Passing of a patriot: Ghafar laid to rest
24 Apr 2006
By Wan Hamidi Hamid, Azura Abas and Alang Bendahara
New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: Thousands of people flocked to the National Mosque yesterday to pay their respects to former deputy prime minister Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba.

The vehicle carrying his body arrived at the mosque’s main speech hall at 2.15pm.

The casket, draped in the national flag, was received by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, standing with Ghafar’s family members led by his son Tamrin.

The casket was then carried up the stairs into the main hall, where prayers were recited.

After a few minutes, family members and dignitaries began to take their seats in the room and people from all walks of life walked in to pay their respects. The VIPs paid their respects about 3pm.

The Prime Minister sat on one side of the room reciting prayers.

About 4pm, the casket was taken to the mosque’s main prayer hall.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datuk Seri Rosmah Mansor were seen arriving.

Thousands of people then congregated in the hall for Asar prayers, and later for the sembahyang jenazah (funeral prayers) led by the National Mosque’s Grand Imam, Datuk Kamarudin Zakaria.

After the prayers, the casket was taken to the Heroes’ Mausoleum about 5pm.

At 5.05pm, Ghafar’s body was laid to rest in the mausoleum near where former prime ministers Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Hussein Onn as well as former deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman were buried.

Sitting next to the grave were Abdullah, Najib and Rosmah. Across from them were Ghafar’s children.

The talqin prayers for the departed were read by Kamarudin and the doa was recited by Kuala Lumpur deputy mufti Wan Halim Wan Harun.