KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — The passing of Malaysia’s fifth prime minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, has stirred a wave of reflection and gratitude across the country, with Malaysians taking to social media to honour a leader remembered for his soft-spoken strength, principled diplomacy and enduring contributions to national life.
Affectionately known as Pak Lah, Tun Abdullah led the country from 2003 to 2009, a period often characterised by his moderate approach in quietly shaping the nation through diplomacy, inclusivity and humility.
Geopolitical analyst and author Ayman Rashdan Wong described him as a dignified statesman. He highlighted the inaugural East Asia Summit (EAS) in 2005, held during Malaysia’s chairmanship of Asean, as one of Abdullah’s most strategic foreign policy achievements.
“The EAS brought together Asean, China, Japan and South Korea, East Asian major powers often at odds and placed them at the same table,” Ayman wrote on Facebook.
He noted that the summit, which later expanded to include the United States, Australia, India, New Zealand and Russia, laid the groundwork for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is now the world’s largest trade bloc.
“With EAS, Asean evolved into something larger. It was no longer just a South-east Asian bloc but a platform for East Asia and the Indo-Pacific,” Ayman said.
Tributes flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where users praised Abdullah’s legacy and leadership.
“Malaysia has lost a great democratic figure. Pak Lah won eight consecutive general elections from 1978 to 2008 in Kepala Batas. I believe history will eventually recognise him as a man ahead of his time,” wrote user @thevesh.
Influencer Richard Ker posted that Malaysia had lost a ‘quiet giant’ who showed that strength doesn’t always need to be loud, while others remembered specific policies that shaped their lives.
X user Vena Taruddin expressed thanks for initiatives introduced under Tun Abdullah’s leadership, including free school textbooks, the Budi Bahasa Budaya Kita courtesy campaign, the Islam Hadhari framework, and his push to reframe agriculture as a modern economic sector under the slogan Pertanian adalah Perniagaan (Agriculture is Business).
“His leadership was calm, his policies impactful. May he be placed among the righteous,” she wrote.
In Kepala Batas, the Penang constituency Tun Abdullah represented for three decades, residents expressed personal loss. A local, Aimar Adam, called him ‘a pearl of Penang’ and remembered him as a man of vision, developing human capital and rural communities alike.
“Islam Hadhari became a defining slogan for fostering a civilised, multi-ethnic society. Rest peacefully, Bapa Pembangunan Modal Insan Negara (father of Malaysia’s human capital development),” he posted on Facebook.
Many also credited Tun Abdullah with improving Islamic education through the J-QAF programme, boosting civil servant salaries, and initiating key efforts to strengthen food security and agricultural resilience.
Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi passed away at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur on Monday evening. He was 85. — Bernama
