Dr Mahathir, fellow Malaysian politicians pay tribute to former finance minister Daim Zainuddin

SINGAPORE: Malaysian politicians paid tribute to former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, who died on Wednesday (Nov 13) at the age of 86. 
The businessman-turned-politician served as finance minister from 1984 to 1991 and from 1999 to 2001 under former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. He was known as the latter’s right-hand man. 
Daim helped Malaysia’s economy recover from turmoil in the mid-1980s, restoring it from negative growth of 1.03 per cent in 1985 to 9.06 per cent in 1989, news agency Bernama reported.
Dr Mahathir and his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Ali showed up at Daim’s house at Persiaran Bukit Tunku to pay their last respects at around 1pm on Wednesday.
“I lost a friend who fought with me for the nation and religion,” Dr Mahathir posted on social media, saying he was “immeasurably saddened”.
He said Daim “should be praised for his contribution to the struggle” and added, “I can only pray, we will be together again at a certain time.”
Malaysia’s Parliament observed a moment of silence for Daim, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and members of his Cabinet offered their condolences to his family. 
“The government acknowledges his contributions to the country, especially when he served as the Finance Minister,” Mr Anwar said in a brief post on social media from Peru, where he is attending the APEC summit. 
Mr Anwar had replaced Daim as finance minister in 1991 and rose to become deputy premier before being sacked by then-PM Dr Mahathir in 1998. Mr Anwar’s relations with Daim are known to have long been strained, and Daim had slammed the government’s anti-graft probe against him late last year as a witch-hunt.
Last December, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigators seized the multi-million dollar Ilham tower owned by Daim’s family. He was charged in January with failing to declare his assets – which include 38 companies, 25 properties and several luxury cars – and pleaded not guilty.
The MACC said on Wednesday the Deputy Public Prosecutor will decide on the course of action of the case against Daim.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in a post on X that Daim was “one of the prominent leaders that had made significant contributions to the nation”. 
Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Nancy Shukri noted how Daim “played a key role in efforts to stabilise the nation’s economy during the economic crises of the 1980s and 1990s”.
He was also actively involved in various national development initiatives and contributed to education and social welfare through foundations and charitable activities, she added.
United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) politicians who acknowledged Daim’s contributions included Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said.
Mr Ahmad Zahid is president of UMNO, Malaysia’s former ruling party of which Daim was treasurer between 1984 and 2001.  
Ms Azalina said Daim was a key figure in UMNO back in the day and “despite his good and bad, he still contributed to the party”.
Daim, along with former ministers Rafidah Aziz and Rais Yatim, were sacked from UMNO briefly in May 2018 for campaigning for the Mahathir-led Pakatan Harapan in the 14th General Election. 
Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin told reporters at Daim’s residence: “He was an architect of the country’s economy, so much so that at one time Malaysia was known as an Asian tiger.”
Also present was Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. “Even before his passing, he has been remarkably, remarkably kind, compassionate and helpful in being there, not just for me but for many others, day in and day out, so I am indebted to him,” he said.
Mr Syed Saddiq served as youth and sports minister from 2018 to 2020 under Dr Mahathir. When Dr Mahathir began his second PM stint in May 2018, Daim was appointed chairman of the quasi-official Council of Eminent Persons to reform the country’s policies after decades of Barisan Nasional governance.
Daim’s cause of death has not been revealed but his lawyer Gurdial Singh Nijar said he had been in the intensive care unit of Petaling Jaya’s Assunta Hospital for a few weeks after a stroke. 
Funeral prayers were held at the Federal Territory Mosque in Kuala Lumpur and he was laid to rest at Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery.