KUALA LUMPUR: In the late afternoon of the third Syawal yesterday, local media practitioners were shocked by the sad news of the passing of well-respected veteran journalist Datuk Ahmad A. Talib.
The deceased, a former executive director of News and Editorial Operations, Media Prima Bhd (MPB), died at 5.42pm yesterday, at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Petaling Jaya.
He was 69-years-old.
It is understood that he was diagnosed with liver cancer about a month ago while receiving treatment at a private hospital in the capital.
No stranger to local journalists, his extensive experience spans five decades in the field of journalism.
Ahmad, affectionately known as ‘Tok Mat’ began his career as a journalist at the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) in 1972, he later joined Business Times (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (formerly known as Financial Publications Sdn Bhd) in 1978 and moved to Berita Harian around 1985 as the Economics news editor.
In 1987, Ahmad became assistant news editor of Berita Harian and held several key positions including New Straits Times news editor; chief news editor; associate editor and assistant group editor of NST.
He was subsequently appointed group editor of New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Bhd (NSTP) in 1998 and redesignated as Group general manager, Communications and Editorial Marketing in 2004 before opting for an early retirement from the Group in 2005
About the same year, he joined the Maxis Communication Bhd group as advisor to chief executive officer Datuk Jamaludin Ibrahim, for two years.
In July 2009, Ahmad re-joined the NSTP and was appointed executive director of the newspaper and Media Prima Berhad (MPB), and assumed the role of MPB Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) advisor, in 2013
Ahmad’s passion for writing was evident through his long-running ‘Pahit Manis’ column with the New Sunday Times.
With his extensive experience as a journalist, Ahmad was often invited as host, moderator and panellist on discussion programmes and talk shows on local television, having served as chairman of the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) and chairman of the Malaysian-Indonesia Journalist Association (ISWAMI) around 2003.
During his lifetime, he was well-known as a social activist and was on the Board of Trustees of the Salam Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
His remains will be taken to Al Muqarrobin Mosque, Bandar Tasik Selatan for prayers and is expected to be buried tonight at the Muslim Cemetery in Sungai Besi.
He is survived by his wife, Datin Nur Shima Daud, 66, four children and a granddaughter. - Bernama
