KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk A. Vaithilingam, a close confidant of the late business tycoon Ananda Krishnan, fondly recalls a friendship grounded in humility and generosity — traits that defined the billionaire's character.
Vaithilingam, who is former Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) president, shared how Ananda's significant contributions to society were often made in complete anonymity.
"He always insisted, 'Never mention my name. Say the contributions come from MCEF (Malaysian Communities Educational Foundation) or another foundation'," he recalled.
"He wanted to remain low profile," he said yesterday.
Reflecting on Ananda's desire for privacy, he said the billionaire had even requested a modest farewell for when his time came.
"I believe he told his family to keep his funeral low key, though I'm unsure how they'll handle it," said Vaithilingam, who is also Malaysian Aids Council honorary treasurer.
The two men shared a deep bond, with Ananda once personally sponsoring Vaithilingam's trip to the World Millennium Spiritual Conference at the United Nations in New York in 2000.
"I'm just an ordinary middle-class man, and the cost of attending was about US$16,000.
"But he made sure I stayed at the designated hotel for UN delegates and attended the conference in the UN Assembly Hall. It was a remarkable act of friendship."
Vaithilingam first met Ananda in 1946, and their friendship grew stronger over the years.
They would often visit the Vivekananda Ashram together, read Tamil magazines, and discuss various topics.
"He was always calm and reserved, never easily excited," Vaithilingam remembered.
Though they drifted apart in the 1950s when Vaithilingam pursued a teaching career, a phone call in the early 2000s rekindled their connection.
Ananda reached out through his secretary, seeking a meeting with Vaithilingam.
At the time, Vaithilingam was president of both MCCBCHST and Malaysia Hindu Sangam.
Ananda offered his support, but with one condition — he wanted to remain anonymous.
"He asked to channel his help through a foundation, which he renamed MCEF."
The foundation, which supported various Indian community-based organisations, was managed by a board of trustees from multiple religious backgrounds.
Ananda continued to fund MCEF's efforts for 16 years until Vaithilingam's retirement in 2009.
A towering figure in Malaysia's business landscape, Ananda died on Nov 28. His legacy includes founding Maxis Communications, Malaysia's top telecommunications company, and Astro, the country's first satellite television provider.