KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 — Former Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) director-general Datuk Firdaus Abdullah, who passed away aged 79 early this morning, was laid to rest at the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery at 3pm today.
About 100 family members and friends were present to pay their last respects to the deceased.
Earlier, the writer and poet’s remains were taken to Masjid Kampung Baru Jamek for funeral prayers.
Meanwhile, Firdaus’ son Falahi Sarisatriya, 40, said his father died at 5am at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) from lymphoma cancer.
“My father was admitted to HKL over a month ago to undergo cancer treatment. His cancer was getting worse and was confirmed to be at Stage Three last week before he died this morning,” he told the press after the funeral.
Highly recognised for his active engagement in advocating Bahasa Melayu, Firdaus, who served as DPB director-general from 2005 to 2008, was also known for several works, including the poetry collection Prisma Mimpi (1985) and the children’s poetry collection Puisi Amira dan Falahi (1986), apart from most of his short poems published in poetry anthologies and periodicals.
He received his early education at Sekolah Menengah Methodist Sentul in Kuala Lumpur before continuing his studies with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Political Science at the Northern Illinois University in the United States (US) in 1969.
He also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication and International Relations from Ohio University, as well as a Master’s Degree in Philosophy and Comparative Politics and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University, US.
Firdaus began his career as an assistant lecturer (Temporary) at the Faculty of Economics and Administration, Universiti Malaya, and served as deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs) from 1998 to 2001.
In the private sector, he served as a reporter for Berita Harian and News Straits Times and as executive chairman of Utusan Karya Sdn Bhd, while in politics, he was appointed twice as a senator starting in 2009.
— Bernama
