The King The Queen Major General Tunku Ismail ibni Sultan Ibrahim (Jawi: تونكو إسماعيل ابن سلطان إبراهيم; born 30 June 1984), is the heir apparent to the Johor throne.
[6][10][11] On 26 January 2007, with a rank of captain in Indian Army, he led a mounted column of Jaipur-based 61 Cavalry regiment to salute president of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam during the Republic Day celebrations.
[7] The parade was witnessed by chief guest of the day president of Russia Vladimir Putin and his entourage, along with other dignitaries of Indian politics and military amidst tight security.
As predicted, there were several concerns about the news, particularly with Tunku Ismail having lost the FAM presidency election to Tengku Abdullah earlier that year.
In the early hours of 24 October 2008, a confrontation occurred between members of the Johor and Negeri Sembilan royal families at a nightclub in Kuala Lumpur.
[18] Upon arrival at the hotel, Tunku Nadzimuddin and his friend, Sham Shuddhuha, a 40-year-old lawyer, were allegedly dragged into an elevator by bodyguards of the Johor royal family.
The Attorney-General, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, stated that the case was still under investigation and that he would make a decision soon, emphasising the need for care and caution in such sensitive matters.
On 28 May 2024, a deaf Grab driver named Ong Ing Keong was waiting to collect passengers outside the St Regis Hotel in Kuala Lumpur when he was allegedly assaulted by a member of Tunku Ismail's security team.
DAWN also alleged that Ong was pressured at the police station to either accept compensation from a palace representative or face having his phone confiscated if the case went to court.
Meanwhile, Tunku Ismail issued a statement urging a thorough investigation while also claiming there was a "movement" attempting to tarnish the royal institution's reputation.
[21] The case gained renewed attention on 14 August 2024, when rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) released the dashcam footage of the incident during a press conference.
[22] Pressure was mounting on the police and Attorney General to take action, with various parties, including the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), calling for transparency and justice in the case.
[26] In December 2018, Tunku Ismail publicly criticised Syed Saddiq for sending birthday wishes to his brother, telling him to "save your sucking up for other people".
Tunku Ismail stated that the country needs honest, innovative, and dedicated politicians, implying that Syed Saddiq did not meet these criteria.
[28] In response, Syed Saddiq thanked Tunku Ismail for his concern about Muar's residents and stated he was open to criticism and suggestions.
[29] The situation escalated in September 2021 when Tunku Ismail made a statement suggesting that Syed Saddiq should "jump off KLCC without a parachute" to get his attention.
[30] Previously, Tunku Ismail had accused Syed Saddiq of being a "drama queen" when the latter started a crowdfunding campaign to cover his legal expenses in July 2021.
[31] On 24 October 2014, Tunku Ismail married Che' Puan Mahkota Khaleeda at Istana Bukit Serene in a private ceremony.
He is also a grandnephew as well as nephew by marriage of Al-Sultan Abdullah, the current Sultan of Pahang and an 11th cousin of Tengku Muhammad Ismail, the Crown Prince of Terengganu since they both share a common male ancestor Tun Habib Abdul Majid Al-Aydrus.