PAK LAH'S BROTHER SHOCKED TO LEARN OF DEATH; REMINISCES THEIR CLOSE RELATIONSHIP

KEPALA BATAS, April 14 (Bernama) -- Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's younger brother, Datuk Mohd Tahir, was shocked to receive the news of his eldest brother's death tonight.

Mohd Tahir said he never expected Tun Abdullah, or more affectionately known as Pak Lah, to be in a critical condition while receiving treatment at the National Heart Institute (IJN).

"I was very saddened to receive this news from my family members who informed us that our brother Pak Lah had passed away. I was shocked and sad because I never thought he was in a critical condition at IJN as he had previously received treatment there several times.

"I knew Pak Lah was admitted to IJN but I didn't think he was this serious and critical until he passed away. We are close siblings so it's so sad to lose him," he said when contacted tonight.

Mohd Tahir, who lives in Permatang Bertam here, was making his way to Kuala Lumpur to pay his last respects to his brother.

Reminiscing, Mohd Tahir said it was customary for the siblings (two brothers and a sister) and their entire extended family to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri at their family home in Kepala Batas since Tun Abdullah became the Kepala Batas member of parliament (MP).

"After he was no longer an MP, the siblings and Pak Lah still returned to Kepala Batas to celebrate Hari Raya, but for the past year or two, Pak Lah's health had not been good so we visited him at his home in the capital," he added.

Tun Abdullah, 85, died at the IJN here at 7.10 pm.

Born on Nov 26, 1939 in Bayan Lepas, Penang, Abdullah, who was the MP for Kepala Batas from 1978 to 2008, became Prime Minister from Oct 31, 2003 to April 3, 2009, following the resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

-- BERNAMA