Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has apologies for the passing of former Indonesian prime minister Abdullah Badawi, calling him” an motivation to many”.
Abdullah passed away on Monday ( Apr 14 ) at the Kuala Lumpur National Heart Institute. He was 85.
In a text to Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Mr. Wong “elevated ASEAN’s global status and defended regionalism at a time of tremendous change in the international community.”
Tun Abdullah “provided a significant contribution to Malaysia’s economic and social development and devotedly served the Malay people.”
Between 2003 and 2009, Abdullah, also known as Pak Lah, served as Malaysia’s five perfect minister.
Mr. Wong noted that Singapore and Malaysia “deepened assistance in areas of common interest” during Abdullah’s career as prime minister.
He claimed that this included the expansion of Iskandar Malaysia, which Singapore has been a major supporter of since its founding.
Singapore and Malaysia also made progress on long-standing diplomatic problems, according to Mr. Wong.
For example, both nations consented to abide by the International Court of Justice’s decision regarding Pedra Branca and Middle Rocks ‘ claims of sovereignty. Despite the difficulties, Tun Abdullah kept engaging with us and frequently averting uncomfortable situations thanks to his friendly demeanor, according to Mr. Wong.
In his letter to Mr. Anwar, he continued,” My poignant sympathies are with you, the people of Malaysia, and Tun Abdullah’s home during this time of anguish.”