INTERVIEW | Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman today admitted that relations between him and Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim have become strained.

The youth and sports minister said this is due to several requests from the crown prince that he was uncomfortable with – such as a last-minute demand to call off the World Boxing Association welterweight championship bout between Manny Pacquiao and Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur last July.

"The request made me uncomfortable, but I had to relay my decision that I could not oblige. I have to hold onto my principles.

"There were specific requests and decrees for it (the fight) to be cancelled. 

"Ask the organiser. Ask Pacquiao himself," he told reporters during an interview in Putrajaya, in conjunction with Pakatan Harapan's first year in power.

Syed Saddiq was asked about his relations with Tunku Ismail, especially since the Johor crown prince appears to be critical of him.

He said the cancelling the boxing match would have triggered a diplomatic crisis with the Philippines, where Pacquiao (below, left) also serves as a senator.

“The request for a last-minute cancellation would have become a diplomatic issue, because six ministers, including the Philippine president had come (to watch the match).

“Tens of millions of dollars in investment would go up in smoke because the bout was to be aired live over 100 channels worldwide,” he said.

The sports minister said he and then-sports commissioner Zaiton Othman had an audience with Tunku Ismail to explain why the fight could not be cancelled.

“Zaiton and I went to see him. We had to be polite and explain it to him,” he said.

Unfulfilled requests

Syed Saddiq said despite the episode, he still respects Tunku Ismail as the successor to the Johor throne, but stressed that the people’s interests still come first.

The Muar MP also told reporters that his relations with Tunku Ismail had been better prior to the 14th general election.

Since then, he said, several political requests that he could not oblige have led to a chill in relations.

"He was someone I was close to, especially before the general election. But before the election, there were specific requests he made which I could not fulfil. 

"If you notice, the day I announced my candidacy in Muar was the day he released an open letter asking for Johoreans and Malaysians to not 'change ships' and stay with Umno-BN."

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