BREAKING: DEATH & FUNERAL of PAHANG's Paduka Ayahanda SULTAN AHMAD SHAH, MALAYSIA's former 7th KING
Pahang's Father Sultan Ahmad Shah, who once served as Federal King of Malaysia, passed away yesterday. The former Sultan, father of Malaysia's current King, died at 8:50am (Wednesday 22 May 2019) at the age of 88, at the National Heart Institute hospital (in capital Kuala Lumpur), where he was treated for many months.
Dr. Salehuddin Ishak holds press conference on Sultan's death
His death was announced by Pahang's Chief Minister Datuk SeriWan Rosdy shortly after it ocurred;in a press-conference at 11:30am the Sultanate's State Secretary Dr. Sallehuddin Ishak declared a 40-day-mourning period for the deceased; with the royal family observing 100 days (of mourning) in total. Entertainments of every kind were cancelled in the state for three days (from noon).
Also the next day (Thursday)was declared asa 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)
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (who undertook his first Premiership when Ahmad Shah was Sovereign Head of State), Deputy PM (Wan AzizahWan Ismail), members of the Cabinet (/Government) & local institutions were among those to react first.
Silent tribute to the late Sultan Ahmad Shah by the Asian Football Confederation
Condolences from the Sultan of Johor on his official fb page
Representatives of Malaysian Football Federation (FAM) praised him for his contributions to the national football team, while fellow Malay Rulers expressed their Condolences as well. 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 officialfb page of Johor' royal family.
The deceased's remains wrapped in a shourd, at Istana Negara
Sultan Ahmad Shah's body was first taken to the Capital's National Palace (/Istana Negara). After appropriate preparations the mortal remains were placed into a coffin, drapped by Pahang's Coat of Arms. Visiting dignitaries & royalty paid him their respects for a few hours. The Prime Minister & his wife arrivedhere just before 4pm.
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
At ~10:40am, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah, who succeeded his father as Sultan back in January, arrived to Balairung Seri (/throne hall) with his son Tengku MahkotaHassanal Ibrahim.
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
Upon the end of Zohor (midday) prayers, Father Sultan Ahmad Shah's flag-drapped coffin left the 'State Room' at 1:45 for burial. 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)
Originally scheduled to be placed on a specially-decorated pallanquin, used for the reigning Sultan's funeral procession, but the last moment it was decided to use a common funerary van (probably because he was very humble during his reign, ended earlier this year). Sultan Abdullah & his younger half-brother Tengku Fahd accompanied the coffin during the procession.
The Funeral procession
The procession, formed by 75 military personel, the funeral hearse & representatives of royal & religious offices, left the palace compound at 2:35pm. It headed in a 2,2km-long procession towards Sultan Ahmad Shah Mosque, for the funeral prayers.
Sultan Ahmad Shah's State Mosque in Kuantan, Pahang
Meanwhile, the 41st Royal Artillery Regiment honoured His late Royal Highness with a 88-gun salute, marking the number of years he lived & producing a shot every 23 metres the hearse passed. 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).
He was safely buried there by 4:35pm, with members of his family helping the process & his two elder sons intering the first tombstones. Apart from the entire Royal family of Pahang, the Sultans of Brunei & Johor were also present. The atmosphere was sombre, with many crying & the Yang di-Pertuan Agong moved to tears during when state Mufti recited the post-burial, talkin prayers.
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-MarhumPaduka AyahandaSultanHajiAhmad 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:
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