Johor

2020 - minisheet commemmorating the 125th Anniversary of the Constitution of the State of Johor

To resist British demands that Johor accede to the Federated Malay States, Sultan Sir Abu Bakar had a Constitution drafted that codified royal succession and the system of government of Johor, thus ensuring proper governance. It was adopted in 1895. With Johor situated between the economically important tin and rubber producing areas of the North, and Singapore to the South, pressure to agree to British Protection was high. In 1914 Johor finally agreed to accept a British Advisor, the last Malay state to do so. The Constitution remains in force today.

Shown on the sheet are copies of the Constitution from 1895, 1961 and 2008, behind which are pictures of the five Sultans who have ruled Johor in the Modern Age. On the left is Sultan Sir Abu Bakar, who ruled from 1862 until 1895 and who was the architect of the Constitution. Next to him is his son Ibrahim who ruled for 64 years until 1959. Rightmost is shown Sultan Ibrahim Isamil who acceeded to the throne in 2010 and became the 17th Agong of Malaysia in 2024. Behind them is a picture of Johor's government building.

The current royal family has ruled since 1855 are are the descendants of the former Tumenggong or regents of Johor who served the Bendahara dynasty. The Tumenggong were of Bugis descent. The Johor Sultanate was founded in the 16th Century by a son of Mahmud Shah, the last ruler of Malacca before it fell to the Portuguese in 1511. When his line died out, rule passed to the Bendahara family, who trace their ancestry of Sang Nila Utama, the Palembang prince who founded the State of Tumasek in what is now Singapore. Over the course of time, the Bendaharas lost much of the actual control over their territory to regents, and ruled from the island of Lingga where they were supported by the Dutch. When Raffles sought permission to establish a British trading post in Singapore, he thus approached Tengku Long, a prince who had been passed over in the succession, but who had the support of the regent (Tumenggong) of Johor. This Prince was then installed as the Sultan of Johor, with Tumenggong Abdul Rahman acting as local chief with his seat at Telok Blangah. After 1855 the Tumenggung started ruling directly, and it is his descendants now rule Johor. Singapore remained the seat of the Tumenggong dynasty until 1930 when they moved to Istana Bukit Serene in Johor Bahru. The Bendahara family remain as rulers of Pahang and Trengganu.