Sultan Abdul Halim died this afternoon, leaving his wife, Sultanah Haminah, three daughters and five grandchildren. He was 90.
Penang Malay Association (Pemenang) president Mohd Yussof Latiff said Penangites will remember the late ruler whenever they use the island’s second crossing, named in his honour.
Yussof said it was Pemenang and Pertubuhan Amanah Warisan Melayu Pulau Pinang that jointly proposed that the bridge be named after the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong and ruler of Kedah in 2014.
Yussof said in its proposal to the prime minister, they proposed the name to remember him as the only sultan that served as king twice in his lifetime, which was a great feat.
“And also, historically, Penang belonged to Kedah.
“So our proposal to name the bridge after His Highness the Kedah Sultan was to remember him and his great state,” Yussof told FMT.
The second Penang bridge, the longest in Southeast Asia, was given the name Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge by PM Najib Razak when it was opened officially on March 1, 2014.
“What’s more interesting, he was king during Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein’s tenure as PM and later king again when Razak’s son is PM.”
Yussof said the sultan’s passing came as a shock to Penang Malays as he was fondly remembered as an active person even in his golden years.
“He always looked very active and was a high-spirited man. We are shocked that he has passed away. Our deepest condolences to Sultanah Haminah,” Yussof said.
Sultan Abdul Halim served as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1970 to 1975 and again from 2011 to 2016. He is credited as being the oldest king to be elected to the office.
Sultan Abdul Halim was also the fourth sultan in a line of 28 sultans who celebrated 50 years’ of rule in Kedah.
The Kedah menteri besar is scheduled to hold a press conference to make an official announcement on his passing today.
A state-wide mourning period is expected to be announced.