Former Lord President Salleh Abas laid to rest

KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 16 -- Former Lord President Tun Dr Mohamed Salleh Abas was buried at the Sheikh Ibrahim Muslim Cemetery in Jalan Pusara here at 10.40 am today.

The body of Mohamed Salleh, 91, who died of pneumonia at 3.20 am today, was taken to the cemetery at about 10.15 am.

The burial process was handled by some 10 personnel from the Terengganu Health Department who were wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

However, his family members and journalists were not allowed to be at the burial ground.

His son-in-law Wan Pauzi Yahya said Mohamed Salleh, who was chairman of as-Salihin Trustee Berhad, was admitted to Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah (HSNZ) here on Thursday after he tested positive for COVID-19.

“After he was taken to hospital, his children and other family members could still talk to him but then he was not admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) yet. We were told he had breathing difficulty, declining blood pressure and other problems. Furthermore, he was born with only one kidney,” he told reporters after the burial.

Wan Pauzi said his father-in-law was put on a ventilator last night.

He said Mohamed Salleh was buried next to his first wife, Toh Puan Azimah Mohd Ali, who died in 2016.

Wan Pauzi said the family hoped that the relevant quarters would preserve Mohamed Salleh’s legacy by collecting the books written by him and his personal items like photographs for the benefit of future generations.

Mohamed Salleh leaves behind his wife Toh Puan Junaidah Wan Jusoh, five children and 26 grandchildren.

In 1984, Mohamed Salleh was appointed the Lord President (now known as Chief Justice), a post he held until his expulsion during the constitutional crisis in 1988.

He was also one of the drafters of the Rukun Negara in 1970.

In the 10th general election in 1999, he won the Jertih state seat in Terengganu on a PAS ticket but did not contest in the next polls in 2004 on health grounds.

-- BERNAMA