Grand Imam of Istiqlal passes away:

Muchtar Nasir, the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque, passed away on Monday at the age of 79.

The imam suffered a stroke last year and had been hospitalized for the past 19 months at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital.

He is survived by four daughters and one son, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. His wife passed away in 1986 at the age of 53.

Muchtar will be interred on Tuesday at Tanah Kusir Cemetery, South Jakarta, at 9 a.m.

Vice President Hamzah Haz is scheduled to pay homage to the Grand Imam at 6 a.m, while President Megawati Soekarnoputri will attend his funeral ceremony at 9 a.m.