Sultan’s mother pays respects to late husband


Oleh PEARL LEE



JOHOR BARU: The mother of the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar paid her last respects to the late Sultan Iskandar yesterday afternoon.



Hajjah Khalsom Abdullah (pic), 72, spent time at the Bukit Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum accompanied by members of the royal family.



She arrived there at 2.20pm accompanied by her grandson, Tunku Abdul Jalil, as well as army escorts. Also present was Tunku Abdul Jalil’s cousin, Tengku Shakirinal Shah.



Dressed in a white baju kurung and white scarf, Hajjah Khalsom, who is a Briton, appeared calm during the 10 minutes she spent by the grave of the late Sultan.



With the help of her grandsons, Hajjah Khalsom poured rose water on Sultan Iskandar’s tomb.



Sultan Ibrahim’s uncle, Tunku Osman Tunku Temenggong Ahmad, State mufti Datuk Tahrir Shamsuddin, State deputy chief imam Datuk Mahat Mohd Said and deputy State Religious Department director Rahimah Kemat were also present.



Hajjah Khalsom arrived in Kuala Lumpur from London on Monday night and will spend a few days in the country.



She arrived at the Sultan Ismail Airport in Senai yesterday afternoon in a private jet from Subang and was brought to Istana Pasir Pelangi, where she had lunch with Sultan Ibrahim and his consort, Raja Zarith Sofia.



It is understood that Hajjah Khalsom last met Sultan Ibrahim in Sydney last November, after he underwent surgery there.



Sultan Iskandar passed away on Jan 22 and Sultan Ibrahim was installed as the fif th Sultan of Johor the next day