Gloom in Pahang following death of a former king.

KUANTAN: Pahang’s Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah died at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur at 8.50am yesterday.

The sad news was announced by Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail through a media statement here.

“With profound grief and sadness, I hereby announce the death of Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin Al Muadzam Shah in the morning of Wednesday, May 22, which is also the 17th day of Ramadan 1440 Hijrah.

“Hence, I call on all the people to pray for the soul of Paduka Ayahanda to be blessed by Allah and be placed among the martyrs,” he said.

Sultan Ahmad Shah, 88, was the fifth Sultan of Pahang and the father of the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

He passed the Pahang throne to Al-Sultan Abdullah on Jan 12.

Born at Istana Mangga Tunggal in Pekan on Oct 24, 1930, Sultan Ahmad Shah was the third child and only son of Sultan Abu Bakar and his consort Raja Ampuan Fatimah Sultan Iskandar Shah.

He was appointed Tengku Mahkota (Crown Prince) Pahang in 1944 when he was just 14 years old.

He was appointed as the Regent of Pahang on several occasions, namely in 1956, 1959 and 1965, when Sultan Abu Bakar was abroad.

Sultan Ahmad Shah was proclaimed as the fifth Sultan of Pahang on May 7, 1974, following the death of his father. The coronation ceremony was held at the Throne Room, Istana Abu Bakar, Pekan on May 8, 1975.

Sultan Ahmad Shah was elected as Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Sept 21, 1975. He was the seventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong from April 26, 1979, to April 25, 1984.

He married Tengku Hajah Afzan Tengku Muhammad on April 22, 1954, and was blessed with two sons and five daughters, namely, Tengku Tan Sri Meriam, Tengku Datuk Seri Muhaini, Tengku Datuk Seri Aishah Marcella, Al-Sultan Abdullah, Tengku Abdul Rahman, Tengku Datuk Nong Fatimah and Tengku Datuk Shahariah.

After the death of Tengku Afzan on June 29, 1988, Sultan Ahmad Shah married Sultanah Hajah Kalsom on March 14, 1991, and was blessed with another son, Tengku Fahd Mu’adzam Shah.