THE late Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah ibni al-marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin Al Mu’adzam Shah who passed away peacefully after a prolonged illness at IJN on Wednesday was well known as a ruler who had a great heart, interest in people in general, sports especially football and polo and the wellbeing of his people, his family and friends.
He had an incredible memory for faces and names and gave generously to the causes of welfare of the poor and the promotion of sports. He had a gracious bearing, good humour and a grand personality.
He was always prompt in responding to any calamity that struck his people and would immediately travel to the scene of any major disaster to show his concern and order immediate care and relief.
Sultan Ahmad Shah believed strongly in recognising, remembering and rewarding all those who contributed to the wellbeing, peace and tranquillity and the progress, prestige and economic prosperity of both the state of Pahang and Malaysia.
Throughout his reign, from the Pahang State’s Honours lists one could easily glean members of the royalty, the political establishment, the civil and uniformed services, professional corps, sports and NGO contingents, entertainment and entrepreneurial groups, business and ordinary folk as well.
As the Yang di-Pertuan Agong he made a celebrated five-day visit to the Republic of Korea in March 1983 when he officially opened the Chancery of the Malaysian Embassy in Seoul, in the Hannam-dong area opposite the UN Village.
That visit was noteworthy as the Korean Government issued First Day Covers and postage stamps to commemorate the occasion. The then president of the ROK, General Chun Do-hwan was featured together with our then King in these commemorative items.
President Chun later became a close friend of the Sultan and used to be invited to some of the latter’s family functions.
Although Chun was replaced and later subject to prosecution and humiliation in a rapidly democratising, transparent and increasingly human rights-conscious new Korea, Sultan Ahmad Shah kept his friendship with him and nurtured it.
This quality of loyalty to his friends whether they were in high or low places earned the Sultan much love and respect.
The late Sultan was also a sociable person who could mingle easily with sports personalities and officials from all all over the world.
His passing is a great loss to the country as most of his reign largely coincided with an era of peace, plenty and prosperity for Malaysia.
The Pahang Royal Family and the nation have lost a great patriarch and unifying force.
Datuk M Santhananaban is a retired Ambassador to Argentina and the Republic of Korea.
