By Masiding Noor Yahya

The news of the passing away of one of Malaysia’s great leaders, Almarhum Tun Abdullah Hj. Ahmad Badawi appeared on my wall at times I was struggling versus lingering illnesses that brought me to the hospital. He died at age 85.

I met Badawi in person over two decades ago as his guest at his official residence in Kuala Lumpur. Accompanied by then PWM President Datuk Yazid Othman, then president of Persatuan Wartawan Malayo or PWM (Association of Malay Journalists) of which I am an honorary member, I had the esteemed honor of personally meeting Badawi (with only two of us, Datuk Yazid and me) at his house when he was still Malaysia’s Foreign Minister.

Datuk Yazid is incidentally the chair of the World Federation of Muslim Journalists and I was the secretary general of its organizing committee.

Born in Bayan Lepas, Penang, Badawi graduated from University of Malaya (UM). Starting his own career as a civil servant, he served almost 14 years in the Malaysian Government as the Administrative and Diplomatic Officer (PTD) from 1964 until 1978.

After he resigned from being PTD, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kepala Batas for eight consecutive terms from 1978 to 2013. He also served in various ministries such as Ministry of Federal Territories, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Minister of Education, Minister of Defence, Minister of Foreign Affairs, before he was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister by Mahathir Mohamad. After Mahathir resigned in 2003, Abdullah took over and selected Najib Razak as his deputy.

Dubbed “Mr Clean” and “Mr Nice Guy”, Abdullah introduced various institutional and human rights reforms during his tenure as Malaysia’s fifth prime minister from 2003 to 2009.

Badawi was permanent adviser of PWM and through him the association obtained its present headquarters not far from the Agong’s Royal Palace in Kuala Lumpur. He supported also many PWM-led projects including the formation of the World Federation of Muslim Journalists (WFMJ) and the Pertemuan Antarabangsa Wartawan Nusantara (International Conference of Nusantara Journalists.)

I and my family extend our deepest sympathy and condolence to the bereaved family of Almarhum Tun Abdulllah Badawi. May Allah swt grant him the highest pavilion of Jannah.