Kuala Lampur, May 11 -- At a time when much of the Malay Peninsula was slipping under British influence, one ruler stood firm in defending the independence of his realm. Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor, often referred to as the Father of Modern Johor, distinguished himself as a far-sighted monarch whose mastery of diplomacy preserved the sovereignty of his kingdom when others wobbled.

By the late nineteenth century, the British had entrenched themselves in the Malay States. The Pangkor Treaty of 1874 placed Perak under the control of a British Resident, marking the beginning of formal colonial oversight. Other states, such as Selangor and Pahang, soon followed. However, Johor remained independent for much longer, maintaining a unique relations...