Abdullah laid to rest, full state funeral honours at Heroes' Mausoleum

A sombre atmosphere prevailed at the Heroes’ Mausoleum as former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was laid to rest with full state funeral honours today.

The weather was overcast, and the Jalur Gemilang was flown at half-mast in front of surrounding buildings, accompanying his journey to his final resting place.

He breathed his last at the National Heart Institute at 7.10pm yesterday. He was 85.

Abdullah’s remains were brought to his residence at Bait Badawi along Persiaran Tuanku Jaafar last night before being transported to Masjid Negara (National Mosque) for the lying-in-state.

By 10am, thousands had flocked to the mosque to pay their last respects to the esteemed statesperson fondly known as Pak Lah and Mr Nice Guy.

Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu graciously attended to offer his respects to the country’s fifth prime minister. Also present were Malacca Governor Ali Rustam and Sabah Governor Musa Aman.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, along with former prime ministers Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Najib Abdul Razak, Muhyiddin Yassin, and Ismail Sabri Yaakob were also spotted paying their last respects to Abdullah at the mosque.

Both Deputy Prime Ministers Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Fadillah Yusof, Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, and former Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, also attended the lying-in-state to offer their respects.

Most of the leaders then joined the congregation to perform the funeral prayer for Abdullah, which was led by the Grand Imam of Masjid Negara Ehsan Mohd Hosni.

After the prayer, the coffin carrying the remains of the statesperson, covered with the Jalur Gemilang, was carried out to the Heroes’ Mausoleum by a group of pallbearers consisting of officers of the armed forces and the police, as part of the state funeral honours accorded to the former prime minister.

Abdullah is the fifth leader to be buried at the Heroes’ Mausoleum after the country’s second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein, third prime minister Hussein Onn, as well as two former deputy prime ministers, Ismail Abdul Rahman and Abdul Ghafar Baba.

- Bernama

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