TMJ hits back at haters, posts satirical video
THE STAR
PETALING JAYA: Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has taken a swipe at critics who castigated him for shaking hands with the wife of Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) captain Safiq Rahim.
The Johor Crown Prince, clearly annoyed by individuals he claimed were trying to be "Ustaz or State mufti in Facebook", said only God could judge him for his actions.
"We are simply human beings and therefore should not judge others especially on petty things.
"Islam is about love and respect and not about judging others, especially when it involves hatred," he said in a posting on the Johor Southern Tigers Facebook page on Monday.
Tunku Ismail said he was raised to abide by the teachings of the Quran and was not a hypocrite unlike some Malaysians.
"At least I'm real and not a hypocrite and the people of Johor know who their Ruler is. I don't pretend to wear a jubah (Arabian attire) but behind closed doors be addicted to drugs and neither am I a gambling junkie.
"I always strive to be as real and transparent as I can with my people because as I've mentioned numerous times it's better to be hated for being honest and real than be loved and be a fake and a hypocrite," he wrote.
The crown prince also urged fellow Johoreans to be Muslims but not extremists, adding that pointing fingers and being judgmental would not make the country a better place.
"I have no right to tell you what to believe or follow, and all I have is my honest, humble opinion that we shouldn't try to be smarter than the Quran," he added.
Some netizens had recently criticised the Johor prince after pictures showing him shaking hands with Safiq's wife at a cafe belonging to the footballer had circulated online.
Tunku Ismail later mocked his critics in a video that was uploaded to the Johor Southern Tigers page on Monday evening.
In the clip, the Johor prince is seen walking towards his car when an identified woman walks up to him and offers to shake his hand.
Instead of taking her hand immediately, he then puts on a large glove, resembling the hand of Hulk, and only then proceeds with the handshake.