Ishak was a loving father

SEREMBAN: Lenggeng assemblyman Ishak Ismail, who died of heart complications yesterday, has been described as a loving brother and father.
His elder sister, Asnah Salleh, 69, said although Ishak was vocal in politics, he was very affectionate towards his four children.
"We have been close with each other since childhood, and after the death of my husband seven months ago, he was whom I had turned to for solace.
"He had loved debating since his schooling days, and when in politics, he used to like helping people who were facing hardship, especially single mothers," she told reporters when met at her residence at Taman Rashidah Utama here, today.
Ishak, 66, who had been Lenggeng assemblyman for four terms, died at 11.25pm last night at the Tuanku Ampuan Najihah Hospital in Kuala Pilah due to a heart attack.
Meanwhile, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) chairman Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang said the last time he met Ishak was at the recent Umno Aidilfitri open house in Kuala Lumpur.
"Of course, I am saddened by the passing of my best friend whom I have fought alongside in Umno since 1980.
"He was a leader who was courageous to voice out for the people, and always had the people's interest at heart. Even in Umno, he was close to the party leadership including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who was then the Youth leader while Ishak was the Negri Sembilan Youth chief," he said.
In the meantime, Abu Zahar, who is also Umno veteran and former Dewan Negara Speaker, said Ishak's death was a huge loss to Umno.
"It is also a big loss for the people in the Lenggeng state constituency, because they have lost a caring and commanding representative," he said.
In the 13th General Election, Ishak won the constituency with a majority of 2,058 votes, beating Zulkefly Mohamad Omar from PAS and Zulkifli Abdullah, an independent candidate. — Bernama