Editing Iskandar of Johor (section)

===Foreign relations===
Since his ascension to the throne, Sultan Iskandar fostered particularly close ties with [[Singapore]], by developing a personal rapport with top Singaporean leaders. This practice was also taken up by his sons, the Tunku Mahkota and Tunku Aris Bendahara.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pap.org.sg/articleview.php?id=2646&cid=21|date=13 October 2007|title=Ministers convey Hari Raya wishes to Sultan of Johor|publisher=[[People's Action Party]]|access-date=3 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304123516/http://www.pap.org.sg/articleview.php?id=2646&cid=21|archive-date=4 March 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Media reports highlighted the particularly warm reception which leaders of both countries received whenever they visited each other's domains,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://app.sprinter.gov.sg/data/pr/20070411985.htm|date=11 April 2007|title=Visit To Singapore By His Majesty Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail, Sultan And Sovereign Ruler of the State And Territories of Johor Darul Ta'zim, 12 To 13 April 2007|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pap.org.sg/articleview.php?id=1253&mode=&cid=23|date=25 October 2006|title=Warm friendship toasted at annual Hari Raya lunch with Johor Sultan|publisher=[[People's Action Party]]|access-date=4 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304123512/http://www.pap.org.sg/articleview.php?id=1253&mode=&cid=23|archive-date=4 March 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> particularly in July 1988, when Sultan Iskandar's visit to Singapore marked<ref>''The Little Red Dot: Reflections by Singapore's Diplomats'', Koh, Chang, pg 417</ref> the first official visit by any Yang di-Pertuan Agong since 1957.<ref>''Singapore-Malaysia Relations Under Abdullah Badawi'', pg 77, Saw, Kesavapany</ref><ref>''Political Handbook of Asia 2007'', Banks, Muller, Overstreet, pg 423</ref> Between these years, Sultan Iskandar has been awarded or been given the following awards by Singaporean political leaders:

* 1988: Singapore Deputy Prime Minister [[Goh Chok Tong]] received the Dato' Paduka Mahkota Johor (Kehormat) from the Sultan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/picas/public/internetSearch/catalogueForm.jsp?id=0000765029&thesaurusFlag=Y&simpleSearch=Goh+chok+tong+dato&photographOption=1&Submit=Submit&pageNumber=1&total=206|date=27 July 1988|title=First Deputy Prime Minister And Minister For Defence Goh Chok Tong Receiving Johor's Second Highest Award, Dato Paduka Mahkota Johor (Kehormat) From Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Iskandar of Johor in Istana State Room (Description of Event Provided By Transferring Agency)|publisher=[[Singapore Press Holdings]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304142021/http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/picas/public/internetSearch/catalogueForm.jsp?id=0000765029&thesaurusFlag=Y&simpleSearch=Goh+chok+tong+dato&photographOption=1&Submit=Submit&pageNumber=1&total=206|archive-date=4 March 2009}}</ref>
* 2007: Sultan Iskandar was presented with the Honorary Master Parachutist Wing by Singapore Defence Minister [[Teo Chee Hean]].<ref name="Sultan of Johor Visits HQ Commando">{{cite news|url=http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2007/apr/13apr07_nr.html|date=13 April 2007|title=Sultan of Johor Visits HQ Commando|publisher=[[MINDEF]]|access-date=3 January 2009|archive-date=21 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621012925/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2007/apr/13apr07_nr.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 2007: Conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by the [[National University of Singapore]].<ref name="Sultan of Johor Visits HQ Commando"/>

Relations with Singapore soured after the [[International Court of Justice]] ruled in Singapore's favour following a long legal battle over the [[Pedra Branca dispute|sovereignty]] of [[Pedra Branca, Singapore|Pedra Branca]]. At the inaugural session of the 12th Johor State Assembly in 2008, the Sultan stated his continued support of Malaysia's claim to Pedra Branca, and vowed to find legal means to retrieve the island's sovereignty.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/20/nation/21601771&sec=nation|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=20 June 2008|title=Sultan vows to reclaim Batu Puteh island|author=Farik Zolkepli|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304004954/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2008%2F6%2F20%2Fnation%2F21601771&sec=nation|archive-date=4 March 2009}}</ref>

Sultan Iskandar also fostered a fairly close relationship with the [[Sultan of Brunei]], [[Hassanal Bolkiah]], particularly during his days as the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.<ref>''Negara Brunei Darussalam: A Biographical Dictionary (1860–1996)'' (1996), pg 290</ref> In 2006, they were again seen together in public, after Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah made a state visit to Johor to express his interest in the [[Iskandar Development Region]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/8/28/nation/22187799&sec=nation|date=28 August 2008|title=Brunei eyes Iskandar Malaysia project|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304005006/http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2008%2F8%2F28%2Fnation%2F22187799&sec=nation|archive-date=4 March 2009}}</ref>