Asia Weekly

Malaysia Obituaries

More than a reporter

Although a pivotal figure of Malaysian journalism, Abdul Samad Ismail who died at age of 84, was much more than simply a first-rate reporter, says the state-run Bernama news agency. The former deputy editor of New Straits Times was also a fierce advocate of de-colonization, working as a "gun-runner for the Indonesian freedom fighters," and laying the groundwork for the Malay Nationalist Party.

Jailed twice on charges of subverting state power with the Communists, Samad Ismail, best known as Pak Samad, was also "instrumental" in the birth of Malaysia's independent literary movement and its cultural identity. Born in Singapore and trained among some of the nation's best reporters, Pak Samad started out in journalism as a 17-year-old at the Malay Utusan Melayu, says the New Straits Times. An "irrepressible" hard-worker, he rose through the ranks, charming the readers with his "classy prose" marked by affection for the downtrodden. Yet his intensity about journalism would also often be punctuated with bursts of laughter and "colorful language" embarrassing those around.

After serving as the editor of Utusan Melayu during the Japanese occupation, Pak Samad went on lead Berita Harian before joining the New Straits Times, says Malaysia's The Star. His provocative writings and more than a dozen books he published had "touched many lives," earning him the Ramon Magsaysay award in 1994. He is survived by his wife, children and 26 grandchildren.

 

 

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