Well-known journalist Rehman Rashid laid to rest

Earlier, his body was taken to the Masjid Jamek Ar Rahimah, Kuala Kubu Bharu from the Selayang Hospital for the final funeral rites.

Family members, friends and fans were present at the mosque and cemetery.

According to his brother, Rafique, 59, Rehman, who suffered a heart attack in January, died at 6.30am today at the Selayang Hospital from pneumonia.

"Initially, he (Rehman) had a lung infection, because of that problem there wasn't enough oxygen coming from his lung and it affected his heart too.

"Nevertheless, he was getting better day by day, the doctor even said that he had shown positive signs. However, this morning, his condition became critical," said Rafique.

He added that the family hoped Rehman would be remembered as someone who truly loved the country and its history.

"He had a great love for his country, he wanted Malaysians to learn about its history. He believed everyone should read more literature and write their own story so that we can understand each other better," he said.

Meanwhile, actress and Rehman's former colleague at the New Straits Times, Fatimah Abu Bakar, said Rehman was a person with deep interest in writing.

"I was attached to the features desk, he at the newsdesk, but we were very close because he was my former housemate.

"He was a guy who was passionate about the written word. A wonderful wordsmith, he worked magic with words even though he was a qualified marine biologist," she said.

Rehman has worked in The New Straits Times as associate editor and columnist, as well as with Asiaweek in Hong Kong.

Rehman also wrote several books including 'Peninsula: A Story of Malaysia' and 'A Malaysian Journey', and in 1985, received the 'Journalist of the Year' award from the Malaysian Press Institute.