Bekas Editor Bernama Meninggal Dunia

FotoBERNAMA

Bekas editor Bernama Ali Mamat, 63, meninggal dunia di kediamannya di Kampung Kubang Miang, Dungun pukul 1.56 pagi ini.
Anak sulung Alahyarham, Maheran Ali, 41, berkata ayahnya dimasukkan ke Hospital Dungun awal pagi semalam setelah mengalami sesak nafas.
"Allahyarham mengalami sakit tenat akibat penyakit kanser hati sejak April lalu dan mendapat beberapa rawatan di Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah," katanya kepada pemberita.
Allahyarham meninggalkan dua orang isteri Maimun Yahya, 55, dan Aini Abdullah, 42 serta tujuh anak.

Jenazah Allahyarham disemadikan di Tanah Perkuburan Islam Syed Yahya sebelum solat Jumaat berdekatan dengan pusara ibunya.

Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bernama, yang bermesyuarat hari ini, merakamkan ucapan takziah kepada keluarga Allahyarham.

“Sdr AM will be remembered as a tenacious BERNAMA journalist, especially in crime stories” said General Manager Datuk Yong Soo Heong on Bernama Eds WhatsApp.

“Yes. He fondly recalls his coverage of the Japanese Red Army hostage crisis at Jalan Ampang where he scooped all and sundry as a pinnacle of his reporting days of which many envied Bernama’s breaking news,” said Bernama Economic Service acting Deputy Editor-in-Chief Mikhail Raj Abdullah.

 "Al Fatihah. Semoga arwah dirahmati Allah SWT,” kata Ketua Pengarang Datuk Zulkefli Salleh yang bersama-sama Datuk Yong telah mengunjungi arwah ketika sakit di rumahnya pada 24 Ogos lepas.

“AM seorang sahabat yang baik yang mempunyai pelbagai petua dalam kehidupan berumahtangga dan pekerjaan sebagai wartawan. Moga Allah swt meletakkan aruah di sisi mereka yang soleh di alam barunya. Amin,” kata Timbalan Ketua Pengarang Perkhidmatan Berita Dalam Negeri, Datuk Zakaria Abd Wahab.

Bagi Timbalan Ketua Pengarang Perkhidmatan Berita Antarabangsa Ahmad Zukiman Zain, Allahyarham merupakan ‘sifu’ kerana Allahyarham merupakan  Ketua Biro Kelantan semasa beliau bertukar dari ibu pejabat ke negeri itu pada tahun 1982.

“Banyak yang saya belajar daripadanya terutama mengenai liputan politik,” katanya.  

Selepas Kelantan, Allahyarham berpindah ke Terengganu dan terus  ‘menurunkan’ ilmu kewartawanannya kepada para petugasnya.

Berikut catatan Ketua Editor Tugasan Bernama TV Haji Abdul Rahman Ahmad:

“…arwah Ali Mamat seorang yang baik hati. Wajahnya nampak je bengis dan garang tapi hatinya sangat lembut baik dan mulia. Sepanjang enam tahun saya bekerja di bawah seliaan beliau di Terengganu (1984-1990) tidak pernah sekalipun dia tinggi suara atau marah pada saya. Dan Ali Mamatlah satu-satu orang yang banyak mengajar saya mengenai journalism. While I am writing this down my tears keep rolling down my cheek as I recall the fond memories I had working with him and spending time with his family. He treated me as one of his family members inviting me to his home which is just above the office in Jalan Tok Lam for lunch and dinner. He took me almost everywhere he and the family went all over the state including into the jungle for fishing where I got the feel of the freshness of the environment and the delicious taste of ikan kelah and baung. Dialah mengajar selok belok menimba pengetahuan dan pengalaman sebagai seorang wartawan dengan meninggalkan saya seorang bekerja mengurus pejabat tiga hari sebaik sahaja saya melaporkan diri di Terengganu dan dia pergi bercuti hampir satu bulan. But that taught me a lot to survive in doing the job. But of course he still monitor my progress. He has good reputation among the journalists who have high regards of him. He taught me on balanced reporting especially in politic despite him being a strong supporter of Pas. I missed him a lot and I shall cherished him and remembering him forever. I can never find another boss like Ali Mamat. As of now, I can only repay him of his kindness by reciting the AlFatihah. May his sould be blessed by Allah. Amin.”

“I agree with ARA. He may have had a garang look but he was a gem of a person. On my first night assignment in April 1974, he accompanied me and got for me an exclusive story from the late Datuk Wan Kadir Ismail (the Deputy Information Minister). He wrote the story as I sat next to him, understudying. On the job training it was.! Ali was a crime reporter extraordinaire. I remember the ACA (MACC) once waiting for him to arrive before starting the PC. May his soul rest in peace,” said General News Service English chief sub-editor M.Govindnair

“AM was among the merry band of staffers who made journalism fun. And Bernama was all the better for it. He has bestowed us with everlasting fond memories,” said editorial consultant  S. Siva Selvam.