JOHOR BARU • Johor prince Tunku Abdul Jalil Sultan Ibrahim was yesterday laid to rest at the Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum in the state capital Johor Baru, a day after he died of liver cancer at the age of 25 years.
The royal hearse bearing Tunku Abdul Jalil was led on a 3km procession by his father, Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, and members of the royal family shortly after midday prayers. It was pulled by 30 Johor Military Force soldiers on foot to the mausoleum and accompanied by other royalty and state dignitaries, The Star reported.
Born in Johor Baru on July 5, 1990, Tunku Abdul Jalil held the rank of a police inspector and had been a volunteer zookeeper at the Singapore Zoo for about a year.
Crown Prince Tunku Ismail, 31, paid tribute to his younger brother, calling him a source of strength and inspiration. "Out of all the sleepless nights, tonight is the most difficult for me," said Tunku Ismail in a post on Johor Southern Tigers Facebook's page on Saturday.
Malaysian politicians led by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and foreign dignitaries, including Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs K. Shanmugam, had earlier paid their respects to the late prince, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong - who was unable to attend the prince's funeral because of the PAP Convention - and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan had also written to the Johor Sultan to convey their condolences.
In his letter, Mr Lee wrote: "Tunku Jalil was well-loved for his compassion, his charitable work for the Johor community and the police, and his passion for the environment and animals.
"I recall him telling us about his work with the Singapore Zoo, and his walks in our Botanic Gardens.
"He will always be remembered fondly as a young, humble prince who so readily loved and served his people."
Expressing his heartfelt sympathies, Dr Balakrishnan wrote that Tunku Abdul Jalil's "care and concern towards the less fortunate also touched the hearts of all Johoreans. He will be missed dearly".
