Late Tun Abdullah served with distinction
chief secretary to the government Tun Abdullah Ayub died at the National Heart Institute on Dec 13. He was 92.
A doyen of the administrative service, Abdullah was born in Sitiawan, Perak on Jan 3, 1926. Upon graduation from the University of Malaya, he joined the elite Malayan Civil Service, the precursor to the Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Service, in 1954.
Besides his appointment as chief secretary to the government (1979 to 1981), he held many key positions, including directorgeneral of the Public Service Department (1972-1974) and secretary to the Treasury (1974-1978).
Upon retirement from the public service, he was appointed chairman of the Public Service Tribunal in 1981, a position he held for 10 years.
After my retirement from the civil service in 1989, I served in the Public Service Tribunal for five years. It was during this stint that I came to know this mildmannered gentleman.
Abdullah was brilliant, sharp, far-sighted and endowed with a powerful memory. His in-depth knowledge of the civil service establishment was an asset in considering claims of anomalies arising from the implementation of the Cabinet Committee Report (for civil servants), Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Commission Report (teachers), and Tan Sri Harun Hashim Commission Report (statutory bodies’ employees).
He was meticulous and left no stone unturned before handing down the tribunal’s awards.
His disquiet was understandable as the decision of the tribunal was final and binding on the government.
Abdullah served on various bodies as chairman including the Employees Provident Fund Board, National Electricity Board (Tenaga Nasional Bhd), Malay Officers Cooperative, Credit and Investment Society and Government Officers Housing Society.
His enormous contribution to the nation as pro-chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (1998-2011) and as senator (20012004) deserves special mention.
Our deepest condolences to his family.