Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim conveyed his sorrow upon learning of Abdullah’s death and hailed his accomplishments.
“Pak Lah taught us the meaning of humanity in leadership,” he said in a Facebook post, adding that Abdullah was not just a leader, but also a person with a “big heart”.
PAK LAH
Abdullah, who is also known affectionately as Pak Lah, became Malaysia’s fifth prime minister in 2003, following the resignation of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad after 22 years at the helm.
He embarked on an anti-corruption drive and espoused a moderate version of Islam that aimed for economic and technological progress over religious fundamentalism. But he came under public criticism for his review of fuel subsidies that saw a sharp spike in prices.
Abdullah stepped down in 2009, a year after an election that saw the then-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition lose its parliamentary supermajority for the first time in the country’s history. He was succeeded by Najib Razak.
Concerns about his health mounted in recent years and Khairy revealed in September 2022 that Abdullah had dementia.
The announcement was made after a family discussion, as many people were asking about the former leader’s health, he said at the time.
Khairy said Abdullah did not remember the names of family members, had difficulty speaking and was also wheelchair-bound.
