SM Lee to attend state funeral of former Malaysian PM Abdullah Badawi: PMO
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Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) meeting his then counterpart, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, in 2005.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong will attend the state funeral of former Malaysian prime minister Abdullah Badawi on April 15 in Kuala Lumpur, said the Singapore Prime Minister’s Office.
SM Lee will be accompanied by his wife Ho Ching and officials from Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Tun Abdullah died on April 14,
Fondly known as “Pak Lah”, he was Malaysia’s fifth prime minister from October 2003 to April 2009, a period that overlapped most with SM Lee’s tenure as Singapore’s prime minister.
SM Lee said on April 15 that he knew Pak Lah before they became prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia respectively.
“He served his country with great dedication, working tirelessly to tackle Malaysia’s challenges and uplift the lives of Malaysians,” said SM Lee.
“It was a great privilege for me to have known Pak Lah, and shared many warm conversations with him over the years.”
Other Singapore leaders also paid tribute to Mr Abdullah.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said Mr Abdullah was a respected leader who helped Asean stand tall in the world. He added that Singapore was fortunate to count Mr Abdullah as a friend, and under his leadership of Malaysia, both countries deepened cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
PM Wong cited the example of the development of Iskandar Malaysia, a special economic zone in Johor established in 2006, as one of the areas that contributed to laying the strong foundation for both countries’ excellent ties today.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said on April 14 that Mr Abdullah was a distinguished leader and served in Malaysia’s Cabinet for many years, while also working closely with Singapore.
Before taking Malaysia’s premiership, Mr Abdullah had also headed the country’s education, defence and foreign affairs ministries.
Dr Balakrishnan recalled attending the first Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat in Langkawi in 2007, held by SM Lee and Mr Abdullah, then as their countries’ respective prime ministers.
The retreat has become a regular platform for both leaders to discuss important bilateral issues and strengthen Asean’s position, said Dr Balakrishnan.
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, whose term as Singapore prime minister also overlapped with Mr Abdullah’s in 2003 and 2004, said the former Malaysian premier was a warm and sincere friend, and a leader who understood the importance of Singapore and Malaysia working together.
“He likened our two countries to a pair of semi-detached houses. The occupants should find ways to live peacefully and happily as neighbours. He acted on his belief,” wrote ESM Goh.
Mr Abdullah leaves his wife Jeanne Abdullah and two children – Ms Nori and Tan Sri Kamaluddin – from his first wife Endon Mahmood, who died of breast cancer in 2005. He also had two stepchildren, Ms Nadiah Kimie and Ms Nadene Kimie, from Tun Jeanne’s previous marriage.
His son-in-law, former Malaysian health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, said members of the public may pay their last respects to Mr Abdullah from 11am to 1pm on April 15 as he lies in state at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, before being laid to rest at the Heroes’ Mausoleum at the same mosque.
