Zam Passes On - Inna lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raajiun

Bekas Menteri Penerangan, Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin meninggal dunia Jumaat

pada usia 79 tahun di Hospital Serdang, Selangor.

pada Jumaat, 6.40 petang disebabkan serangan jantung

Zam bekas Ketua Pengarang Kumpulan Utusan Melayu

"Salam takziah buat keluarga dan sahabat handai mantan Menteri Penerangan, Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin. Semoga Allahyarham ditempatkan dalam kalangan orang beriman. Al-Fatihah."

Nov lalu, Zam masuk ICU) Hospital Putrajaya masalah paru-paru berair

Allahyarham dilahirkan pada 29 Jun 1939 di Kota Kuala Muda, Kedah.

(stringer) Utusan Melayu di Alor Setar pada 1951

pindah ke Kuala Lumpur sebagai pemberita tetap pada 1961

Ketua Pengarang Kumpulan Utusan Melayu pada 1983

2004, beliau menang kerusi Parlimen Merbok

Feb 2006, Badawi lantik beliau jadi Menteri Penerangan

meninggalkan balu, Puan Sri Zaiton Zainol Abidin dan empat anak

My comments : Inna lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raajiun. Surely we come from Allah and surely to Allah we return.

Another great thinker and highly experienced newsman passes on. I came to know Tan Sri Zam circa 2000.  Umno had a high level think tank called the Mesyuarat Strategi Tertinggi UMNO which was chaired by Dato Mustapa Mohamed. I served there for about two years.  At 40,  I was the youngest member there - along with Tan Sri Zam and quite a few others. We had lost Terengganu to PAS just the year before. The Brader's minions were running around the streets of KL. We used to strategise on issues. 

I remember Zam's stand on issues.   Once there was a critical discussion if Umno should go more the 'Islamic way'. Tan Sri Zam was old school simplicity. He said NO. Our agenda is national development. Not religion.   

Zam also lamented that Malay culture had been destroyed. He said that if you  wanted to see Malay culture you have to go to some parts of Sarawak where Malays lived.

I last saw Tan Sri Zam last year at his favorite Sunday breakfast joint in Jalan Masjid India.  He had been going there religiously every Sunday morning at 7 am - sometimes driving his Volkswagen Beetle or his Volvo. 

A great man with a very long career and much achievement.  We will miss him.