PONTIAN: Colleagues paid tribute to the late Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, describing him as a leader of calibre.
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the late Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was a person with a vision.
He said the 42-year-old had been working hard and meeting constituents all through the night right until his death early this morning.
"He had been working very hard. What I have been told, two hours before he passed away, at 4am, he was still meeting people. He really pushed himself.
"I think, this is an alert or warning to ministers and deputy ministers that their bodies need some rest, too. That's (rest) what we have been missing in these past two years."
Maszlee, the Simpang Renggam MP said the last time he talked to the United Kingdom-trained anesthesiologist was during his visit to Sarawak on Tuesday.
He said both of them discussed about a project to bring young ministers and deputy ministers to universities to promote unity and to bring students from all races together.
"But God loves him more. We lost one of our great young leaders."
He said the Tanjung Piai MP was also an outgoing person, very approachable and humble.
“It is a great loss and it is not easy to find a replacement for a person like him," said Maszlee after paying his last respects to Dr Md Farid's family in Serkat, Tanjung Piai, near here, today.
Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong said that Farid was a leader who had huge potential to go far, and his death came as a shock.
"I am in a (WhatsApp) group of deputy ministers with him, and I recently talked to him. He is a cheerful, friendly and jovial man who likes to joke. He was hardworking. I think he was a leader with a bright future ahead of him.
"His loss is very, very sad," said Liew, who is Johor DAP chairman, when met after paying his last respects to Dr Md Farid's wife and mother at their home.
Dr Md Farid died at the Pontian Hospital from complications stemming from a heart attack, where he had earlier sought treatment after complaining of chest pain.