Editing Iskandar of Johor (section)

===Political===

====Yang di-Pertuan Agong (1980s)====
Shortly before his election as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong in 1983, a spate of reports alleging Sultan Iskandar's intention to launch a coup d'état by launching a [[state of emergency]] to overthrow the government circulated within political circles, which reached Prime Minister of Malaysia [[Mahathir Mohamad]]. The Sultan reportedly fostered close relations with several key military personnel, including the Army chief Jeneral Zain Hashim.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Economist SEA Correspondent |title=Kings Men Purged |publisher=The Economist |date=26 November – 2 December 1983}}</ref> The government subsequently took action to curb constitutional loopholes within the constitution and took to task of reducing the power of the royal veto in passing legislation, culminating in a constitutional crisis in late 1983.<ref>Milne, Mauzy (1999), pg 32–33</ref> Nevertheless, during his inaugural speech as the Agong in 1984, about a month after the constitutional amendments were passed in parliament, Sultan Iskandar voiced public support for the revised constitution and pledged to act in accordance to the Prime Minister's advise.<ref>Shome, Shome (2002), pg 137</ref>

A diplomatic scandal between the United Kingdom and Malaysia broke out in 1984, when several British newspapers published pieces on Sultan Iskandar's coronation, citing the headlines such as  "Killer becomes King" and "King a Killer", which enraged the Malaysian government, who demanded an apology from the British government. The British government refused to apologise on behalf of the newspapers, triggering tensions between the two countries.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}<!--Supposedly this is supported by some issue of Asian Recorder--> Two months later, in June 1984, Sultan Iskandar in his capacity as the Agong, surprised the Malaysian public when he publicly called upon [[Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia|Deputy Prime Minister]], [[Musa Hitam]], to make a public apology in front of the entire congregation present at the [[National Mosque of Malaysia|National Mosque]]. Sultan Iskandar, on his part, was angry over remarks which Musa made during the course of the 1983 constitutional crisis that he deemed to be disrespectful. Musa abided to the Agong's demand and boldly came forward to make the apology, which was greeted by a thunderous applause from the entire congregation. The event, which was broadcast live throughout the nation on Malaysian Radio (although the television stations abruptly terminated its broadcast halfway), was seen by many observers as an act of confrontation by the Agong to put Musa in his place.<ref>Milne, Mauzy (1999), pg 35–36</ref>

In 1988, also serving in his capacity as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong, the [[Lord President of the Federal Court]] Tun [[Salleh Abas]] was sacked by the Agong in what led to the [[1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis]].<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=akRCLUMdvsNM&refer=asia Anwar's Second Sex Case Puts Malaysia Courts on Trial], Bloomberg, Angus Whitley, 20 August 2008</ref> However, observers suggested a remarkably warm relationship<ref name="Crouch_146">Crouch (1996), pg 146</ref> between [[Prime Minister of Malaysia|Prime Minister]] Mahathir Mohamad and the Agong, both of whom shared common resentment towards the chief justice, Salleh Abas. In 1973, Iskandar was convicted of assault and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, to which Salleh Abas served as the public prosecutor hearing the case. As the public prosecutor, Salleh had appealed to the chief justice, Raja [[Azlan Shah of Perak|Azlan Shah]], for handing down a heavier sentence for Iskandar, which earned his wrath.<ref name="KamarulAbdullah"/><ref>''Malaysian Politics: The Second Generation'', Means, pg 239</ref><ref>Kershaw (2001), pg 224</ref> The sacking of the Lord President, was however not without controversy, given the alleged manner in which the Agong and Prime Minister had handled the matter–including an incident which the Agong had refused to forgive the Lord President in spite of Salleh's willingness to offer his apology to the Agong, which he turned down.<ref>[http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/letters_others/press_statement_of_tun_salleh_abas.html Press Statement of Tun Salleh Abas], The Malaysian Bar, Tun Salleh Abas, 26 September 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/opinions/comments/comment_tun_salleh_and_the_judiciary.html?date=2009-01-01 Comment: Tun Salleh and the judiciary]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, The Malaysian Bar, Suppiah s/o Pakrisamy, 29 April 2008</ref>

====Later years (2000 onwards)====
Sultan Iskandar's public call to support [[Abdullah Badawi]]'s administration in October 2006 created a minor stir among Mahathir's supporters, when he remarked that "Mahathir should act like a pensioner". The call came at a time when Mahathir's spate of criticisms against Abdullah's was at its most intense.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nationmultimedia.com/worldhotnews/read.php?newsid=30018070|author=Agence France-Pesse|title=Malaysian sultan calls for scrapping of causeway to Singapore|publisher=[[The Nation (Thailand)]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929124218/http://nationmultimedia.com/worldhotnews/read.php?newsid=30018070|archive-date=29 September 2007}}</ref> The Sultan was the first state ruler to publicly defend the policy of the government during the period of Mahathir's criticisms against the Abdullah administration.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/10/24/nation/20061024191325&sec=nation|date=24 October 2006|title=Johor Sultan: Support Pak Lah|author=Nelson Benjamin and Meera Vijayan|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109184423/http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2006%2F10%2F24%2Fnation%2F20061024191325&sec=nation|archive-date=9 November 2006}}</ref> Earlier sources however, noted Sultan Iskandar's concerns with the deepening rift between Mahathir and Abdullah and had asked to be photographed together with the two leaders during the [[United Malays National Organisation]]s (UMNO) 60th anniversary celebrations in Johor Bahru.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=226228|date=24 October 2006|title=Johor Sultan Tells Dr Mahathir To Act Like A Pensioner|publisher=[[Bernama]]}}</ref>

A month later, in November 2006, another small stir erupted during the launching ceremony of the Iskandar Development Region, when Sultan Iskandar voiced his opinion that the [[Johor-Singapore Causeway|Causeway]], which connects [[Johor]] and Singapore, should be removed to allow ships to pass through to promote development of the state. He also remarked that the people should be wary of all foreigners as they were "vultures" and also urged the people not to hold them in high regard, citing his displeasure that his ancestors were "deceived" by dirty tactics employed by colonialists to build the Causeway.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/5/nation/15929677&sec=nation|date=5 November 2006|title=Sultan's Causeway remark causes a stir|author=Michael Richardson|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|location=Malaysia|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304004941/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2006%2F11%2F5%2Fnation%2F15929677&sec=nation|archive-date=4 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/printable.php?id=227815|date=4 November 2006|title=Demolish Causeway – Sultan Iskandar|publisher=[[Bernama]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304000102/http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/printable.php?id=227815|archive-date=4 March 2009}}</ref>

At the inaugural 12th Johor State Assembly Seating in April 2008, a minor controversy erupted when one opposition state assemblyman (ADUN), Gwee Tong Hiang, flouted dress regulations by appearing in a lounge suit and tie instead of the usual official attire and songkok. This resulted in him being dismissed from the assembly chamber shortly before the Sultan's arrival.<ref>[http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/20/nation/21603605&sec=nation DAP rep thrown out of assembly] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304014130/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2008%2F6%2F20%2Fnation%2F21603605&sec=nation |date=4 March 2009 }}, Gladys Tay and Farik Zolkepli, 20 June 2008, [[The Star (Malaysia)]]</ref> Gwee, a [[Democratic Action Party (Malaysia)|Democratic Action Party]] (DAP) ADUN, reportedly argued that there was no stated order to wear the official attire and songkok and stated his desire to wear a western suit,<ref>[http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,168570,00.html No uniform or songkok? Please leave assembly] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304132253/http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,168570,00.html |date=4 March 2009 }}, 22 June 2008, The Electric New Paper</ref> promptly drew flak from other ADUNs and the Menteri Besar, [[Abdul Ghani Othman]] who had earlier on met to agree to don in the official attire and songkok prior to the assembly, whereby Gwee was absent.<ref>[http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/10/nation/21502414&sec=nation Johor DAP reps can wear songkok] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304014055/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2008%2F6%2F10%2Fnation%2F21502414&sec=nation |date=4 March 2009 }}, Nelson Benjamin, 10 June 2008, [[The Star (Malaysia)]]</ref> The Sultan, apparently angry at Gwee, sharply criticised him two days later<ref>[http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=341069 Sultan Reprimands Bentayan State Assemblyman Over Attire], 21 June 2008, [[Bernama]]</ref> and publicly called upon Gwee to seek an audience with him.<ref>[http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/21/nation/20080621202455&sec=nation Johor Sultan unhappy with DAP's Gwee] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122055459/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2008%2F6%2F21%2Fnation%2F20080621202455&sec=nation |date=22 January 2009 }}, Meera Vijayan, 21 June 2008, [[The Star (Malaysia)]]</ref>