PENANG, 31 July 2009: PAS state assemblyperson for Permatang Pasir Datuk Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman died of heart ailment at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur this morning. He was 63.
His death means another by-election — the eighth since the March 2008 general election — would have to be called to fill the vacancy in the state seat.
Penang PAS Commissioner Salleh Man said Mohd Hamdan died after undergoing treatment at IJN for several days.
He told Bernama that Mohd Hamdan’s remains would arrive at his residence at 2pm and would be buried at the Permatang Pasir Muslim cemetery here after Asar prayers.
The former state PAS commissioner for 14 years was the Permatang Pasir assemblyperson for three terms from 1999 and was the sole PAS assemblyperson in the state. The Permatang Pasir state seat is in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency which is held by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Mohd Hamdan’s brother, Mohd Shukran, said he died at about 7.15am. He leaves a widow, Datin Siti Khariah Ismail, and six children.
“My brother complained of chest pain and was taken to IJN by his children for a check-up and treatment. He had undergone heart surgery several years ago,” he said.
Mohd Hamdan retained the Permatang Pasir seat in the 2008 general election by garnering 11,004 votes to defeat the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate, Ahmad Sahar Shuib, who only garnered 5,571 votes. The margin of victory was 5,433 votes.
A Kedahan, he was conferred a datukship only three weeks ago in conjunction with the birthday of Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas.
Mohd Hamdan was active in the youth movement, having been a committee member of the Malaysian Youth Council in 1973 and a state PAS representative in Pemadam from 1989 to 1999. — Bernama
