SINGAPORE - Singapore Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong will attend the state funeral of Malaysia former prime minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in Kuala Lumpur, today.
In a statement, the Singapore Prime Minister’s Office said Lee will be accompanied by his wife, Ho Ching, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Abdullah, affectionately known as "Pak Lah", passed away at the age of 85 at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
He will be accorded a state funeral at the Heroes' Mausoleum of the National Mosque in the Malaysian capital on Tuesday.
Lee, in a post on Facebook, said he is very saddened by the passing of Abdullah, who he had known since before both became prime ministers.
Abdullah served as Malaysia’s fifth prime minister from October 2003 until April 2009, while Lee served as Singapore’s third prime minister from August 2004 until May 2024.
"He served his country with great dedication, working tirelessly to tackle Malaysia’s challenges and uplift the lives of Malaysians. We did much together to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between Singapore and Malaysia," Lee said.
In 2007, both leaders held the first ever Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat in Langkawi - a practice which has been continued by their successors.
"It was a great privilege for me to have known Pak Lah, and shared many warm conversations with him over the years. Pak Lah’s passing will be mourned by many," he added.
Lee also extended deepest condolences to Abdullah’s family and the Malaysian people over the passing. - BERNAMA