KUALA LUMPUR: A sombre atmosphere filled the National Mosque on Tuesday (April 15) as the country bid farewell to its fifth prime minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who passed away yesterday evening.
Family members, dignitaries, and close friends gathered to pay their last respects to the late statesman from 10am to 1pm, with mourners entering the mosque in stages.
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The Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, arrived at Masjid Negara at approximately 11.30am on Tuesday (April 15) to pay his last respects to former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
His Royal Highness has served as the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong during Abdullah’s tenure as PM.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived at Masjid Negara at 1pm to pay his last respects to Abdullah.
He was accompanied by Tan Sri Kamaluddin, Abdullah's son from his first wife Endon Mahmood, who died of breast cancer in 2005.
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MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong arrived at Masjid Negara at about 11.40am to pay his last respect to Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Dr Wee served as deputy education minister during Abdullah's final year as prime minister.
Also arriving with Dr Wee was former minister in the prime minister’s department in charge of economic planning unit (EPU) Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
Former MCA president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting arrived at Masjid Negara at about 11.10am.
Ong, who is former housing and local government minister, had served under Abdullah's administration.
Former Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong was among the dignitaries who came to bid farewell to Abdullah.
Lee, who is now Singaporean's Senior Minister, had served as PM during Abdullah's tenure as premier between 2003 and 2009.
Among those present were Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, former Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, and legendary musician Ramli Sarip.
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Earlier, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak made a brief appearance to pay his last respects to his predecessor.
Najib was escorted under heavy police guard into the main prayer hall through the back entrance at 10.30am.
During Najib's ongoing 1MDB trial, his legal team had informed the High Court about the request to the Prison Department seeking permission to attend Abdullah’s funeral.
The prosecution did not object to the request, and the court allowed the trial to resume tomorrow.
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Abdullah's remains were brought from his residence, Bait Badawi, located at Persiaran Tuanku Jaafar, at about 8.10am to the National Mosque for the final rites and funeral prayers.
Abdullah will be accorded a state funeral and will be buried at the Heroes' Mausoleum at the National Mosque.
He died at the National Heart Institute (IJN) at 7.10 pm yesterday at the age of 85.
