Syed Husin Ali, a PKR founding member, died at the age of 87
KUALA LUMPUR: Syed Husin Ali, deputy chairman of the PKR advisory council, died in Selayang Hospital early this morning.
Fahmi Fadzil, PKR’s information chief, verified the news in a Facebook post today.
“On Thursday, I visited the deceased in Selayang Hospital. “He was admitted to the hospital on the second day of Hari Raya Haji.”The late Syed Husin made major contributions to the party and the people, and he authored several books, including Dua Wajah: Tahanan Tanpa Bicara, which chronicles his experience being detained under ISA, and Sejarah dan Dasar Perjuangan KEADILAN.
“He was also involved in various elections and had a long career in the national political arena,” he told reporters.
Fahmi, who is also the Communications Minister, revealed that he helped Syed Husin during his 2004 General Election campaign for the Petaling Jaya Selatan seat.
“Dr. Syed was a highly recognised individual in the party who was frequently consulted by party leaders. He was patient, polite, and tough in disciplinary matters, and he constantly gave counsel, especially to me.
“May Allah SWT forgive all his sins and place his soul among the righteous,” he prayerfully pleaded.
The late Syed Husin was a senator, PKR deputy president, Parti Rakyat Malaysia president, and Universiti Malaya professor.
The late Syed Husin’s funeral prayer will be held this morning at Kampung Tunku Mosque in Petaling Jaya, and his remains will be laid to rest at the Kota Damansara Muslim Cemetery.
Syed Husin, born in Johor, was a professor at Universiti Malaya’s Department of Anthropology and Sociology from 1985 to 1990. He married Sabariah Abdullah, and they have three children.
He began his studies at the Government English School in Batu Pahat, Johor, from 1946 to 1953, and later attended English College in Johor Bahru from 1954 to 1955.
Syed Husin holds a PhD in Sociology and Anthropology from the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom, a Bachelor’s degree (Hons) from the University of Malaya in Singapore, and a Master’s degree from the same university in Singapore.
Syed Husin began his career as a temporary research officer at the Language Literature Agency in 1959 and later became a professor of Human Development Studies at the Institute of Advanced Studies, Universiti Malaya (UM) from 1982 to 1985.
Syed Husin’s political career took off after he joined Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) in 1960, and he later served as the party’s president from 1990 to 2001. In August 2003, PRM and Parti Keadilan Nasional (Keadilan) combined to become Keadilan.
In the 2004 PKR elections, he received 794 votes for deputy president and was re-elected unopposed in 2007.
Syed Husin, who served as a senator in Selangor from 2009 to 2015, wrote several books, including Social Stratification in Kampung Bagan (1966), Malay Peasant Society and Leadership (1975), Kemiskinan dan Kelaparan Tanah di Kelantan (1978), The Malays, Their Problems and Future (1981), Poverty and Landlessness in Kelantan, Malaysia (1983), and Ethnicity, Class, and Development, Malaysia (1984). — Bernama