Abdullah Ahmad

This article is about the Malaysian journalist. For the Malaysian Prime Minister, see Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. For the Islamic cleric, see Abdullah Ahmad (cleric). For the Morocco citizen held in the Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, see Abdullah Tabarak Ahmad.

Tan Sri Abdullah bin Ahmad (4 July 1933 – 12 June 2016)^[1][2] was a Malaysian journalist and politician from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). Alumni of Sultan Ismail College, Kota Bharu, Kelantan and at one time, he was the editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times. Abdullah Ahmad held significant influence during the administrations of Abdul Razak Hussein and Mahathir Mohamad.

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad PSM SSAP SJMK DGPN PNBS DSAP DPMK ADK
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
In office 1974–1976
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Machang
In office 1974–1978
Preceded by	constituency created
Succeeded by	Mohd Kassim @ Yahya Ahmad
Personal details
Born	(1933-07-04)4 July 1933 Machang, Kelantan, Unfederated Malay States, British Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died	12 June 2016(2016-06-12) (aged 82) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Political party	United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) (–2016)
Spouse	Fauzah Mohamad Darus
Occupation	Academic, politician, writer

On 12 November 2003, he wrote an article criticising Saudi Arabian policies that aided the United States invasion of Iraq, among other things. As a result, the Saudi government reduced Malaysian quota for haj.^[3] On 21 November of the same year, he "was fired without warning by the daily's management at the request of the ruling UMNO party following a complaint by the Saudi ambassador in Malaysia." UMNO, which is part of the ruling government and holding equity in the papers later stated that he had jeopardised Malaysia's close relationship with Saudi Arabia. He had a contract that was supposed to expire in October 2004.^[4]

Ahmad died on 12 June 2016, after battling cancer. He was 82.^[5][6] His body was brought back to his hometown in Kok Lanas [ms], Kelantan.^[7]

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia^[8]

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1974	P024 Machang, Kelantan		Abdullah Ahmad (UMNO)	13,183	71.80%		Mohamed Yusoff Mohamed Nor (IND)	5,177	28.20%	19,156	8,006	75.46%

Honours

•  Malaysia :
  • Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (1999)^[9]
•  Kelantan :
  • Companion of the Order of the Life of the Crown of Kelantan (JMK)
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Life of the Crown of Kelantan (SJMK) – Dato'
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Kelantan (DPMK) – Dato'
•  Pahang :
  • Knight Companion of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (DSAP) – Dato' (2000)
  • Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (2002)
•  Penang :
  • Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DGPN) – Dato' Seri (2002)
•  Sabah :
  • Member of the Order of Kinabalu (ADK)
•  Sarawak :
  • Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak (PNBS) – formerly Dato', now Dato Sri