Kosovo president pays respects at Tun Abdullah's grave
KUALA LUMPUR: Kosovo President Dr Vjosa Osmani today paid her respects at the Warriors' Mausoleum here, where former Malaysian prime ministers and other national leaders were laid to rest, as part of her four-day official visit to Malaysia, which began on Thursday.
Osmani's visit to the mausoleum, located within the compound of the National Mosque, included a moment of reflection at the grave of Malaysia's fifth prime minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who died on April 14.
She was accompanied by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, the minister in attendance. Also present were the late Abdullah's son, Tan Sri Kamaluddin Abdullah, and daughter, Nori Abdullah.
The visit symbolised Kosovo's gratitude for Malaysia's steadfast support during its state-building journey, particularly under Abdullah's leadership, and highlighted the shared values of peace, unity and mutual respect between the two nations.
Yesterday, Osmani posthumously awarded Abdullah Kosovo's highest state honour, the Order of Independence, recognising his dedication to peace and freedom in Kosovo as well as his unwavering support for the country's independence and state-building efforts.
The award was received by Abdullah's son-in-law and former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Earlier, Osmani also visited the National Mosque and the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM), underscoring the cultural significance of Kosovo's engagement with Malaysia.
During the museum visit, she explored the gallery titled "Oceans That Speak: Islam and the Emergence of the Malay World", which highlighted the spread of Islam across maritime Southeast Asia and its cultural and civilisational impact on the Malay Archipelago.
The National Mosque is a key symbol of Malaysia's religious and national identity, while the IAMM, which was established in 1998, is the largest museum of its kind in Southeast Asia.
The cultural programme demonstrated part of her wider agenda to strengthen bilateral relations, which included the official opening of the Embassy of Kosovo in Kuala Lumpur and high-level discussions with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.
During a joint press conference yesterday, both countries agreed to deepen cooperation in key areas such as trade, education, tourism and culture, while also enhancing people-to-people ties through student exchanges and university partnerships.
Malaysia officially recognised Kosovo on Oct 30, 2008, becoming one of the first Asian countries to do so.
Diplomatic relations were formally established on March 18, 2011. — BERNAMA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Govt to continue strengthening Sabah's defence: Mohamed Khaled
KUALA LUMPUR: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the government will continue to strengthen defence in Sabah even though the state is currently safe. He said in a statement posted on his Facebook page last night, that serious attention is being given to addressing any form of threat in this territory, considering that the risk of threats is more pronounced due to its geographical position. At the same time, he also urged Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans to continue to play their role as members of society in supporting the MAF to realise the 'Whole of Government, Whole of Society' approach. Meanwhile, he said that during a working visit to Tawau yesterday he had the opportunity to officiate the Malaysia Service Medal award ceremony. "On behalf of the nation, I express my gratitude to the MAF veterans for their bravery and sacrifices towards the security of the homeland. The peace we enjoy would not be felt without their contributions. "As citizens, we need to appreciate their struggles and take the necessary advice for a better future for the country," he said. He expressed his commitment to continue promoting the welfare agenda for the MAF veterans as a recognition of their services and contributions, and this can be seen as the annual allocation for veteran affairs has significantly increased each year. Mohamed Khaled also hoped that the struggles of the MAF veterans would continue to inspire the new generation to build a stronger Malaysia, becoming future warriors who are always ready to defend the homeland.— BERNAMA
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Observe proper etiquette, respect burial grounds: Mohd Na'im
KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, has urged Muslims in the country to observe proper etiquette towards the deceased, respect burial grounds, and refrain from using them as places to seek blessings or gain popularity. In a Facebook post last night, Mohd Na'im said Muslims are encouraged to visit graves to remind them about the reality of death, deepen spiritual reflection, and pray for the deceased soul, not for purposes that could lead to acts of shirk (associating partners with God) or superstition. "I have followed news reports about certain individuals allegedly taking soil from the grave of Nurly Shahirah Azman in the belief that it brings blessings. Such action is deplorable and goes against the principles of Islamic faith," he said. He reminded Muslims to be cautious in their practices and not to follow actions that have no basis in Islamic law, especially those that could lead to beliefs or behaviours that contradict tenets of the Islamic faith. Mohd Na'im stressed that the act of taking soil from a grave and applying it to one's face with the belief that it brings blessings or possesses certain powers violates the boundaries of Islamic law. "I support the firm yet respectful approach taken by Nurly Shahirah's family in handling this issue, as well as the efforts of the religious authorities in monitoring burial grounds. This is in line with the government's ongoing efforts to combat superstitious practices and strengthen the Islamic faith among Muslims in the country," he said. He called on Muslims to pray for Nurly Shahirah's soul to be blessed with mercy and that her family be granted strength and patience in facing this trial. According to media reports, Nurly Shahirah's family was forced to put up a barrier around her grave at the Kampung Gong Pasir Muslim Cemetery in Kerandang, Terengganu, following actions by certain individuals who engaged in acts of shirk and superstition at the site. Nurly Shahirah, 23, a hafizah (Quran memoriser), was one of the 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students who perished in a tragic bus accident in Gerik early this month.— BERNAMA
Barnama
4 hours ago
- Barnama
Observe Proper Etiquette, Respect Burial Grounds – Mohd Na'im
KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 (Bernama) -- Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, has urged Muslims in the country to observe proper etiquette towards the deceased, respect burial grounds, and refrain from using them as places to seek blessings or gain popularity. In a Facebook post tonight, Mohd Na'im said Muslims are encouraged to visit the graves to remind them about the reality of death, deepen spiritual reflection and pray for the deceased soul, not for purposes that could lead to acts of shirk (associating partners with God) or superstition. 'I have followed news reports about certain individuals allegedly taking soil from the grave of Nurly Shahirah Azman in the belief that it brings blessings. Such action is deplorable and goes against the principles of Islamic faith,' he said. He reminded Muslims to be cautious in their practices and not to follow actions that have no basis in Islamic law, especially those that could lead to beliefs or behaviours that contradict tenets of the Islamic faith. Mohd Na'im stressed that the act of taking soil from a grave and applying it to one's face with the belief that it brings blessings or possesses certain powers violates the boundaries of Islamic law. 'I support the firm yet respectful approach taken by Nurly Shahirah's family in handling this issue, as well as the efforts of the religious authorities in monitoring burial grounds. This is in line with the government's ongoing efforts to combat superstitious practices and strengthen the Islamic faith among Muslims in the country,' he said. He called on Muslims to pray for Nurly Shahirah's soul to be blessed with mercy and that her family be granted strength and patience in facing this trial. According to media reports, Nurly Shahirah's family was forced to put up a barrier around her grave at the Kampung Gong Pasir Muslim Cemetery in Kerandang, Terengganu, following actions by certain individuals who engaged in acts of shirk and superstition at the site. Nurly Shahirah, 23, a hafizah (Quran memoriser), was one of the 15 Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students who perished in a tragic bus accident in Gerik early this month.
