Johor’s royal row dominates headlines, but voters’ minds remain elsewhere

While the Johor royal family's row dominates headlines, many voters in the state appear focused on more pressing issues like the economy and cost of living. First-time voter Nur Bella Ahmad, 21, follows Malaysian politics closely but finds the heated exchanges regarding the Johor royal family's influence on state politics have barely registered.

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For us growing up in Johor, these things are normal.

"For us growing up in Johor, these things are normal," she told The Straits Times, emphasizing that economic concerns and job prospects are far more significant. This sentiment is echoed by Derek Tan, a logistics supervisor, who stated the royal issue is "far from the top of his mind" compared to the economy and rising living costs.

The controversy escalated when Johor regent Ismail Ibrahim, also known as Tunku Mahkota Johor or TMJ, criticized potential opponents of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. His remarks, including thinly veiled attacks on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and MUDA lawmaker Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, drew significant backlash. Online commentators questioned the regent's claims about federal revenue allocation and defended Syed Saddiq.

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My business is on fire these past few years, and I’m pretty happy with how things are and whoever is running the show now.

Despite the royal family's assertions, public discourse, particularly online, has been largely critical of the Johor palace. Many users questioned the veracity of claims that the federal government was "draining" the state by allocating only RM2 billion back from RM40 billion in annual revenue, a figure the prime minister refuted. The regent's comments, including an accusation that Syed Saddiq was "the most Hollywood" politician, also sparked debate, with many Malaysians defending the former youth and sports minister.

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the most Hollywood