The fourth child of the Sultan of Johor, Tunku Laksamana of Johor Tunku Abdul Jalil Sultan Ibrahim, 25, passed away due to cancer at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital here at 7.11pm today, reports Bernama .
Johor Council of Royal Court president, Abdul Rahim Ramli, who announced the news, said the remains of Tunku Jalil would be brought to the Istana Besar in Johor Baru tonight and would be placed at a special room in that palace.
"The bathing and kafan ceremony will take place at about 7am tomorrow and the remains of Tunku Jalil will lay in state at the Istana Besar Siggahsana Room," he told a press conference held at Bukit Timbalan, Johor Baru.
Abdul Rahim said members of the public who wished to pay their last respects, could do so between 9am and 11.30am tomorrow at the Istana Besar Siggahsana Room.
The fourth of six children of Sultan Ibrahim dan Permaisuri of Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris will be laid to rest at the Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum in Johor Baru after zohor prayers.
Abdul Rahim said the remains would be brought by a coach pulled by the Royal Johor Military Force (Askar Timbalan Setia Johor) for a stretch of three kms through Jalan Istana Besar to the mausoleum, accompanied by Sultan Ibrahim and his other children.
Abdul Rahim said Almarhum Tunku Abdul Jalil would be buried on the right side of his grandfather Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Almarhum Sultan Ismail who passed away on January 22, 2010, at Tunku Abdul Jalil's request.
Relapse early this year
Born on July 5, 1990, he was confirmed to have suffered stage four liver cancer since December last year and had sought treatment for liver complications at a specialist hospital in Guangzhou, China.
However, Tunku Abdul Jalil was reported to have suffered a relapse early this year.
Being a cancer patient himself, he often visited patients at Sultan Ismail Hospital and Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baharu to mingle and cheer other patients.
Following Tunku Abdul Jalil's illness, his father Sultan Ibrahim set up the Tunku Laksamana Johor Cancer Foundation this year to assist other cancer patients in the country.
Apart from that, Abdul Rahim said a 'tahlil' prayer would be held for three
days consecutively starting tomorrow at Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque here.
"All flags in the state will be flown half-mast for three days starting tomorrow. The mourning period will be seven days for the royal family and three days for the people," he said.
According to Abdul Rahim, Almarhum Tunku Abdul Jalil's coffin will be draped with his private flag, a police cap and his sword as he was made a police inspector.
He was also the first member of the Johor royal family to serve in the police force after completing a nine-month police training course with the rank of inspector.
Apart from that, the late prince who was also the chairman of a yacht company, Innovatige Sdn Bhd, which organised the Monsoon Cup, also played an important role in developing the sports.
Through the Malaysian Sailing League and the Youth Sailing programme in2013, the Tunku gave opportunities to thousands of youths who could not afford to experience sailing.
For his contribution to the development of sailing sports, Tunku Abdul Jalil was bestowed the 2014 President Development Award by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) last year.
Condolence messages
Messages of condolences have begun pouring out including a tweet from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
"Condolences on the passing of Tunku Abdul Jalil. May his soul be blessed," Najib said.
Other cabinet members, including Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein, Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, also took to Twitter to extend their condolences
Sinar Harian reported that the prince passed away at about 7pm, quoting an Instagram post by Tunku Abdul Jalil's aunt, the Pahang crown prince consort Tunku Azizah Maimunah Iskandariah.
Condolences were also posted on the Johor Southern Tigers Facebook page, which is often used by as the official mouthpiece of Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail.
In Memoriam - Tunku Abdul Jalil
On behalf of Malaysiakini, we would like to offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to the Royal Family of Johor, on the recent passing of Tunku Laksamana of Johor, Tunku Abdul Jalil.Read more here: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/322300
Posted by Malaysiakini on Saturday, 5 December 2015
