‘Charismatic, honest, noble’: Tributes pour in for former Malaysian prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as country holds state funeral

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian political leaders from both the ruling coalition and the opposition have paid tribute to former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, affectionately known as Pak Lah, who died on Monday (Apr 14) at the age of 85. 

Well-known national and international political figures were also seen arriving at Badawi’s state funeral on Tuesday.

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and his son Mukhriz Mahathir were among those seen decked in black at the funeral procession at Masjid Negara.

“He took over as prime minister after I resigned and when he became prime minister, he led the 2004 general election with one of the most remarkable victories in history, securing 90 per cent of the vote for the government," Mahathir told local news outlet Malay Mail on Tuesday, referring to the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) victory.

Jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor were also seen arriving to pay final respects. 

Clad in a black outfit and songkok, local news outlet Malay Mail reported that Najib had entered the main prayer hall through the back entrance used by mosque officials.

He was escorted by the Federal Reserve Unit personnel who stood briefly before Abdullah's casket.

It was reported earlier that Najib obtained permission from the High Court to leave prison temporarily to attend the state funeral proceedings.

Najib's lead lawyer Shafee Abdullah also said that his client was given clearance to leave the 1MDB trial to pay his last respects.

Singapore Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong also attended, accompanied by his wife and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Malaysian government decided to accord a state funeral ceremony to the former prime minister at the National Heroes Mausoleum at Masjid Negara or the National Mosque, Malaysia’s Prime Minister’s Department confirmed on Monday. 

The statement also said that all buildings within a 2km radius of the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur must fly the national flag, or the Jalur Gemilang, at half-mast until the completion of the funeral ceremony. 

Abdullah became Malaysia’s fifth prime minister from 2003 to 2009, following the resignation of the country’s longest-serving leader Mahathir Mohamad, who led the country for 22 years. 

Prominent figures from both the ruling government and the opposition have also shared their memories of the former leader. 

President of Malaysia's opposition Parti Islam Se Malaysia (PAS) Hadi Awang said Abdullah would be remembered as a calm and courteous figure who brought a moderate approach to his administration.

“May Allah … bestow His mercy upon his soul, forgive his sins, accept his good deeds, and place him among His faithful and righteous servants,” said Hadi, as quoted by the Malay Mail. 

PAS secretary general Takiyiddin Hassan also conveyed his party’s condolences over Abdullah’s passing.

“He will remain in the nation’s history and the memory of the people as a charismatic, honest, noble leader who was respected by the people,” he said in a Facebook post on behalf of his party on Monday.

UMNO’s top two leaders - its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and deputy president Mohamad Hasan also paid tribute to the statesman. 

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Malaysia’s deputy prime minister, said that Abdullah was a mentor and leader whom he respected a lot, with his passing being a huge loss for the nation. 

“In my career, Tun (Abdullah) gave me the opportunity to grow and provided a lot of invaluable advice,” he said, in a Facebook post on Monday.

Zahid also paid his respects at the former prime minister’s residence on Monday night. 

Hasan, who was at the National Heart Institute where Abdullah passed away, told reporters that the nation had lost a remarkable leader, describing Abdullah as a true statesman whose leadership was marked by sincerity and a strong sense of duty. 

“I personally feel very sad about his passing,” he was quoted as saying on Monday by Free Malaysia Today.

Meanwhile, residents of the Kepala Batas constituency in Penang, which Pak Lah represented in parliament for seven terms since 1978, hailed him for playing a pivotal role in bringing progress to the area, including the establishment of an educational institution during his tenure. 

“Throughout his service, Kepala Batas experienced prosperity and transformed from a cowboy town into a developed city,” chairman of the Al Jamiul Badawi Mosque in Kepala Batas, Shariful Azhar Othman told local news outlet Harian Metro.

Beyond Malaysia, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has also expressed condolences to the people of Malaysia.

"During his six years as prime minister, Tun Abdullah made significant contributions to Malaysia’s social and economic development," said Wong, adding that Abdullah was a respected leader who helped ASEAN "stand tall in the world".

In a tribute on Facebook, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Tun Abdullah.

He shared that it had been a “great privilege” to have known him personally.

“I knew Pak Lah since we became PMs. He served his country with great dedication, working tirelessly to tackle Malaysia’s challenges and uplift the lives of Malaysians,” he said on Monday. 

Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan also said in a Facebook post on Monday that he was "deeply saddened" by Abdullah's death.

Recalling their past working relationship, he added: "Tun Abdullah was a distinguished leader and served in Malaysia's Cabinet for many years. We worked with him closely over the years.

"During his tenure as PM, we made progress in our bilateral issues, including the development of Iskandar Malaysia in Johor. My thoughts are with his family and the people of Malaysia during this time of grief.”

Abdullah died at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur at 7.10pm on Monday, his son-in-law and former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin confirmed in an Instagram post.

He was admitted on Sunday morning after experiencing breathing difficulties and was immediately placed under intensive care, the institute said in a statement.

Concerns about Abdullah's health mounted in recent years, and Khairy revealed in September 2022 that Abdullah had dementia. 

The last time a former prime minister died in Malaysia was in December 1990, when the country’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman died at the age of 87.