Former Malaysian PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Dies at 85

Kuala Lumpur: Former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi passed away on Monday at the age of 85, according to his family and medical officials.

Abdullah, who became Malaysia’s fifth prime minister in 2003 after Mahathir Mohamad stepped down, died at 7:10 pm local time at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur. His son-in-law and former health minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, confirmed the news in an Instagram post but did not mention the cause of death.

According to a statement from the National Heart Institute, Abdullah had been admitted on Sunday after experiencing breathing problems and was placed in intensive care. Despite medical efforts, he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.

During his time in office, Abdullah promoted moderate Islamic values and launched an anti-corruption campaign. He also aimed to modernize the country’s economy and technology sectors. However, his decision to review fuel subsidies led to a sharp rise in fuel prices, which sparked public criticism.

Abdullah stepped down in 2009, a year after his ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, lost its two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time in history. He was succeeded by Najib Razak.