Former Johor menteri besar Abdul Ajib Ahmad passed away at the Damansara Specialist Centre at 3.25pm today, due to a heart attack.

Former Johor menteri besar Abdul Ajib Ahmad died of a heart attack at the Damansara Specialist Hospital in Kuala Lumpur today. He was 64.

All family members were at his bedside when he breathed his last at 3.25pm.

He leaves behind wife, Ropeah Hassan, 60, and four children.

Abdul Ajib, who was Johor menteri besar from 1982 to 1986, was buried at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery here after the Maghrib prayer.

Earlier, a funeral prayer for Ajib was conducted at the Saidina Umar AlKhattab Mosque, Bukit Damansara here.

Among those who paid their last respect were Prime Minister Najib

Abdul Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, who arrived at the mosque at about 5.30pm.

Offering their condolences, Najib and Rosmah spent about one hour talking to the deceased's family.

Speaking to reporters, Najib described Abdul Ajib as a political figure who had contributed immensely to the state and federal and administration and his death was a great loss to the country.

Dewan Negara president Abu Zahar Ujang and MP for Johor Baharu Shahrir Abdul Samad were also present.

Meanwhile, Ajib's son, Ahmad Nazri, 35, said his father suffered from diabetes and kidney ailment that required dialysis treatment.

Born on Sept 13, 1947 in Segamat, Abdul Ajib succeeded Othman Saad as the Johor menteri besar in 1982.

In the 1986 general election, Ajib won the Mersing parliamentary seat and was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Department but was dropped from the cabinet in 1987.

— Bernama