KUALA LUMPUR: Popular actor and comedian Harun Salim Bachik, 56, died at the Gunung Semanggol rest and relaxation area of the North-South Expressway near Taiping at 4.30pm today.
Harun, best known for the films Baik Punya Cilok, My Spy, Papadom and Mat Tudung and the TV series Oh My English! was believed to have collapsed while taking a break from driving along the highway.
Married to Surianti Mohd Nur, Harun was on the way back to Kuala Lumpur from Penang, where he was attending a wedding reception, when he died.
News of his death was confirmed by his close friend and fellow actor Den Wahab.
Harun, whose real name is Harun Aminar Rashid Salim is the son of veteran actor Salim Bachik and was born in Singapore.
He made his name in the 1980s through the TV3 series Rumah Kedai.
He was formerly the Persatuan Seniman Malaysia (Seniman) president.
Harun excelled in both dramas and comedies, but in recent years he was better known as a comedian, participating in comedy search Maharaja Lawak Mega on Astro.
Harun also participated in TV3 comedy search Bintang Mencari Bintang.
Harun's longtime collaborator, actor and producer Afdlin Shauki, who co-starred with him in films as Papadom and teamed up with him as the comedic duo Boboi in Maharaja Lawak, expressed shock and sadness upon hearing of his death.
"Not only was Harun a superb talent, he was also a kind-hearted and dear friend, not to mention a family man. We will all miss him dearly," said Afdlin in a Facebook post.