LETTERS: How would you describe the late Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid?
My answer - a good man; an honest man; a man of great ethics; a man of great integrity; a fair man; a sports man; a sporting man; a great boss; a man who had a great sense of humour, witty always, and often wry; a private man who didn't often show his cards or his feelings, and when he did, you felt oh, so privileged; a man who was devoted to his wife, family and his nation.
I could go on but no words can describe the loss and sadness I am feeling right now, alongside I am sure with so many others whose lives Ahmad Sarji would have touched.
I know he had his detractors, but I always found him to be upright, and in my work and interaction with him, he was always the No.1 advocate for the heritage of the country.
He loved history. He loved Malaysia. And on the lighter side, he loved his can of cold "bubbly" usually sprite or 7-up – in a glass!
He once said to me, when we were standing in Stadium Merdeka, he regretted not having been able to be at the stadium to witness the declaration of independence, Merdeka, on August 31st, 1957, because he was at home in Tapah, preparing to leave for University Malaya (Singapore) in the next day or two.
With a twinkle in his eye and a small smile at the corner of his mouth, he was looking at the Stadium which he, as Chairman of PNB, had acquired to make sure it was saved from the wrecking ball.
He taught me a lot when I worked with him. Like how to say or write things in a way which could not be challenged as offensive while being the most cutting.
Like how to be strategic and to understand that sometimes not all battles have to be won as long as we win the war. He was incredibly hard-working, so one had to be equally hard-working to even keep pace with him.
He had such a wide range of friends from all walks of life, and had such diverse interests but always with unwavering faith in God and with devoted love for his wife and family.
He was a kind man, and had a great sense of humour, and was always happy to teach, advise, support. But, he was also strict and adhered to his very firm principles, so there were no short-cuts, ever, with him.
Rest in Peace Tun Ahmad Sarji. Thank you for being you.Thank you for letting me a small part of your life.
Elizabeth Cardosa
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times