[Bernama] Tun Ghafar Baba dies
MGGPillai
Bernama news agency, Kuala Lumpur
23 April 2006
Tun Ghafar Baba Dies
Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba (1925-2006)
KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 (Bernama) -- Former deputy prime minister Tun
Abdul Ghafar Baba died of heart, lung and kidney complications at the
Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre in Jalan Ampang here Sunday morning.
He was 81.
His immediate family members were at his bedside when he breathed
last at 7.34am.
Ghafar's death was confirmed by the Prime Minister's Department
deputy secretary-general Datuk Raja Hydar Raja Iskandar.
His remains will be taken to the National Mosque after Zohor prayers
for the leaders and the public to pay their last respects from 2pm to
3pm.
The VIPs will offer their last respects between 3pm and 4pm.
Raja Hydar said Ghafar would be laid to rest at the Royal Mausoleum
with full national honours.
"The government has decided to give a state funeral to Ghafar in
appreciation of his immense contributions (to the nation and the
people)," he told a press conference at the private hospital.
The veteran politician was admitted to the hospital on Jan 24.
Following his ailing health over the past few days, many leaders,
including the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra
Jamalullail, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his
deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak visited Ghafar at the specialist
hospital.
Previously, he was treated at the Pantai Medical Centre here after
suffering a heart attack and lung complications in October last year.
Ghafar's second son, Tamrin, announced the sad news in a press
conference at 8.55am at the hospital.
Tamrin said he, his siblings and family wished to express their
thanks to the leaders, especially Abdullah and Najib, for showing
personal interest on his father's health.
He also thanked the doctors, nurses and hospital staff for their
seriousness in providing the best treatment and care for his father.
"I want to take this opportunity to apologise for the shortcomings
and weaknesses and the mistakes made by my father."
Ghafar's body was taken to his residence in Bangsar for funeral rites
before taken to the National Mosque.
Mourners wishing to offer their last respects are required to wear
the national Malay dress or decent clothing for non-Muslims. Women
are advised to wear scarf.
Dr Lim Kim Hatt, who treated Ghafar, told a media conference that the
veteran politician died of pneumonia, heart and kidney complications.
He said Ghafar's health took a turn for the worst in the last five days.
In his lifetime, Ghafar was a Malay political leader who started his
career as a "village boy" and rose through the ranks to hold a high
public office as the deputy prime minister and Umno deputy president.
He entered full-time politics when he contested and won in the Melaka
Luar state seat in the 1955 first-ever general election in the country.
The last constituency he represented was the Batu Berendam
parliamentary seat in Melaka which he won in the 1999 general election.
As a man with a wealth of political experience, Ghafar was highly
respected by both friends and foes.
-- BERNAMA