Dr. Salehuddin Ishak holds press conference on Sultan's death |
Also the next day (Thursday) was declared as a public holiday for the late ruler's funeral. His elder son Sultan Abdullah (currently serving as Yang di-Pertuan Agong/or "Supreme King" of Malaysia) ordered all Pahang' flags to be flown at half-mast for the mourning period. Fellow Sultanates of Perak & Selangor also flew their flags at half-mast until (the end of the funeral) today in a sign of respect.
National flags were flown at half-mast for two days as well.
Meanwhile condolences began pouring-in, along with prayers for Almarhum (late Royal)'s soul to find a peaceful place in heaven.
Members of the Cabinet & Deputy PM Wan Azizah (centre) |
Silent tribute to the late Sultan Ahmad Shah by the Asian Football Confederation |
Condolences from the Sultan of Johor on his official fb page |
Johor's Sultan Ibrahim (brother of Sultan Abdullah's consort) released a black & white picture of the late Sultan, while his wife Permaisuri Raja Zarith Sofiah (Ahmad Shah's cousin) dedicated him a text-tribute on the official fb page of Johor' royal family.
The deceased's remains wrapped in a shourd, at Istana Negara |
Then, at 5:40pm, a hearse, carrying the former King's remains, left Istana Negara escorted by the royal motorcade. It headed to the Royal Malaysia Air Force base, with the Father Sultan's body to be flown to the central Pahang Sultanate ahead of today's burial. Under a heavy rain it reached the air base in Subang at 6:30pm.
The Sultan's mortal remains were flown in an (A400M) aircraft to the Air Force base of Kuantan (Pahang's capital), accompanied by his widow, Sultanah Kalsom & daughter-in-law, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
In white: Sultanah Kalsom (front right) & RPA Tunku Azizah (next from left) |
The aircraft landed at ~7:20pm, with Ahmad Shah's remains being driven to the Palace of (/Istana) Abu Bakar in (royal town) Pekan, arriving by 8:45. Among those to receive them were his younger sons, Tengku Abdul Rahman (Tengku Muda) & Tengku Abdul Fahd (Tengku Arif Temenggong). The Sultan's casket was placed onto a catafalque in the centre of Throne Room to lie in state.
The late Sultan's hearse arriving at Istana Abu Bakar |
Members of the public were allowed to pay the former Ruler their last respects from that night, until 9am today (Thursday, May 23).
They were required to be appropriately dressed in black, and many men wore also the songkok black hat, adorned with a white band.
Sultan Ahmad Shah's casket lying-in-state |
People coming here from across the Sultanate were estimated to "thousands". They passed by the throne room, where students from local religious schools recited verses of the Qu'ran.
From 11am, the turn of dignitaries & VIP came to pay their last respects to the deceased.
Mourning songkok, adorned with a white band |
They included (once again) the Prime Minister & his wife, Communications & Multimedia Minister, police & bysiness representatives, state Governors & royals.
Sultans or representatives from Kedah, Terengganu, Johor & Kelantan were among those. From fellow Brunei, Sovereign Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah came to join the grieving family as well.
YDPA Sultan Abdullah (centre in white), visibly emotional |
Sultan Abdullah (centre), Tunku Azizah (on his right) & Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei (on his left) praying before Sultan Ahmad Shah's coffin |
The 59-year-old King was seen to be deeply moved & shed tears both when he was greeted by his siblings & family members and following a short muslim prayer, recited for his late predecessor.
Thereafter Sultan Abdullah, dressed in an all-white mourning attire, exchanged greetings with dignitaries, coming up until ~1:10pm.
Almarhum's mortal remains leaving His palace for the last time |
It was carried out of the palace at ~2:20pm by members of the three corps of Malaysian Armed forces (Army, Navy & Air Force) & police servicemen, ahead of procession to the State Mosque.
Sultan Abdullah (inside) & Tengku Fahd (outside the van) |
The Funeral procession |
Sultan Ahmad Shah's State Mosque in Kuantan, Pahang |
At the procession's beginning, a guard of honour played the state anthem of Pahang (Allah Selamatkan Sultan Kami).
Funerary prayers at the State Mosque |
Despite the daily heat, a lot of Pahangians lined the streets to bid a farewell to their Sultan of almost 45 years.
At the State Mosque, named after the late Sultan, customary muslim prayers were recited at 3:15pm, attended only by male relatives (& Pahang dignitaries) & completed with Al-Fatihah.
Shortly afterwards Father Sultan Ahmad Shah's mortal remains were taken to the nearby Pekan Royal Mausoleum, to be laid to rest next to the grave of his first wife, Tengku Ampuan Afzan (d. 1988).
At the end of this ceremony, monarchs, senior royals & the widow & children of the deceased poured water & laid branches on his grave.
The burial service was broadcasted live on local TV channels.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah laids branches on his father's grave |
Sultanah Kalsom, Sultan Ahmad Shah's widow, pours 'holy water' on his grave |
Al-Marhum Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Muadzam Shah was born in 1930 & reigned as the 5th Sultan of Pahang from May 1974 to January 2019. Elected as the 7th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 1979 to 1984, he became the first YDP Agong to live & see his son being elected to this office last January. Back then the Royal Council of Pahang decided to hand over throne from the seriously ill Ruler to his son (& Regent), so to pave him the way becoming the next King (under the unique rotation system of this office). After his implemented "abdication" Ahmad Shah became known as Paduka Ayahanda (the first Father Sultan at least in modern Pahang's history).
Sultan Ahmad Shah was the last Malay Ruler to be born before WWII & the Japanese occupation.
He is survived by his second wife, eight children (the seven from his first consort), a dozen of grandchildren, possible great-grandchildren & a number of younger living siblings. Also take a look to this weekend's publication, an obituary for the deceased!
See also some previous publications, related to, or preceding this topic:
Videos of the sombre headlines (most in Malay):
& Further additional links of information:
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/05/490611/former-pahang-sultans-remains-now-istana-abu-bakar
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