The new state government has pledged to consult the Sultan of Johor for his views and feedback on key projects in the state. Rashaad Ali of RSIS suggested that the partnership between the new state government and Sultan Ibrahim is “far from a business relationship yet”. Rashaad noted that both the actions of the state government and the royal family are mitigated by public opinion. “One of the key themes from this election is the democratisation of public space,” Rashaad said. “Malaysians have awoken to the fact that their choices matter and have impact … and this is especially true for places like Johor where you have a royal family that is preoccupied by public opinion and this state government that is looking to match if not outdo the previous state government,” he added.