KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- National journalism challenger, laureate and freedom fighter Tan Sri A. Samad Ismail died Thursday at the Pantai Medical Centre here at 5.58pm because of lung infection.

Singapore-born Samad, 84, better known as Pak Samad, was warded at the hospital since Aug 24 after experiencing difficulty in breathing.

He leaves behind wife Puan Sri Habibah Hamid and 10 children including bloggers and ex-journalists Nuraina and Maria.

His first wife, Hamidah Hassan died on June 2, 1990.

His remains were brought the family home at 2, Lorong 16/7C, Petaling Jaya and would be buried after Friday prayers tomorrow, Azmi Ansar, a son-in-law, told Bernama.

Nuraina, in a posting in her blog "Nuraina A Samad's 3540 Jalan Sudin" said a second round of dialysis done on her father at 5.30pm failed and his blood pressure continued to drop.

Pak Samad was placed on dialysis since Wednesday after his kidneys began to fail but the condition of his heart was still good.

Pak Samad, the Melayu Boleh journalist began his journalism career as a reporter with Utusan Melayu in 1940, is synonymous with the history of the profession in the country.

His demise just days after the nation celebrated its 51st independence anniversary is all the more touching because Pak Samad was among the national delegation to London in 1956 for the independence talks for Malaysia.

His behind-the-scene challenge & contributions were not small either, especially during the time Indonesia gained its independence and in the normalisation of ties between Malaysia and the republic after the Confrontation (when the two countries were at the brink of war in 1963).

As a Melayu Boleh men, Pak Samad was also heavily involved in anti-colonial activities during British rule and also when the Japanese invaded Malaysia. He spent time in and out of jail for this and was also a vociferous proponent of the national language and literature.

-- Credit : http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=357199 (BERNAMA)