A Great Loss to the Nation
Mood:  sad
It came as a shock to me when I heard of the demise of PM's wife on the radio early this morning.

She was such a lovely lady and the last I heard she was recovering from her illnes that she has been battling with for quite some time.

May her soul rest in peace and
may Allah grant her a place among His faithful disciple.
Al_fatihah.

A glimpse of today's news:

Prime Minister's wife dies
The Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Endon Mahmood died at 7.55 am today at the Prime Minister's official residence in Putrajaya after fighting a long battle with cancer. Endon, 64, breathed her last about 18 days after returning from treatment for breast cancer in Los Angeles, United States.

Endon's death - which comes less than two months after she and Abdullah marked their 40th wedding anniversary - is the biggest personal blow to the Malaysian leader since he took office in October 2003 following the retirement of his predecessor, longtime leader Mahathir Mohamad, the AP meanwhile reported.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said Abdullah has accepted his wife's death, even though the family was surprised when Endon's condition worsened suddenly early Thursday.

"He was very calm, he is very religious, he has come to terms with it,'' Najib said.

Thousands of people filed past Endon's body, which lay in state wrapped in white linen on a table while Muslim clerics recited verses from the Quran.

Abdullah, Malaysia's fifth prime minister since the country achieved independence from Britain in 1957, had been married to Endon since Sept. 4, 1965.

Abdullah has often called Endon his "No. 1 supporter.''

When his mother died of natural causes in February 2004, Abdullah telephoned Endon in the United States, where she was undergoing treatment.

She later told reporters that he said: "I've lost my mother and I don't want to lose you too.''

Endon was respected for her humble, unassuming personality.

She was popularly referred to as "Kak Endon,'' or "Elder Sister Endon.''

Abdullah and Endon often showed public displays of affection, including hugs and kisses on each other's cheeks.

AL-FATIHAH