Agong’s father Sultan Ahmad Shah, 88, dies
Published on: Thursday, May 23, 2019
By: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Sultan Ahmad Shah Al Musta’in Billah Sultan Abu Bakar, father of the current Agong, passed away at the age of 88 Wednesday morning.
Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, in expressing his sorrow and grief, announced the death of Sultan Ahmad Shah who reigned as the fifth Sultan of Pahang for almost 45 years.
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“His Royal Highness passed away at the National Heart Institute, Kuala Lumpur at 8.50am,” he said briefly in a statement.
The late Ruler had suffered from ill health for some time and the State Constitution was amended to allow the Pahang royal council to sanction his abdication earlier this year. His son, Sultan Abdullah, succeeded him as the sixth Sultan of Pahang on Jan 15.
Sultan Ahmad Shah was proclaimed as the fifth Sultan of Pahang on May 7, 1974, following the death of his father, Sultan Abu Bakar. The coronation ceremony was held at Balairong Seri, Istana Abu Bakar, Pekan on May 8, 1975.
Born at Istana Mangga Tunggal in Pekan on Oct 24, 1930, Sultan Ahmad Shah was the third child and only son of Sultan Abu Bakar and his consort Raja Ampuan Fatimah Sultan Iskandar Shah. He was appointed Tengku Mahkota (Crown Prince) Pahang in 1944 when he was 14 years old.
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Sultan Ahmad Shah was elected as Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Sept 21, 1975, and later became the Head of State when he was elected to be the seventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong from April 26, 1979 to April 25, 1984.
After his tenure as Head of State, he returned to Pahang, and as his health declined, he appointed Tengku Abdullah as the Regent of Pahang on Dec 28, 2016.
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Sultan Ahmad Shah married Tengku Hajah Afzan Tengku Muhammad on April 22, 1954. They were blessed with two sons and five daughters, namely Tengku Tan Sri Meriam, Tengku Datuk Seri Muhaini, Tengku Datuk Seri Aishah Marcella, Tengku Abdullah, Tengku Abdul Rahman, Tengku Datuk Nong Fatimah and Tengku Datuk Shahariah.
After the death of Tengku Afzan on June 29, 1988, Sultan Ahmad Shah married Sultanah Hajah Kalsom on March 14, 1991, and was blessed with another son, Tengku Fahd Mu’adzam Shah.
The Sultan was known as a keen sportsman who loved football, golf and polo. He was the Football Association of Malaysia President from 1984 to 2014.
Meanwhile, Pahang will observe a 40-day mourning period with the state flag to be flown at half-mast from Wednesday.
State Secretary Datuk Seri Sallehuddin Ishak said all forms of entertainment and celebrations are not allowed from Wednesday until noon on Saturday.
Members of the Pahang royal family will observe 100 days of mourning, he said. Sallehuddin said the bathing and kafan ceremony of Sultan Ahmad Shah’s remains would be done at Istana Negara in the capital before being flown to Kuantan Air Base, here, later Wednesday.
“The body will be taken to the Istana Abu Bakar in Pekan and the public who wish to pay their last respects can do so starting Wednesday night until 9am today (Thursday).
“The public are also allowed to perform the funeral prayers either alone or in a congregation at the palace,” he told a press conference at Wisma Sri Pahang, here.
Sallehuddin, however, reminded those who want to visit and pay their last respects to dress appropriately in black, including scarves or shawls for the women.
Members of the royal families and dignitaries can pay their last respects starting at 11am, he said.
“Then, the body will be taken to Sultan Ahmad Shah Mosque for the funeral prayers, which will be led by Pahang Mufti Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Osman, before being laid to rest at the Royal Mausoleum after Zohor prayers,” he added.
Sallehuddin also confirmed that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who is currently abroad, is scheduled to arrive at Istana Abu Bakar this (Thursday) morning.
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