Tweet by Johor Crown Prince stirs controversy on social media
JOHOR BARU: A tweet by Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim on baju Melayu Teluk Belanga has sparked controversy.
In Tunku Ismail's post on Hari Raya, he said only the Johor royalty was worthy of wearing a baju Melayu Teluk Belanga with black pants.
He also compared an eagle and a sparrow flying at different heights and said: "You better know your place and let those dreams be lower than the height of the grass."
Local historians say the baju Teluk Belanga was designed by Sultan Abu Bakar to commemorate the shift of the administrative capital of the Johor empire in 1866 from Teluk Belanga in Singapore to Tanjung Puteri, which is the present Johor Baru.
His remarks have earned the wrath of many social media users despite him saying that he was merely echoing his grandfather's advice.
A netizen, Mr Abdul Fatas, said: "Please respect all human beings ... not the dress he wears."
Iskandar Puteri city councillor Mohd Azam Mektar said the Crown Prince (popularly known as TMJ) should accept any negative comments and take them as a way to improve himself.
"TMJ needs to be careful with what he posts online as he is a leader, and people look up to him," he said.
Teacher Lisa Lim said the post had a snobbish undertone.
"Maybe it was indeed about his grandfather's advice, but the words and the way he structured the sentence sounded rather condescending for the rakyat (people)."
Political analyst Mohd Akbal Abdullah said some of TMJ's postings were blown out of proportion.
"People are too sensitive when TMJ talks about anything to do with the royal family." - THE STAR
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