Kedah Raja Muda dies, state to mourn for three days

The Raja Muda of Kedah Tunku Abdul Malik ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah passed away due to old age at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital's royal ward here at about 1am this morning.

He was 86.

Tunku Abdul Malik who was invested as the Raja Muda of Kedah in 1981 is the brother of current Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah who is also the Sultan of Kedah.

Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Tun Mahathir said the body of ‎TunkuAbdul Malik will be brought to Istana Anak Bukit to be prayed at 1pm.

He said in an official announcement this morning that after that the body of Tunku Abdul Malik will lie in state at the Dewan Penghadapan, Istana Anak Bukit, from 1.30pm to 2.30pm today for members of the public to pay their last respects.

Dignitaries will pay their last respects from 2.30pm to 3.30pm before the body is laid to rest at the royal mausoleum in Jalan Langgar at 4.45pm, he said.

‎Tunku Abdul Malik's remains will brought along Lebuhraya Darulaman, Lebuhraya Sultanah Bahiyah before heading to the royal mausoleum in Jalan Langgar.

Mukhriz said the mourning period would last a week beginning today, and all forms of entertainment and celebrations are to be cancelled while the state and federal flags are to be flown half mask for three days starting today.

On Sept 21, 2015, Tunku Abdul Malik's consort Tengku Raudzah Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah passed away at the intensive care unit of the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, Kedah.

"On behalf of the state government, I would like to convey our condolences to the royal family on the demise of the Raja Muda," said Mukhriz.

The Menteri Besar also urged heads of departments to give time off for their staff to pay their last respects.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak also offered his condolences over the demise.

"My condolences on the demise of DYTM Raja Muda Kedah Tunku Abdul Malik ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah. Al-Fatihah," Najib said in a post on Twitter and Facebook today.

- Bernama