KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has paid tribute to former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh who passed away last night.
"Obituaries, essays and books a plenty there will surely be about this great man, celebrating him as the architect of India's economic reforms," Anwar said in a Facebook post.
Anwar said Manmohan was the "midwife" of India's emergence as one of the world's economic giants.
"I had the rare privilege of witnessing the early years of these transformative policies first-hand while we both served as finance ministers during the 1990s.
"We shared a fervent commitment to the war against corruption, even collaborating on unravelling a major case."
Anwar said tributes and praises of Manmohan in days to come would be "well-deserved".
"Not many people know this, and it is time that I share it with Malaysians, during the years of my incarceration, he extended a kindness that he didn't have to.
"One that was neither politically expedient nor, as one can imagine, appreciated by the Malaysian government at that time.
"Yet, true to his character, he did it anyway. He offered scholarships for my children, particularly my son, Ihsan."
Anwar said although he declined the offer, Manmohan's gesture showed his extraordinary humanity and generosity.
"In those dark days, as I navigated the labyrinth of imprisonment, he stood by me as a true friend," Anwar said.
He added Manmohan, who served as prime minister between 2004 and 2014, was an upright, steadfast, and resolute statesman.
"(He) leaves behind a legacy that will inspire generations to come. To me, he will be all that and much more."
"Goodbye, my mitra (companion), my bhai (brother), Manmohan."