4-10-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Crown Prince of Johor, has shared a harrowing account of his family’s proximity to the recent shooting incident at the Siam Paragon mall in Bangkok. He revealed that he, along with his wife, Che’ Puan Besar Khaleeda, and their four children, had been in a hotel lobby near the mall when chaos erupted due to the shooter’s actions. After the initial shock, they sought refuge at the Singapore embassy in Bangkok as the situation escalated.
The shooting incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in the tragic deaths of two women, one from China and the other from Myanmar, while five others sustained injuries. Thai police have arrested a 14-year-old suspect believed to be the gunman.
Tunku Ismail recounted the terrifying experience in an Instagram story posted around 11:30 PM. He described how they were in a hotel lobby near the mall when they heard people “shouting and running” as the shooter opened fire. The Crown Prince did not specify the name of the hotel they were in during the incident.
Amid the commotion, Tunku Ismail and his security team swiftly moved to protect their family. He explained that they had to be prepared “for any circumstance” upon hearing gunshots. The priority was ensuring the safety of his children and loved ones.
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“I still have images of me telling my kids, ‘everything is going to be okay. Babah and Mama are here,’ and telling them to get down while waiting for the car,” Tunku Ismail said. He added that he and his security team formed a human shield to protect their family at all costs.
The primary goal was to move the family and the security team away from the dangerous scene. Tunku Ismail expressed his gratitude to the quick-thinking driver who suggested they head to the Singapore embassy, which was closer than the Malaysian embassy. He promptly contacted the Singapore Consul General in Johor, and they sought refuge in the Singapore Embassy.
Following these dramatic events, Tunku Ismail contacted Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan to inform them about the situation. He assured them that the family would return to Johor “once all is secure.”
Reflecting on the traumatic experience, Tunku Ismail expressed, “This is the worst experience I’ve ever gone through. Protecting the lives of my children from a killer.” He expressed his profound gratitude to his security team and friends from Singapore and Malaysia for their support and assistance.
In a separate Instagram story posted at around 3 AM the following day, Tunku Ismail’s wife, Che’ Puan Besar Khaleeda, expressed her relief that the family was safe following the incident. She wrote, “Syukur Alhamdullilah everyone from our family and entourage are safe and sound. Thank you very much for your prayers, well wishes, and kind thoughts.”
