Glowing tributes to one-of-a-kind writer

KUALA KUBU BARU: Friends and colleagues at Rehman Rashid’s burial here yesterday paid a glowing tribute to the late journalist and writer.

Former New Straits Times features editor, actress, writer and acting coach Fatimah Abu Bakar had high praise for her one-time colleague.

“He was a temperamental person... sometimes he could be funny, and sometimes he could be exasperating. But he always worked magic with words.

“We had lost contact for a long time. My regret was that we did not keep in touch. When I heard what happened to him, I visited him a couple of times at Selayang Hospital,” Fatimah said.

Former NST deputy group editor Abdul Rashid Yusof said Rehman’s death was a great loss to the nation.

“Rehman was a celebrated NST columnist when my batch of reporters joined the newspaper in the mid-1980s. We witnessed, in the intervening years, the blossoming of his reputation, beginning with a stint at the widelyread Asiaweek magazine.”

Rashid, who was shocked by Rehman’s death, said the latter was in high spirits when they met on Jan 15 at his home here, less than two weeks before he suffered a heart attack.

“I visited Rehman in Kuala Kubu Baru in mid-January, together with former NST journalist and author Wan A. Hulaimi, and Kosmo! editor Datuk Baharom Mahusin. The Londonbased Hulaimi and Rehman were great friends.

“Rehman was in high spirits. His books were doing well and he spoke excitedly of his upcoming pursuits,” he said.

Another former NST deputy group editor Rose Ismail said she was shocked by the news.

She described Rehman as someone who wrote elegantly and had a “magnificent way with words”.

Universiti Sains Malaysia Policy Research and International Studies professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Murad Merican said Rehman was a talented writer.

“I knew him when I was lecturing at UiTM. He was a fine writer.

“We met several times, including at his book launches, and he was friendly with everyone.

“I’m glad I told him that I loved to read all his books whenever we met,” he said.

Rehman was a celebrated NST columnist when my batch of reporters joined the newspaper in the mid-1980s.

ABDUL RASHID YUSOF Former NST deputy group editor