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Through his own Instagram page this heir to the sultanate of Johor has chosen to express his love and concern for his people in an interesting way – by posting video highlights of his recent holiday.

Owing to the ravages of Covid most Malaysians aren’t getting holidays at the moment, but the ‘Crown Prince’ is evidently willing to give them a vicarious glimpse of what a nice time he can have instead.  This is no snap-shot: it is a lingering, glossy, professional film job, set to music with areal shots and snappy edits.

It was good of the CP to think of his people in this way. He plainly wants them to know how much he appreciates the fine life he lives off the lands they share – a life that the vast majority of his ‘subjects’ could never experience given the unfortunate poverty of most of his social underlings in this well resourced state.

Some might call this showing off and a wee bit tacky for a man who presumably considers himself part of the global royal elite (most inherited monarchies tend to play down the ostentation for reasons that barely need a mention here). However young Johor clearly reckons he knows what his people enjoy to see: he kicks off his holiday video with a full martial display as casually dressed he brushes past the salutes of smart uniformed guards and ascends his gold painted private jet.

We are given a peek inside, just so we can see how grand it is? Forget five to a row, think five servers per passenger and to hell with the carbon footprint.

Cut to the holiday island arrival. The prince descends from his luxurious trip in his swimming trunks, exposing a physique that can only be described as well fed. How happy his subjects must feel given such opportunity to view their highness in the fullness of his hefty health, all funded by the taxes on their hard work.

Hard work is not what the Prince now treats his fan club to, of course.  Although all that posing in front of posh beach mansions, at pool bars, 6 star suites, the decks of yachts, spas and loungers was probably a bit of an effort, which they can thank him for.

It was clearly all done to let his subjects know that he really loves indulging in trashy luxury symbols and wants them to have the second hand pleasure of watching him at it.

It is the sort of well-worn fantasy stuff that snootier circles would describe as ‘poor people’s porn’ (most people with wealth, relevance and taste enjoy more subtle pleasures). However, the caring crown prince is not too proud to dish it out in dollops to stoke the fantasies of those left hungry, tired and brow-beaten back at home, for whom a few moments of carefree leisure and luxury would indeed be a pleasure to enjoy.

He gave them fodder for their dreams, which for them will never of course come true. How kind of him. It ought to make them happier to pay their taxes next time round.

Funnily enough, the same Crown Prince reportedly caused some consternation not long ago uttering a view in a KL social club “I can’t stand to be around all these poor people” before he left. He must been feeling so sorry for them.

• 26 Sep 2021
• BM 翻译
• 0