KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Ahmad A. Talib, former New Straits Times (NST) group editor, died today after a battle with cancer.
He was 69-years-old.
It is understood that he was diagnosed with cancer just before Ramadan.
His passing was confirmed by his daughter, Sophia, who is also a Berita Harian journalist.
Ahmad died at 5.42pm at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), where he was undergoing treatment.
"From Allah we come and to Allah we return. It is with great sadness we inform you that our beloved Datuk Ahmad A. Talib has passed away," she wrote in a Facebook posting.
She said her father's remains will be brought to Masjid Al Muqarrobin, Bandar Tasik Selatan for burial today.
The solat jenazah, she said, will be conducted at the same venue.
"We ask that you recite the Al-Fatihah for Allahyarham. May Allah bless his soul. Jazakallah," she wrote.
Ahmad, a career journalist, had more than 40 years of experience in the media industry.
He began his career as a cadet reporter with the Economic Service of the national news agency Bernama in 1972.
He later rose to the post of Group Editor for the New Straits Times.
Ahmad's passion for writing was evident through his long-running "Pahit Manis" column with the New Sunday Times.
He had also championed charity causes, and was the chairman of Yayasan Salam Malaysia, a non-profit organisation founded in 1997 that promotes volunteer service among Malaysians.