PUTRAJAYA: The passing of former Information Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin has been described as a major loss for the country’s journalism world by his friends.
Former assistant chief editor 1 of the Utusan Group Datuk Zaini Hassan said Zainuddin was the top journalist figure who should be emulated by current journalists.
Zaini said he knew Zainuddin when he did his practical training at Utusan Malaysia way back in1987. He said the late Zainuddin, who was the chief editor of Utusan Group then, was very firm and could not be influenced by the political trends of that time.
“His history was long, beginning at Maktab Mahmud, Alor Setar, and later as a part-time reporter of Utusan, and then crawling up from the bottom and making great news coverage.
“If we read his writing ‘Di Depan Api di Belakang Duri’ we will know the things that he had to go through throughout his service with Kumpulan Utusan,” he said when approached by reporters at Zainuddin’s residence in Precinct 10, on Friday night.
Zaini also recalled his final memories with Zainuddin last month, when the journalist contributed over 500 books from his collection to Universiti Islam Malaysia (UIM).
“He had long wanted to donate the books to the university, and at the time, he also talked about Utusan’s struggle, on how Utusan left Singapore, and we were truly touched by his story,” he said.
Meanwhile, former special officer to Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Roslan Othman said he came to know Zainuddin while serving under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was then the fourth prime minister.
“He was an easy-to-reach person, and it was easy to get any information from him,” he said, adding that Utusan Malaysia lost a valuable pearl.
Family members, neighbours and friends have been pouring into Zainuddin’s house to pay their last respects since his body was taken home from the Serdang Hospital.
Among those who paid their last respects were Prime Minister’s special advisor on media and communications Datuk A Kadir Jasin, Prime Minister’s political secretary Abu Bakar Yahya and former Utusan Group executive chairman Tan Sri Mohamed Hashim Ahmad Makaruddin.
Zainuddin, 79, died of a heart attack at the Serdang Hospital.
Zainuddin, better known as Zam, was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, Putrajaya Hospital on Nov 12 after being diagnosed with lung problems before being transferred to the Serdang Hospital. – Bernama
