KOTA KINABALU: The Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi were among thousands who performed funeral prayers for the late Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin today.
They joined other leaders at Masjid Bandaraya, including Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, and Sabah Umno secretary Datuk Jafry Ariffin.
Bung, the Kinabatangan member of parliament and former Sabah deputy chief minister, will be laid to rest at the Kampung Likas Muslim Cemetery later today.
Earlier this morning, his body was brought to his residence in Luyang. He died while receiving treatment at a private hospital here at 1.46am.
Earlier, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was among state leaders who paid their last respects to Bung, who was also Sabah Barisan Nasional chief.
Bung, who was re-elected Lamag assemblyman on Saturday, had been active in politics since his 20s through the United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) before joining Umno after Usno’s dissolution.
Known for his outspoken style in the Dewan Rakyat and the State Legislative Assembly, Bung began his political career as Kinabatangan Usno Youth Chief from 1979 to 1991, and later as Kinabatangan Umno Youth Chief from 1991 to 1995.
He contested the Kuamut state seat under Barisan Nasional in the 1994 Sabah state election — his first attempt but lost to a Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) candidate.
His first victory came in the 1999 General Election when he won the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat in a straight fight against PBS candidate Ali Latip Taha.
He went on to hold the Kinabatangan seat under the BN banner for successive terms.
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