The following is from TNG:-
By Ding Jo-Ann
dingjoann@thenutgraph.com
The late Sultan of Johor (© Masami Takakuwa | Wiki Commons)
SULTAN Iskandar ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail, one of Malaysia's most controversial rulers, passed away on 22 Jan 2010 at the age of 77. The late Johor Sultan will be remembered for many things, one of which would be when he got off his podium during a Merdeka Day parade in the 1980s to take a spin on a participant's superbike.
In reporting on the late sultan, the traditional press wrote of his "closeness" to his subjects, his "care and generosity", and his love for sports and sports cars. Unlike the international media however, Malaysian newspapers glaringly omitted any mention of the "Gomez incident" where the sultan allegedly assaulted a Johor hockey coach at his palace. Indeed, this incident was widely reported in the media when it occurred in 1992 and is recorded in Constitutional Landmarks in Malaysia: The First 50 Years, published by LexisNexis. Among others, the Asia Sentinel also reported about the charge against the sultan for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in 1971 and his subsequent pardon after his father intervened.
So who was the late Sultan of Johor? The man portrayed in the Malaysian traditional media or in the international media? The defender of Pulau Batu Puteh and Malaysian rights or an unpredictable man who had reports of violence lodged against him? And more importantly, why did our Malaysian media fail to ask these questions when reporting on the death of a Malaysian personality, one whose royal house and functions are funded by Malaysian tax payers?
The lion and the coward
Writing obituaries has become an art in journalism. The best obituaries are the ones which capture the essence of the deceased while detailing their main contributions and life's milestones.
(for more, click HERE)
PS
Apparently somebody was hauled up for a voiced over clip of the Sultan giving a speech at the launch of very airy corridor down south called "Iskandar". That version can be viewed here, if you want to have a laugh ......
Anyway, here's the original video clip found of the beloved Sultan on You Tube wherein he didn't seem to understand why it was named after him:
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