A great man of principle

SM Mohamed Idris stands out in the memory of most Malaysians not merely because he was at the forefront of two leading grassroots organisations, namely Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), but because he was a man of principle who never put personal interest before the environment, workers’ rights and consumer rights.

This is unusual indeed in a society where politicians and activists can be bought and sold like so many commodities, and where campaigns often descend into a tangle of personal attacks.