KOTA KINABALU: Sabah state flags will be flown at half-mast on Wednesday (May 21) to mark a one-day mourning period for the late Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah, the state's ninth Yang di-Pertua Negeri.
Tun Ahmadshah passed away at KPJ Hospital in Kota Kinabalu at 8.45pm on Tuesday (May 20). He was 78.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor expressed his condolences to Tun Ahmadshah's family, highlighting his significant contributions to Sabah, especially as a civil servant.
"On behalf of my family and the state government, I offer our deepest condolences to the family of the late Tun. May his soul be showered with blessings and placed among the righteous," he said on Wednesday.
Born in Kampung Inanam on December 9, 1946, Tun Ahmadshah began his education in Darau, Menggatal, before attending La Salle Secondary School in Tanjung Aru.
He earned a Diploma in Development Administration from South Devon College in the UK and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Indiana State University in the US.
Tun Ahmadshah started his career as a customs officer in Kota Kinabalu in 1968. He was appointed executive officer (rural) and transferred to Beaufort as assistant district officer (rural) the following year.
He served as Director of State Civil Service, Head of the Internal Affairs and Research Division in the Chief Minister’s Department, and Secretary of the Sabah Islamic Religious Council.
His dedication and leadership saw him rise through the civil service ranks, becoming Deputy State Secretary (Administration) in 1998, a post he held until his retirement in 2002.
He was sworn in as the Sabah Governor on January 1, 2003, and served two terms until December 31, 2010.
Tun Ahmadshah is survived by three sons and a daughter. His wife, Toh Puan Dayang Masuyah Awang Japar, passed away in 2020.
