KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah expressed their condolences to the family of former defence minister Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail who passed away on Friday (April 29).

       Their Majesties expressed sadness over Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen’s passing and hoped that his family would be patient and resolute in facing the situation.

       "Their Majesties pray that the soul of the deceased be showered with blessings by Allah SWT and placed with the righteous.

       "Their Majesties appreciate and praise highly his service, deeds and sacrifices for the country," according to a post on Facebook of Istana Negara on Saturday (April 30).

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       Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen, 94, breathed his last at his residence in Jalan Duta here at 8.43pm yesterday due to old age.

       According to his son, Tengku Farith, his father was sent to a private hospital two weeks ago following a stroke and had been discharged, but suffered from shortness of breath yesterday and died.

       Apart from being defence minister from 1987 to 1990, Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen was also appointed as minister with special functions to assist Tun Abdul Razak in the Foreign Ministry in 1973, and was later appointed minister of information and special functions in 1974.

       He was later appointed foreign minister (1975), minister of trade and industry (1981), reappointed as foreign minister (1984) and then as information minister in 1986. - Bernama