Allahyarham Izham Shuhaimi Ahmad

It is a sad day when someone you have known is called by the Almighty to be with HIM. Yesterday and today, I read news that Allahyarham Izham Shuhaimi Ahmad, an MBA graduate of ours, in 2006, had passed away. Some two months back he had dropped by our office. He had come to spend a little time with me. No reason except on looking back, it was partly to tell me he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He had difficulty eating and swallowing. He was sad, very sad in fact, facing the unknown. If the doctors had told him of their prognosis, he had no need to share that with me. I too did not ask. We both shared the unspoken knowledge that with cancer, the end may be inevitable. I could not even offer him a coffee or meal. He had to leave, he said. We promised ourselves to meet again, but this was not to be.

We met in 2004. He had come to ask me about joining our UUM MBA class. Would it be difficult? he asked if he went back to study for a higher degree? My response, pretty standard by now, is to cite my own example of taking degree after degree, ending up with passing a law degree just before my retirement at around 50 + years of age – at about almost the same age Allahyarham Izham would have been when we first talked about this subject – crossing 50. He did join the program, and enjoyed himself, he said. What he uttered were wonderfully sweet words for me to hear.

I had just finished reading Stephen Hawking’s latest book on his thoughts on Time – how he characterizes our life as a thin slice of time in the vast universe. How insignificant our time on this planet – and yet how much we can achieve – and the short time taken to achieve – reminds me of Allahyarham Izham’s striving to seek a higher degree. How he stretched a media career, “I am a news man,” he says. “I am occupied in the world of journalism and media” And yet, how he took time to reflect on what he was doing, amidst the hurly burly of deadlines, the rush in newsrooms, the editing of his website and on-screen news of his organization. We had common ground – I too had a newsreader’s career in RTM, from 1964 till 1969. I guess this was what pulled us together – a common perspective on our common slice of life — our reporting and our news stories which slice through events and produces a perspective. And how the knowledge and gaining the perspectives we seek in studying more and more helps to enrich us.

Allahyarham Izham has had his share of life and its many slices. We too will have that share. At the end of it all, how accountable are we for what has been given us? How much importance is being given for each iota of experience given to us? Allahyarham Izham has his own accounting to do, as shall we too when our time comes. I mourn the passing of a friend, someone whose life I had touched, someone I had known slightly and yet so deeply and philosophically.

May God take Izham into His abode. When his life is done, let him rest from the rigors of living, the pain of existence in this life and in this world. May his soul rest in peace, Al Fatihah.

Dato' Vincent Lowe

" Izham was a good friend and coursemate and i trust we will all remember him for a long time for his bubbly and cheerful nature.Personally, he never failed to call me and sara every year on deepavali day to wish us.I'm really shocked to hear this as its been only 5 yrs now since we graduated but that's death for u, it never tells before it comes.May his soul rest in peace. "

Thaven Indran

" Semoga allahyarham ditempatkan dikalangan org2 yang beriman. Aminnn. "

Rahmah Mohamed Ali

" Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un  (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ) "

Rubiah Hanif Francis