Former chairperson of Tabung Haji and Pos Malaysia Berhad, Zainol Mahmood, died of a heart attack today.

He was 78.

Zainol, who was also the chairperson of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Sdn Bhd and Urusharta Cemerlang Sdn Bhd passed away at 9.40am at the Prince Court Medical Centre.

His grandson, Mohamad Harith Sibbald, 25, said his grandfather was admitted to the hospital since noon yesterday.

“He was rushed to the hospital after he started vomiting at around noon yesterday and further examinations revealed several clogged arteries,” he told Bernama when met at their family’s house in Bukit Tunku in Kuala Lumpur today.   

Zainol’s remains would be taken to Kampung Baru Mosque before being laid to rest at the Jalan Ampang Muslim after Asar prayers.

Zainol leaves behind a wife Rajmin Rashid, 73, three children namely Zairila, 50, Rajman Zareqh, 43, and Irazeqh, 40, and eight grandchildren.

Among those who paid their last respect were Tabung Haji chairperson Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, as well as group managing director and chief executive officer Ismee Ismail.

Zainol, who hailed from Kangar, Perlis, began his career in the civil service as assistant district officer in Kuala Lumpur in 1961 and had held several top posts in the federal and state governments’ administrations, with the last being the Home Ministry secretary-general, which he held from May 1990 until his retirement in April 1992.

He was appointed as the executive chairperson of Pos Malaysia Berhad from April 1992 to 2001, and as Tabung Haji chairperson from Aug 1, 2000 to Aug 7, 2005.

- Bernama