KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad, better known as Dollah Kok Lanas, passed away today after a battle with cancer.
He was 79.
He breathed his last at 1.40pm at the Pantai Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Abdullah was a well-known figure in both the political and literary world, having served as former editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times. He was also a columnist for Sinar Harian.
Abdullah was the former political secretary of the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, having served with the second prime minister for 14 years from 1962 to 1976.
Abdullah was born in Kok Lanas, Kelantan and received his early education at the Sekolah Melayu Kampung Bandar, Kok Lanas and the Kolej Melayu Kuala Kangsar (Jan 1948-Dec 1954) before continuing his studies at Cambridge University and Harvard University from 1982 to 1985.
Upon his return from the United States at 25, he was appointed as Kok Lanas Umno division chief and a special officer for Tun Razak.
Abdullah was then appointed as the first deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department after winning in the Machang parliamentary seat. He then won the Kok Lanas parliamentary seat in the 1986 general election.
His remains will be brought back to his home in Lorong U Thant this evening to enable close friends to pay their final respects.
It is understood that Abdullah will be buried in his hometown of Kok Lanas, Kelantan, as per his final wishes.
He leaves behind a wife, Puan Sri Fauzah Mohamad Darus, and three children.