Remembering Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi: 9 Facts About M’sia’s Fifth Prime Minister

Known affectionately as Pak Lah, he passed away at the age of 85 at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur. A day before his passing, he was admitted there following breathing difficulties.

To remember him and the legacy he left behind, here are nine facts about Tun Abdullah:

1. He was an eldest son to a family of religious scholars

Born on November 26, 1939, in Kampung Perlis, Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was the eldest son in a family that has deep religious roots.

Tun's father, Haji Ahmad bin Haji Abdullah Fahim, was a respected Islamic scholar in Penang. He was also a part of a distinguished lineage of 'ulama’.

On top of that, Tun's paternal grandfather was Syeikh Abdullah Fahim, who was the first mufti of Penang.

2. He was an alumnus at Universiti Malaya (UM)

Tun received his early education at Sekolah Kebangsaan Permatang Bertam in Kepala Batas. He later went to Penang Methodist Boys’ School before pursuing higher education at the Universiti Malaya (UM). Tun graduated in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies.

3. He was actively involved in student movements

Tun had been showing interest in politics since he was in his youth. In 1957, he was elected the President of the Penang and Seberang Prai Malay Students’ Association. After that, he also became the President of the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) in 1962.

4. He was married twice and had four children.

Throughout his life, Tun had been married twice. His first marriage was to Endon Mahmood in 1965. The couple was blessed with a son, Kamaluddin Abdullah, and a daughter, Nori Abdullah, who is the wife of politician Khairy Jamaluddin. Sadly, in 2005, Endon Mahmood passed away from breast cancer.

On June 9, 2007, Tun married Jeanne Abdullah, who had previously married Endon Mahmood’s younger brother. Following the marriage, Tun gained two daughters, Nadiah Kimie and Nadene Kimie, who were both Jeanne Abdullah's daughters from her previous marriage.

Tun and Jeanne Abdullah were happily married until his passing.

5. His hobbies include fishing and collecting canes

Tun was known to love fishing. Besides that, he also had a penchant for collecting canes and horse figurines.

In an Instagram post of Tun's friend, he revealed that Tun had his cane collection framed and it was put on display in the corridor of the entrance of his home.

6. His political career spanned decades

Tun began his political career by joining the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in 1964. He then was chosen to be the Member of the Kepala Batas Parliament in 1978. Interestingly, he successfully retained the parliamentary seat until his retirement in 2013.

Over the decades, Tun held various prominent roles within UMNO, like the Vice President and Deputy President.

7. He served the nation as the 5th prime minister for six years

Tun became Malaysia's 5th Prime Minister on October 31, 2003, succeeding Tun Mahathir Mohamad. Dubbed as the Father of Human Capital Development, Tun focused on making Malaysia an ethical society by tackling corruption and advocating for Muslims to be progressive under the Islam Hadhari principle.

Tun was also the individual responsible for the establishment of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2009.

On April 2, 2009, after six years in office, Tun officially stepped down as Malaysia's Prime Minister. Subsequently, he was honoured with the title ‘Tun’ for his national contributions.

8. He was the chairman and founder of a number of NGOs

Aside from his involvement in politics, Tun was also involved in many NGOs. He served as Chairman of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) and was the founding patron of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS).

9. He's the recipient of many national and international honours

With his impressive works, it's no surprise that Tun was decorated with many awards and honours. Domestically, his awards include the Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara (SMN) in 2009 and the Seri Utama Mahkota Wilayah in 2010.

Meanwhile, internationally, Tun was awarded the prestigious Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure by Japan and the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam in 2011.

Tun Abdullah was laid to rest today

At about 8 am this morning, the remains of the late Tun Abdullah were brought to the National Mosque (Masjid Negara), where members of the public may pay their final respects.