BUKIT MERTAJAM, Sept 25 — The late Idrus Ibrahim, the elder brother of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, showed no unusual signs before passing away in his sleep at his home in Cheruk Tokkun, here, yesterday.

His daughter, Aida Rafizah Idrus, 54, said her late father, 83, who previously suffered a heart attack last year, had recovered and only had a poor appetite lately.

She said although her late father’s leg strength was no longer as strong as it used to be, he could still get up, walk, and manage himself.

“We really didn’t expect it, didn’t suspect it at all (that he would pass away). The deceased also did not show any signs of illness at noon today. He only ate a little kiwi fruit and a tudung/tepung bungkus cake, after which father said he wanted to rest.

“So he lay down before sleeping and likely wanted to get up to perform the Asar prayer, judging by how he had already placed the sarong used for praying nearby. I tried to wake him up, but at that time he was already unconscious, which was around 5:30 pm,” she said when met at the home of the late Idrus here last night.

Earlier, Anwar through a Facebook post today shared the sad news of his elder brother’s passing while he was on his way back to the homeland after concluding a three-day working visit to China.

Anwar was reported as saying that he was heartbroken for not being able to be by the side of the deceased during his final moments, while also asking the public to offer prayers and recite Al-Fatihah for the late Idrus.

Aida Rafizah, who lived with her late father and mother Faridah Hanim Mohd Ghouse, 80, at the house, said the passing was a huge shock to their family because he did not suffer from any chronic illnesses and previously only went for routine health checkups at the hospital.

She said the medical team confirmed that “my father passed away of old age,” and the family accepts the departure of their beloved father with resignation, despite still being shocked and saddened.

“My brother who lives in Kuala Lumpur and my two siblings in Johor are on their way back here,” she said, pausing several times to hold back tears and cry.

Aida Rafizah, who is the second of four siblings, said funeral prayers for the deceased will be held in the prayer hall of the Cheruk Tokkun Bawah Mosque before he is buried at the Cheruk Tokkun Bawah Cemetery after Friday prayers tomorrow.

The late Idrus was an elder brother of Anwar and leaves behind a wife, four children, and 10 grandchildren. He was the second of eight siblings.

Meanwhile, a Bernama survey at the home of the late Idrus found members of the public arriving to pay their respects, and they also held a tahlil session at the residence.

Additionally, several tents have been erected in the compound of the house, and the Governor of Penang, Tun Ramli Ngah Talib, is expected to pay his last respects to the late Idrus tomorrow.

Police were also present in the housing area to control traffic following the large number of people coming to pay their respects to the deceased. — Bernama