Kuala Lumpur: Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, on behalf of the civil service, has conveyed his condolences to the family of Malaysia’s fifth Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who passed away today at the National Heart Institute (IJN). He noted the country’s loss of a statesman who devoted himself to serving the nation with numerous sacrifices throughout his leadership.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Abdullah, affectionately known as Pak Lah, died at the age of 85 at IJN at 7.10 pm. The announcement of his passing was confirmed by his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, through an Instagram post.

Abdullah, born on November 26, 1939, in Bayan Lepas, Penang, served as Malaysia’s Prime Minister from October 31, 2003, to April 3, 2009, following the resignation of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. His tenure was marked by efforts to modernize the nation and improve civil service relations, leaving a lasting impact on the country.