THE hearse carrying the remains of Pahang’s Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah left the Istana Negara compound at 5.05pm today.

It exited through Door 1 and made its way in heavy rain to the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Subang, escorted by police vehicles.

Sultan Ahmad Shah’s remains will be flown on a special aircraft to Istana Abu Bakar in Pekan, and laid to rest at the royal mausoleum after Zohor prayers tomorrow.

Sultan Ahmad Shah died at the National Heart Institute at 8.50am today. He was 88.

Among the top government leaders who paid their last respects at Istana Negara were Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

Among the royals present were Selangor’s Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, and Tunku Temenggong of Kedah Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Almarhum Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah.

Perak’s Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah and Raja Permaisuri of Perak Tuanku Zara Salim; Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar; and, Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, too, paid their last respects.

Others present at Istana Negara were Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali, Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik and armed forces chief General Zulkifli Zainal Abidin.

Sultan Ahmad Shah was the fifth Pahang ruler and father of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

Sultan Ahmad Shah was elected as deputy Agong on September 21, 1975, and later became the seventh Agong, from April 26, 1979 to April 25, 1984. – Bernama, May 22, 2019.