Billionaire Sultan Ibrahim of Malaysia holds $5.7B in family assets

By Dat Nguyen   January 31, 2024 | 08:27 pm PT
Billionaire Sultan Ibrahim of Malaysia holds $5.7B in family assets
Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar used his private Boeing 737 to arrive in Kuala Lumpur to be crowned king, January 2024. Photo from his Facebook page
Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, who was crowned king of Malaysia on Wednesday, is among the richest in the country with family assets estimated at $5.7 billion.

Sultan Ibrahim, 65, is known for his Ferrari collection and Instagram activities. He manages business and investment while performing his duties as the overseer of Johor, Malaysia's second-most populous state.

His notable assets include land in Singapore's Tyersall Park, valued at $4 billion, according to Bloomberg. This land is registered under his son's name. Additionally, he has a $1.1 billion investment in shares and other real estate, a $483 million stake in U Mobile, Malaysia's largest cell service provider, and $105 million in public companies.

His family is involved in significant projects along Johor's south coast, overlooking the Singapore Strait, a key shipping corridor.

Sultan Ibrahim has been influential in regional affairs. He advocated for the revival of the high-speed rail project between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, halted by Malaysia in 2021 due to its high cost of over 100 billion ringgit ($21 billion). He suggested private financing for the project, with a 30-year operation period before government takeover.

Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar rides a motorbike to meet with Johor residents in 2015. Photo from his Facebook page

Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar rides a motorbike to meet with Johor residents in 2015. Photo from his Facebook page

Sultan Ibrahim, who is of Malay-British descent, belongs to the wealthy and powerful Johor royal family, the head of which commands a small private army, according to AFP.

The Sultan's family history with the Chinese community traces back to his great-grandfather Abu Bakar, who fostered Johor's growth in the late 1800s by encouraging Chinese immigration for agricultural development.

Sultan Ibrahim's personal interests include a collection of 300 luxury cars and four private jets, including a Boeing 737. His social media presence is significant, with over one million followers on Facebook and 900,000 on Instagram.

 
 
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