About a year ago, when I was still a mercenary journalist and hadn’t joined the team at Astro AWANI yet, I was called up by one of the channel’s executive editor.

Kamarul Bahrin Haron, an old friend, wanted me to appear as a one of two guests on a live discussion programme called Agenda AWANI to talk about media freedom.

I felt that the topic was right up my alley and I immediately agreed. And the night of the programme, I had arrived at the studio and was led in by one of the researchers.

As soon as I stepped in to the cold studio, I was caught off guard and speechless as I saw the other guest sitting next to Kamarul in front of the cameras. It was Pak Non.

My first instinct was of excitement and glee. Here was Zainon Ahmad, a veteran journalist and a mentor to so many in the industry. And I was going to sit next to him!

Then my brain caught up with me. Here was Zainon Ahmad, a veteran journalist and a mentor to so many in the industry. And I was going to sit next to him!

My next thought after that was to push aside the audio guy who was fixing my microphone and run down to the car park and drive away as fast as I could!

Who was I to have a sparring discussion with the likes of Pak Non! But somehow my legs became too heavy and Kamarul then shook my hand and dragged me to my seat.

Driving to the studio, I was all hyped up and geared up to talk about media freedom. I was fresh of being abused as a journalist covering BERSIH 3.0.

I had a yellow ‘Hands off journalists!’ badge on my shirt and was ready to spew my rage against how the press was treated on that day. Media freedom, my behind!

But the programme went along for 30 minutes and all I can remember was that I smiled sheepishly throughout the whole time just agreeing with Pak Non’s words.

I couldn’t help it. I admired the man and his fight has always been the same fight I tried to push myself towards as well.

Fast forward a few weeks later,and I was having lunch with ZalindaZainon, Pak Non’s daughter who is my friend from a decade ago when we were journalists working together at ntv7.

We talked about old times and old friends when the subject of my appearance with her father on Agenda AWANI cropped up.

I laughed and said that was one of the most embarrassing and humbling moments in my life. But of course, it was a privilege to have sat alongside the man.

“My father told me that you did fine Zan!” was what Kak Linda (which is what I call her) said to me.

I highly doubt that I came anywhere close to being ‘fine’ that evening. But hey, if Pak Non said I did fine, then I did fine! And I wasn’t going to argue with one of the most decorated journalists in Malaysia.

Then we continued chatting andKak Linda asked me about my experience the year before on assignment in Afghanistan and how it was being embedded with the army during wartime.

I shared my story and she regaled me with her father’s experience in Afghanistan many decades ago during the country’s war with the Russians. I was captivated.

I never knew Pak Non personally. I missed my chance to work with him many years ago when I quit The Sun newspaper just before he joined them as consultant editor.

But I definitely knew of him. If you’re a journalist in Malaysia and have never heard of Pak Non, then you’re not much of a journalist.

Pak Non is known as a journalist who championed for multiculturalism, racial harmony and the evolution of it all for a better Malaysia.

What a coincidence! That has always been my own objective and mission as a journalist too. They say great minds think alike, eh? Heheh!

A good man has left this world. But with the respect, admiration and influence that he has left among so many of us, his ideas and his fight will never die.

Al Fatihah Pak Non. And Kak Linda… we should meet up for lunch again. This time it’ll be on me.