On Nov 13, 2024, Malaysia lost a statesman, the late Tun Daim Zainuddin. I had the privilege to meet him between 2014 to 2018. As the then Director of the IKMAS, UKM, I was responsible in managing the Pok Rafeah Chair for International Studies funded by the Pok Rafeah Foundation — a foundation set up by Tun Daim in memory of his late mother.

 

The fund was a generous endowment of RM2.5million in 1995. It was one of the first endowment funds placed at a public university in Malaysia. I was told that Tun Daim chose UKM over another university because he believed UKM had excellent academic leadership. At that time, globalisation study was new in Southeast Asia including Malaysia. IKMAS managed to bring in prominent leading scholars to spearhead globalisation and development studies. The understanding that globalisation can be seen in a transformationalist approach instead of just a juggernaut or a sceptist-rejectionist approach was IKMAS knowledge contribution to the study of globalisation, and how such a study could benefit Malaysia.

 

By 2014, through Tun Daim’s wise counsel, we embarked on the study of Connecting Oceans led by Emeritus Prof Hans Dieter Evers, the 6th Pok Rafeah Distinguished Chair of International Studies and Emeritus Prof Dato’ Dr Abdul Rahman Embong, the Principal Fellow of IKMAS. Here, the focus on maritime development which derived its inspiration from the Nusantara maritime civilisation transcends economic and security to history, culture and languages.

 

Each time I was going to meet Tun Daim, I would prepare a detailed handout and a list of points ( 3-4 ) to share with him. Then, I would listen carefully to his response and advice.

All these within 30 minutes.

So every second was precious.

Usually a decision would be reached and I would know which direction to take with respect to the Pok Rafeah Chair.

 

When a new endowment was set up around 2017, I asked Tun Daim on its possible use. He said something to this affect “Rashila, focus on the LCMV (Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam) within ASEAN, develop young scholars, that’s preparing the future. You cannot go wrong with (good) education.”

 

His memory was incredible… even though we met once a year, he remembered what was discussed the year before.

A soft spoken man, a visionary, an unsung educator.

Thank you Tun Daim for your guidance.. and devotion to our country.

You will be deeply missed.

 

May God bless Tun Daim’s soul.

My deepest heartfelt Takziah to Tun Daim’s family

Al Fatihah

 

By

Prof. Dato’ Dr Rashila Ramli