Will there be another Arshad Ayub?


WE ARE still searching for another Mokhtar Dahari, another P. Ramlee and of course, another Ismail Ali.

They are the best in their respective fields and have always put the country first.

Deepest condolences to the family of “arwah” Arshad Ayub. He was an educator extraordinaire, a dedicated civil servant and a disciplinarian.

He came from a modest rubber tapper family. With limited resources in the 60s, his dedication and hard-work has transformed Mara College of Business and Professional Studies to Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and has now produced about 800,000 graduates. Taking an average of five in a family, four million people has been able to share and enjoy the fruits of his labour.

He thought outside the box to make twinning programmes a reality.

He taught us discipline. A friend of mine went to the dining hall at UiTM Shah Alam, wearing slippers and was asked to wear shoes.

Though a disciplinarian he understood our feelings as teenagers and allowed us our long hair. He was a really good father to us.

He leaves behind a legacy and permanent asset in the form of UiTM.

UiTM has produced many award-winners and excellent students and I trust it will continue to do so.

I am happy that the university now has the UiTM 2025 Strategic Plan to internationalise staff and student mobility programmes. But please consider there are non-Malays in our beloved country who can contribute.

During his tenure, 95% of the lecturers were non-Malay, including foreigners from Sri Lanka. Their commitment to the students was absolute.

We need to change from being complacent to being part of the solution and be strong enough to pass that on as a habit and survival trait.

Is there political will to nurtue somebody with these kinds of traits and maturity today? We cannot raise up people with political connections and suppress people who are willing to contribute.

A great man is a torch in the darkness, a beacon in superstition’s night, an inspiration and a prophecy. Great men do not play stage tricks with the doctrines of life and death, only little men do that.

So, can we see another Arshad Ayub in the not too distant future? 

Last but not least, I leave you with his famous saying, “I am here to save the Malay race, not the Malay language.”

What say you…? – June 15, 2022.

*Saleh Mohammed reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.



Sign up or sign in here to comment.


Comments