Good Night Sir

The passing of Dr Ahmad Kamal was felt at all levels at SJMC. The kindest of colleague, always jovial and knew when to press the right button. Very welcoming when I started off in Subang back in 2011.

My Facebook feed was filled with throwback photos of the smiling gentleman and even towards the end, all he thought about was coming back to work. His patients, colleagues and nurses held him in highest regard and we will continue to cherish the memories.

On a personal note, I first met Dr Kamal in 2006 when myself with Dr No Soo Chin and Dr Alan Teh attended a research course in Sabah. We went for a nice seafood dinner one evening, just the four of us. And half a decades later, we were colleagues in Subang.

His passing would also meant that I had to step up and put up the bill for the yearly Cancer Centre berbuka puasa event that he hosted with Dr Matin Mellor every year. We also felt amongst the Doctors that we should rename the Cancer Centre in Subang in his honour. After all, he helped set the unit up.

From now on, it looked like it would be only me using a fountain pen in Surgical A North Tower - at least until somebody else decided to join in. We used to talk about his own collection and his professed love for Audi. I was sure he would be sorely missed by his wonderful family.

Alfatihah.

Rest in Peace Sir

This morning, SJMC mourned the passing of a truly great colleague, Dr Sabri. A pioneer Neurologist, he lost a long battle against cancer although he was still at work last Ramadhan.

Unfortunately I was on call today and was unable to attend his funeral scheduled for this lunch time. Many of his colleagues attended to him during his last illness and he was still a gentleman even though we realized that things were not going to plan.

He met his Maker this morning and the mood during the morning round was a somber one. He was much loved at the hospital and everybody wishes his family condolences, and Dr Sabri to be in Jannah. Alfatihah.

RIP Baroness Thatcher

Baroness Thatcher had passed away following a stroke. She was 87. One of the best peacetime Prime Minister of note. She was the British Prime Minister when I first arrived in the UK for my A Levels, and in the first couple of years there, the political scene was dominated by the loss of her learns hip to her Chancellor, John Major.

I had always had a soft spot for her, and it was common knowledge that she had not been blessed with the best of health of late. RIP the Iron Lady.

Al Fatihah

Learned this morning that a dear friend and a former colleague passed away after some period of illness. He had a big scare a month ago, but recovered and we were optimistic than he would get better. Unfortunately that was not to be.

He was among the first few people who welcomed me when I first joined Universiti Malaya. An imposing fella, but a gentle giant deep down, he soon left for Germany to complete his PhD and further studies. He came back a few years back, and since then, I learned that he had been fighting diabetes.

He bounced back somewhat, but since the beginning of the year, he had not been well. Enough about that.

Prof Salem. Alfatihah. I would miss his quip about computers and gadgets. Even after I left UM, I still get the occasional emails or Facebook messages about tech. He had been updating his social media outlets until recently, but I only learned about the sad news this morning. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to attend his solat this morning as I learned about the news an hour too late.

It had certainly been a sad year for the Medical Department at UM. We had lost a couple of very capable Faculty Members. Alfatihah to both of you, and condolences to the family.

Alfatihah

I just learned of a tragic news that a former senior colleague of mine from UMMC who passed away this morning after a battle with cancer. She was suddenly taken ill a few months back and deteriorated sharply. She was the pillar of the MMed program at UM and I was her willing assistance during my time there.

Alfatihah. And my doa is that she would be placed amongst the Muslimin.