Anwar Offers Condolences on Death of Former Padang Besar MP Zahidi Zainul Abidin

KUALA LUMPUR, November 13, 2026 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has offered his condolences to the family of former Padang Besar Member of Parliament Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, who died on Friday.

In a post shared on X at 10.48pm on Friday, Anwar wrote in Malay that he offered condolences to the family of the late former Padang Besar MP, Zahidi Zainul Abidin, who had “returned to the mercy of Allah”. He prayed that Allah would grant forgiveness for all his sins, have compassion on him and bestow mercy upon his soul. “May his family be granted strength at this time and remain steadfast in facing this great trial,” he said.

The post was accompanied by a tribute image issued in Anwar’s name as prime minister. The image named Datuk Zahidi bin Zainul Abidin and described him as a former Padang Besar MP and a former deputy minister of communications and multimedia.

Zahidi, 65, died on Friday and was buried at the Bayan Lepas Islamic Cemetery in Penang after Isyak prayers, Bernama reported. His younger brother, Zafruddin Zainul Abidin, told the national news agency that Zahidi had died at about 5pm, after his health had deteriorated since Wednesday, and that he had been treated at a private hospital in Penang. Zafruddin said his brother was believed to have been suffering from kidney failure and had needed dialysis.

According to Bernama, Zahidi served two terms as the Member of Parliament for Padang Besar in Perlis after winning the seat at the 13th and 14th general elections. He was deputy minister of communications and multimedia in the Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional administrations from March 2020 to November 2022.

In Perlis, he was a member of the state executive council from 1999 to 2006, when Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim was Menteri Besar, and represented the Beseri state seat in the Perlis State Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2008, Bernama said. Sinar Daily reported that Zahidi was born on January 9, 1961, and had also chaired the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) from 2015 to 2018.

He was a member of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and Barisan Nasional until 2022. In December 2024 he said he had joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), a move reported at the time by Bernama and carried by The Star.

Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil also expressed his sorrow at the death of the former Padang Besar MP, Bernama reported. “On behalf of everyone at the Communications Ministry, I would like to extend my condolences to the entire family and friends of the deceased,” he said. “May they be granted strength, patience and fortitude in facing this loss.” He also called on the public to pray that the deceased’s soul would be showered with mercy, his sins forgiven and that he would be placed among the faithful.

Shahidan, the Member of Parliament for Arau and a former Menteri Besar of Perlis, also offered his condolences, Bernama reported. He described Zahidi as a friend who had served the people of Padang Besar, and said his passing was a great loss.

Life News Agency is reporting from Anwar’s own X post, supplemented by published reports from Bernama and Sinar Daily.

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