incumbent Sultan of Johor is Ibrahim Ismail. He was born on November 22, 1958 to Iskandar, a grandson of Sultan Ibrahim of Johor, and his first wife Josephine Ruby Trevorrow, whom Iskandar met while studying in England. Having completed his secondary education in Australia, Tunku Ibrahim received military training in Malaysia and the United States. Interestingly, Ibrahim Ismail is the only sultan in Malaysia who has no university degree.

In 1981, Iskandar became Sultan of Johor, and Ibrahim Ismail was officially appointed as the crown prince (Tunku Mahkota) of Johor. Between 1984 and 1989, when his father served as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Supreme Head) of Malaysia, Ibrahim Ismail ruled Johor on his behalf as regent. In the 2000s, he gradually took over some of his father’s state duties due to the Sultan’s advanced age and ailing health.

On January 22, 2010, Tunku Ibrahim was officially appointed as the regent, since his father was unable to perform his duties. Sultan Iskandar died mere hours later, and his son became the Sultan of Johor the morning after his death. The coronation ceremony, however, took place only five years later (interestingly, his father, Sultan Iskandar, had chosen not to have one at all).

Until 2015, the official birthday of the Sultan of Johor was celebrated on the same day as his actual birthday, November 22. However, after the coronation, which took place on March 23, 2015, it was moved to coincide with the coronation anniversary. The Sultan’s official birthday is a public holiday in Johor.