Kuala Lumpur: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has proposed renaming Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MRSM) Kepala Batas in Penang to MRSM Tun Abdullah Badawi, in tribute to the late fifth Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Asyraf Wajdi shared in an Instagram post that he intends to submit the proposal to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who also serves as Minister of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW). ‘This is to honour the legacy of the late Pak Lah (Tun Abdullah). I will seek the approval of the KKDW Minister (Ahmad Zahid) to rename MRSM Kepala Batas to MRSM Tun Abdullah Badawi,’ Asyraf Wajdi said. MRSM Kepala Batas is located in a constituency that the former premier represented for seven terms, from 1978 to 2008.

Tun Abdullah, aged 85, passed away on Monday at 7.10 pm at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur and was given a state funeral and burial at the Heroes’ Mausoleum, National Mosque yesterday.

Before becoming Prime Minister in 2003, Tun Abdullah held roles as Education Minister and Foreign Minister. He is remembered as a leader who was known for his gentle and moderate nature, advocating the principles of Islam Hadhari and reinforcing policies based on integrity and transparency.