Saturday, December 3, 2016

Datuk Nasir Yusuf 1933-2016.

4.12.2016.

Hj. Nasir ( as I knew him) was my boss from 1978 to 1990. On Tuesday 29th.November I was in Kelang when Conen's sms came at about 4.30 p.m. reporting about his demise. Fortunantely he included the house address, so with the help of my No. 2 Son I arrived at the bereaved's house just after Magrib, but found it dimly lit and empty. I assumed, rightly, they were at the nearby mosque, but arrived only to find the remains already in the mortuary van, being taken for burial.

Most of the mourners had already left the mosque, but I met Aziz Zakaria, Muhammad Jamil and Husin Menggong. Aziz invited me to dinner at KDE, which was close by. Through dinner we went through those years - 1978 to 1990 - we shared with Hj. Nasir. I said I felt guilty about not visiting him in these recent months when I heard that he was not well, because of the fights ( about work ) I had with him. But he came to all four of my children's weddings. That's why I was surprised to hear of his bad condition, because Dekna's wedding was only 3 years ago. When Aziz showed me the photos on his smartphone, I could see that Hj. Nasir was in bad shape. Aziz said when his wife died last year (I didn't know), things went bad for Hj. Nasir in his health and care. They have four children, but I never knew them, and couldn't say if they were at the mosque.

Hj. Nasir was about the same age as Raja Alias, and they were at Singapore U. with Musa Hitam. I didn't see either of them at the mosque. Maybe Musa is younger, but certainly Raja Alias looks in good shape. Raja's father lived to be more than 100 !

Hj. Nasir wasn't a difficult boss, but he had his peculiar ways. I suppose having known each other long, he and Raja Alias, his boss at Felda, got on well. They couldn't be more different in style and temperment.

In his defence, I wasn't an easy surbordinate, I guess. Sometimes I went against his way just to be " ornery ", I think. But I never disliked  him personally. In fact we, his officers, used to joke with him, and even pulled his legs.

I'd like to put on record here that Raja Alias had a completely honest and dedicated officer in Hj. Nasir. He was diligent and took care of the details to a fault. Money was totally safe with him. In fact he was so stingy with office expenses, his own staff car often broke down because he refused to carry out the regular maintainence on it to cut costs! Looking back at that, and the hanky-panky going on in Felda right now, I'm sure that it's people like Hj. Nasir they badly need there right now.

I wish his surviving children well, and am sure all his friends will miss him.



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