Consultant editor of The Sun newspaper, Zainon Ahmad, 70, who died of liver cancer yesterday, was laid to rest at Kampung Banggol Muslim cemetery in Kota Baru today.

The funeral prayers were held at his home at Jalan Bayam in Kota Baru earlier.

Zainon, affectionately known as ‘Pak Non’, breathed his last at 2.25pm yesterday at Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital (HRPZII) in Kota Baru after being admitted to the intensive care unit on Tuesday.

He left behind wife Hasnah Abdullah, 65, and four children - Zalinda, 45, Zainorin , 44, Zuhailawati, 40 and Mohd Zahazan, 37.

Present at the funeral were National Press Club president Mohktar Hussain and Media Prima Berhad executive director (news and editorial) Ahmad A Talib.

Zainon, who was born in Semeling, Lembah Bujang, Kedah in 1942, started his career as a teacher before venturing into journalism, 35 years ago.

He joined the New Straits Times newspaper in 1978 and was promoted to assistant group editor in 1997 before becoming its consultant editor in 2001. The following year, he joined The Sun as its chief editor.

His eldest daughter, Zalinda, said she was on a business trip to the United States when she heard that her father was in critical state at the hospital.

She said her father had asked her to buy a book about guerilla war in the United States and it saddened her now that she didn’t get the chance to give him the book.

Zalinda, however, expressed thanks to all quarters involved in her father’s funeral arrangements.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said the Malaysian journalism industry had just lost a highly respected newsman who was always willing to share his knowledge.

“I knew him since 1989 when he was still in the New Straits Times , while I was in the Business Times ,” he said.

Mokhtar, on the other hand, said he was deeply impressed by Zainon’s passion for journalism and to work even beyond the normal retirement age.

He said such passion and spirit should indeed be emulated by the young media practitioners.

- Bernama