State funeral for Adenan
> Seven-day mourning period declared, official events postponed
PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Adenan Satem will be given a state funeral and be buried after zohor prayers today, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg.
ADENAN’S QUOTES
“He will be laid to rest at the Samariang Muslim cemetery. The public will be able to pay their last respects from 10.30am at Masjid Jamek,” he told a press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia in Kuching.
He added that today has been declared a special state holiday to allow the public to pay their last respects to the late chief minister.
The state would also observe a sevenday mourning period, during which flags would be flown at half-mast and all official events postponed.
Amar said the chief minister had died of a heart attack at the Sarawak Hospital Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan at about 1.20pm after being admitted on Sunday.
Adenan, who was the fifth state chief minister and Barisan Nasional component Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu president, has had a history of heart problems and underwent surgery four years ago.
Last year, he had spoken about how he thought he was going to die due to a heart complication.
“Three years ago, I was really sick. I was at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur. At that moment, I thought I was already going. I called all my relatives, my children and grandchildren.
“They all came, and when you call your family, you know the reason. I was ready to go then. But Allah is great, and I recovered and am back to normal,” he told Bernama in an interview prior to the Sarawak state election last year.
Adenan was also known for his bold criticisms of the federal government, among other things, for not recognising the Unified Examination Certificate.
He had also warned that he would resign if Umno entered his state.