Son remembers Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin as strict yet open-minded person

KUALA LUMPUR - The son of former Chief Justice Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah, who passed away last night from heart complications, described him as a strict yet open-minded person.

Datuk Azlan Mohamed Dzaiddin, 50, shared that his late father, with his open-minded approach, never forced his children to follow in his footsteps as a legal practitioner, allowing them the freedom to forge their own paths.

"Even though Tun was a strict person, he always supported what I was passionate about and never forced us to follow his path. Yet, my sister decided to follow his path and become a lawyer,” Mohamed Dzaiddin’s youngest son told reporters when met at the At-Taqwa Mosque, Taman Tun Dr Ismail here today.

Funeral prayers are being held at the mosque before Mohamed Dzaiddin’s body is laid to rest at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery here.

According to Azlan, his father had been in the hospital since last Tuesday due to heart problems.

"Tun had a stroke three years ago. We were all there with him when he breathed his last,” he said.

Azlan recalled an unforgettable memory from 1993 when his late father took him on a flight to Singapore just to watch the live broadcast of the British Open golf competition.

"Tun had a passion for golf and was a Manchester United fan. Unfortunately, during the tournament (the British Open), there was no live coverage on local television.

"My late father asked me if I wanted to see it, and then he bought a flight ticket. That night, we flew to Singapore to watch the live broadcast from 9 pm to 2 am, and we returned to Kuala Lumpur at 6 am,” he said.

Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah died at the age of 86 at Prince Court Hospital here.

He was a highly esteemed figure in the judiciary and legal realm, notably recognised as the first serving lawyer to hold the position of Chief Justice. - BERNAMA