The world lost one of its greatest sons yesterday with the passing of Nelson Mandela. As we mourn him, we must also ensure that we remember his life - a life so magnificent, it has become a source of inspiration to millions of people around the globe.

I would first like to pay my humblest condolences to Nelson Mandela’s family and friends, on their loss of a husband, father, friend; and to all the people of South Africa, on the loss of their greatest citizen.

Mandela fought the wretched racist system that was apartheid. He defeated the regime that propagated the policy and went on to become the first black president of his country, representing the majority but never ever neglecting the same minority that had discriminated him and his kind.

He won the Nobel Prize for Peace for all his reconciliatory work, uniting tribes, races and religions in his country. This was a monumental achievement for a man who was forced to spend 27 years in prison due to an extremely racist system that refused his basic rights of being.

Nelson Mandela visited Malaysia twice in his life, once in 1993 and once more in 1997. He found our multi-racial way of life fascinating and he used us as an example of moderate development. Much of the South African development model is based on the Malaysian story and for that, we must all be immensely proud.

It is my fervent hope that Malaysians take a page out of Mandela’s book of moderation. There is no one better for us to exemplify.

Anti-apartheid icon Mandela dies at 95

LIOW TIONG LAI is deputy president of MCA.