PETALING JAYA, Feb 14 — For the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar laughter is the secret ingredient to make any dish taste good.
A recent Facebook video posted by the Johor Royal Press Office shows Sultan Ibrahim cooking up a storm in the kitchen as he entertained friends.
Looking every inch the professional chef, the 61-year-old royal even put on a chef’s hat and apron.
“Royal touch: special nasi goreng for His Majesty’s friends,” the Facebook post read.
The two-minute and 34-second clip begins with Sultan Ibrahim instructing someone out of frame to standby with the eggs for the humble fried rice.
Throughout cooking the beloved Malaysian dish, the sultan displayed a rarely seen humorous side, cracking jokes and dropping cooking tips as he prepared a simple meal.
“Why is this hat so high?” he candidly asked the camera, referring to his kitchen headgear.
Sultan Ibrahim also hilariously told a friend who was assisting him to “not be stingy with the eggs” while he stirred the ingredients in the frying pan.
The royal then broke out into song, singing Kisah Cinta by the late Malay film star Kartina Dahari.
“When cooking, one must sing,” he said.
In the next shot, the sultan can be heard saying to friends “If I open a restaurant, it will go bankrupt for sure because you guys will come and eat for free.”
Just like any other home cook, the royal too was anxious about what he was about to serve up.
“If it’s not nice, please go to your rooms and go to bed, no need to say anything,” he said.
After completing his dish, the royal gave the fried rice one final taste and let out a satisfied sigh.
Sultan Ibrahim concluded his cooking session by telling his friends “If it’s not nice I’m not going to cook anymore.”
The light-hearted clip has garnered 442,000 views, 5,890 shares and 2,600 comments on Facebook since it was posted on Tuesday.
The sultan’s candid and down-to-earth personality that shone through in the clip was a hit with Malaysian Facebook users who flooded the comments section with praise.
“A good cook and singer, this is the best,” Facebook user Mazni Abdullah commented.
“What I’m seeing is a regular guy or uncle who is hilarious, charismatic and handsome — so hilarious,” said another.
“I have never seen this comical side of you, Your Majesty. So down to earth, with due respect though. Maybe someday I will get to taste your fried rice, too. Great job. Daulat Tuanku,” wrote Kim Lee.
Some even pointed out the similarities in personality between the Johor sultan and his younger sister the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah who is known for her love of cooking.
