KUCHING: Sarawak lost a loyal party member, a great leader and a very active parliamentarian following the demise of former Sibuti MP Datuk Ahmad Lai Bujang.
Batang Sadong MP Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (pic) recalled the late Ahmad Lai was a humble party leader whom young party members should emulate. He also cared for his constituents.
“I can never forget him as a man with few words, who smiled a lot and always a kind-hearted man.
“I thanked him for his contribution towards the development of Sibuti parliamentary constituency,” he told New Sarawak Tribune yesterday.
The former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office also said that Ahmad Lai first joined politics as a political secretary to the chief minister.
“I was appointed in December 2006, he was appointed in April 2007. We were very close friends as the nature of our tasks required us to share and compare notes with regard to assignments allocated to us.
“We were both nominated as candidates in the 2008 election. He won the Sibuti parliamentary constituency.
“I really feel the loss. We have worked very closely from the time we became political secretary and MP. He was such a hard working MP who always looked for opportunities to obtain funds to increase development for the people in his constituency,” she added.
Ahmad Lai drew his last breath at 5.32am on Friday, at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur. He was 69. He was laid to rest at the Baluboh Islamic cemetery, Miri.
Ahmad Lai leaves behind his wife Datin Dayang Lily Abang Indeh Yahya and six children.
The former MP served for two terms after he was first elected to Parliament in the 2008 general election, defeating Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng, with a majority of 3,648 votes.
He stepped down in the 2018 General Election due to health issues, and allowed his apprentice, Lukanisman Awang Sauni, to contest the seat.
