Zulhas Mourns and Remembers Former Aceh Governor Zaini Abdullah
Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan has remembered the late former Aceh Governor Zaini Abdullah, who died on Saturday, and visited the family home in Aceh Besar Regency to pay his respects.
The statement was made by Zulkifli during his speech at the inauguration of the Aceh Regional Leadership Council (DPW) and District Leadership Councils (DPD) of the National Mandate Party (PAN) at Balai Meuseuraya Aceh (BMA) in Banda Aceh.
“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun to our friend Zaini Abdullah. I interacted with him very often when I served as Forestry Minister and he was Governor of Aceh,” said Zulkifli Hasan, who also serves as chairman of PAN, in Banda Aceh on Saturday, 13 June 2026.
It is known that former Aceh Governor for the 2012-2017 period, Zaini Abdullah, affectionately known as Abu Doto, died at the Zainoel Abidin Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Banda Aceh on Saturday (13/6) at approximately 12.24 WIB.
Abu Doto passed away at the age of 86 in intensive care unit (ICU) 2 of RSUD Zainoel Abidin. The deceased had been receiving treatment at the hospital since 4 June 2026.
Zulkifli recalled the cooperative relationship established when Zaini Abdullah served as Governor of Aceh. According to him, the deceased had once requested support regarding various matters under the authority of the Ministry of Forestry.
“When he served as Governor of Aceh, I told him that as long as it was within my authority, I would support it for the progress of Aceh,” he said.
He also remembered a message he had once conveyed to the deceased, urging that Aceh continue to develop and not fall behind other regions, including the neighbouring province of North Sumatra.
“If possible, be more advanced than other regions,” he said.
After attending the inauguration of PAN’s Aceh DPW, Zulkifli Hasan, together with former Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa, departed for the family home of Zaini Abdullah in the Darul Imarah area, Aceh Besar Regency.
“I will now pay my respects at the home of the late Zaini Abdullah,” said Zulkifli Hasan.