Former info minister Zainuddin Maidin dies (updated)

PETALING JAYA: Former Information Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin has passed away. He was 79.

He passed away at the Serdang Hospital at 6.20pm on Friday (Dec 14). According to Bernama, his death was confirmed by his younger brother Abdul Lazam.

Zainuddin was previously undergoing treatment at the Putrajaya Hospital after suffering from pulmonary edema (water in the lungs).

He was rushed to the Emergency Unit of Putrajaya Hospital on Nov 12, and admitted to the normal ward before being transferred to the ICU the next morning after doctors detected fluids in his lungs.

He was later transferred to Serdang Hospital, where he passed away on Friday evening.

Zainuddin, known as Zam, was a former chief editor of Utusan Malaysia and was appointed Information Minister by then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2006 and served until 2008.

Former Utusan editor Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar described Zainuddin as a true-blue journalist, perhaps the "last mohicans"  among his generation. 

"He is a journalist at heart to his last breath. He fought for many causes, on religious extremism, chauvinism, attitudes and values that he perceived as backward and detrimental to the Malay race. 

"But above all, he was a nationalist and a patriot. He was uncompromising in his views about integrity and he spoke his mind without fear and favour. 

"I consider him a brother and a friend, for we have gone through many good and bad times together," Johan said.  

Zainuddin's remains will be brought to his home in Precinct 10 in Putrajaya on Friday night.

The burial will be held at Taman Melawati Muslim cemetery in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (Dec 15) after funeral prayers scheduled for 9am.