KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, passed away on Monday at the age of 85, following years of battling dementia.
His son-in-law and former health minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, in an Instagram post, said the former PM died at 7:10 p.m. (1110 GMT) at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur. He did not specify the cause of death.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became the fifth prime minister of the country in 2003 after veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad resigned from the post.
According to a statement by the National Heart Institute, Abdullah was admitted to the medical facility on Sunday after experiencing breathing issues and was immediately placed under intensive care.
“Despite all medical efforts, he passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones,” the institute said.
As the leader of a Muslim-majority nation, Abdullah launched an anti-corruption campaign while focusing on economic development and technological advancement.
However, he faced public backlash after a review of fuel subsidies led to a sharp rise in prices.
Abdullah known as “Pak Lah”, stepped down in 2009, a year after a landmark election in which the long-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition lost its parliamentary supermajority for the first time in the country’s history. He was succeeded by Najib Razak.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim paid tribute to Abdullah, describing him as a leader of immense integrity and kindness.
“Pak Lah was not just a leader but a statesman with a great heart, who brought a new narrative to Malaysian politics,” Anwar said in a statement, expressing his sorrow over the loss of a close friend and former political rival.
