Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the former prime minister of Malaysia, promised changes after taking over from his iron-fisted father Mahathir Mohamad but received criticism for lacklustre management, passed away, his household reported.
The 85-year-old died on Monday in a hospital after a lingering disease.
He may be laid to rest on Tuesday following a state death.
In 2003, Abdullah succeeded Mahathir, the sharp-tongued authoritarian president who resigned after 22 years in power, by taking the nickname” Pak Lah” or” Uncle Lah.”
He served as Malaysia’s five prime chancellor until 2009, when he was forced to step down due to Mahathir’s constant criticism of his hand-picked son and his party’s performance in general elections.
In contrast to his domineering predecessor, who was a modest, the gentlemanly Abdullah was a stark contrast.
Some praised the move from authoritarian rule to greater freedoms, which helped Abdullah’s National Front coalition win the election in 2004 with a flood victory.
However, there were those who thought of him as a poor leader as well.
After serving in office, Abdullah kept a small status.
Abdullah was described by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as a “person with a great heart who instilled a new tale in Malaysia’s politicians of strength.”
Anwar said Abdullah was a friend and a great personality statesperson, who he led with a” face that was not angry, arms that did not grab at strength, and a voice that was never raised despite relentless problems.”
Anwar, who was imprisoned under Mahathir’s law, claimed that Abdullah not “never added insult to the pain” when he was struggling during a dark time in his life.
Pak Lah often chose peace, yet though retaliation was simple, according to Anwar, who posted a photo on Facebook.
Tun Abdullah made significant contributions to Malaysia’s social and economic development during his six times as prime minister, according to Lawrence Wong, the neighboring Singapore’s prime minister.
Lee Hsien Loong, the former prime minister of Singapore, said:” I knew Pak Lah since before we became prime ministers. He worked hard to address Malaysia’s challenges and improve the lives of Malaysians and served his country with wonderful dedication.
