King, Queen express condolences to former Assemblyman Mohd Hayani's family

KUANTAN, May 20 -- Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah today expressed their condolences to the family of former Pahang state assemblyman Datuk Mohd Hayani Abdul Rahman who died yesterday.

In expressing sadness over Mohd Hayani’s passing, the royal couple hoped that his family would remain patient and resilient during this difficult time.

“Their Majesties pray for his soul to be blessed by Allah SWT and placed among the righteous.

“The King and Queen greatly appreciate Allahyarham’s devotion, services and sacrifices to the community and country,”  read a statement posted via Istana Negara’s official social media sites.

Meanwhile, the deceased’s youngest son Ahmadul Mokhtar, 41, said his father died from bacterial pneumonia at the National Heart Institute (IJN), Kuala Lumpur at 5.55pm yesterday. He was 79.

"My father was admitted to IJN on May 7 after he complained of shortness of breath. He was earlier treated at IJN in the third week of Ramadan, but was discharged on May 3," he told Bernama when contacted.

Ahmadul Mokhtar said his father’s remains were laid to rest at the Seri Gombak Muslim Cemetery, Selangor this morning.

The late Mohd Hayani who was a teacher before he joined politics in the 1980s, is survived by his  wife Rojemah Ahmad, 73, five children aged between 41 and 52 years and six grandchildren.

Mohd Hayan won the Guai state seat when he first contested in the 1995 general election and went on to win the Bera parliamentary seat and Kemayan state seat in the following general elections.

He also served former Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Tan Sri Sabbaruddin Chik as his senior private secretary and had remained as Bera pro-tem division head after leaving the political arena in 2008.

-- BERNAMA