Prime Minister Najib Razak today suggested that the government appoint someone to write the memoirs of the late Ghazali Shafie.

He said the former home minister was privy to many secrets and important events which should be recorded.

As a national hero, Ghazali had experienced the various challenges that the country underwent, he said.

"He had undergone the pre-Merdeka stage, the formation of Malaysia, the (Malaysia-Indonesia) confrontation, the communist threat and so forth," he told reporters after paying his last repects to Ghazali at the latter's sister's house in Damansara Utama, Kuala Lumpur.

Najib said the government felt the great loss which should be recorded for posterity.

He said he was also sad over the loss of a statesman who was a man of the 20s and a peer of his late father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

Meanwhile, chief secretary to the government Sidek Hassan remembers Ghazali as being instrumental in the formulation of the Rukun Negara.

He said Ghazali's contribution to unity was enormous and he also figured prominently in national security.

"We civil servants are very proud of his service to the nation through the civil service," he said.

International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said the young leaders should learn from Ghazali in his service to the nation.

He had contributed not only to the administration but also to the formulation of the country's policies, he said.

Ghazali died of natural causes at 7.45pm yesterday, aged 88. He will be buried at the Warriors' Mausoleum in Masjid Negara after the zohor prayers.

- Bernama