tribute to TUN ABDULLAH SALLEH..

(this is actually an email wrote by abang ayaz, as a tribute to the late TUN ABDULLAH SALLEH, our ex-chairman of YTR trustees.)

Subject: The Late Tun Abdullah
From: "Mohamed Ayaz Ismail"
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 14:39:33 +0800


Dear all,

On Thursday 22 June 2006, the nation mourned the
loss of Tun Abdullah Salleh. Tun Abdullah was well
known to AYTR members by virtue of him being the
former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of
Yayasan Tun Razak, and also Advisor to AYTR.
Many of you may already be aware of his passing
on, whilst others may be hearing this for the first
time.

Tun Abdullah was the former Chief Secretary to the
Government and founder of Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM). He died two days shy of his 80th
birthday. Tun Abdullah was appointed Chief
Secretary to the Government in October 1976 and
retired from the civil service three years later. After
his retirement from government service, Tun
Abdullah was appointed chairman and chief
executive of Petronas in 1979 and later served as
president and chief executive of the national oil
corporation between February 1984 and Feb 9,
1988.

Tun Abdullah was Yayasan Tun Razak chairman
for 16 years from May 1989 until he relinquished
the post in May last year.

We in AYTR were privileged to have been able to
have him in our space. I was not in Malaysia when
Tun Abdullah passed away, and did not have the
opportunity to read the tributes to this gentleman.

I would like to pen a few words on Tun Abdullah.
Many of us first met Tun during our PKTR, and I
had the privilege of having met him on numerous
other occasions through my office as the Chairman
of AYTR. In fact, the founding of the AYTR was his
brainchild. Tun looked at us as young people who
had much to offer to society, and he was our
number one supporter, if you like. He had a soft
spot for us, and had this believe that we in the
AYTR will one day be leaders of the type Malaysia
needs.

I've been told how Tun would not hesitate to agree
to support AYTR programmes in the few times it
has come up for discussion at the YTR trustees'
meeting. In the PKTR's he attended, he always
took some time to share his experience and
thoughts - and I'm sure many of you still
remember the setting - Tun on a sofa or chair and
the rest of us seated in front of him, all ears, and
sometimes he would share what he felt AYTR
could and should do. Tun also attended a number
of events we organised, like the majlis berbuka
puasa and the gathering we had in Bukit Tinggi a
few years back. This again was testimony to the
high regard to which he held us, and the respect
that he had for us. His humbleness is amazing,
and a trait that more of our leaders could
demonstrate.

After he passed away, I talked to some people who
had known him since his days as the Chief
Secretary to the Government and the president of
Petronas - and I can conclude that he leaves a
legacy that has left an indelible impression on the
lifes of many.

The article that follows tells us a little about his
childhood and his contribution to the country.

We at AYTR have the opportunity to continue his
legacy, and so we shall.

Tun Abdullah - sorely missed, fondly remembered.
May Allah bless his soul always.


Regards,
Mohamed Ayaz,
Chairman,
AYTR