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"The journey of love is a very long journey but sometimes with a sign you can cross that vast desert. Search and search again without losing hope. You may sometimes find treasure along the way" (Iqbal).

He chose these words to conclude his inaugural lecture entitled 'The Earth for All Mankind' in 1999. And it is the essence of these very words that summed up how deeply Prof Ishak Shari touched the lives of those he left behind.

A remarkable Malaysian son, scholar and economist, Ishak left this world on the morning of June 30, hardly 10 days after he underwent a major surgery for cancer. He was 53.

So dear was he to his friends and colleagues that the memorial held before the last session of the Third Malaysian Studies Conference (MSC3) in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) on Wednesday to mark the 40th day of his departure, brought tears to the eyes of many. His loss had clearly left a dent in their hearts.

His absence was particularly felt because he was the soul behind Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (Ikmas), a co-organiser of MSC3. His sudden demise staggered those who worked behind the scenes to make the event successful.

Democratic leader

Ishak was an active student leader at the London School of Economics during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He joined UKM in 1972 and was made professor of development economics in 1991.

He was dean of the Economics Faculty from 1988 to 1990 and dean of the Centre for Graduate Studies from 1994 to1997.

In 1997, he was appointed director of Ikmas, a social science research institute at UKM, a post he held until his untimely death.

Despite all these impressive achievements and titles, it is Ishak Shari, the human being, who will be remembered most dearly by his friends and acquaintances.

UKM's Prof Dr Abdul Rahman Embong, who is president of the Malaysian Social Science Association (MSSA), remembers Ishak as "an efficient and democratic leader and leading intellectual".

"Shaped by the intellectual and political ferment of the late 1960s and early 1970s, he became one of the active student leaders who helped define the moral and intellectual horizon of Malaysian student politics in England during that period," Rahman said during the memorial.

"He is someone who whole-heartedly discussed and debated ideas. The fate of the downtrodden impacted Ishak most and that is how my life became intertwined with his," he added.

Rahman is eternally grateful to Ishak for "helping to manage many affairs while I was away" for almost two decades. "He helped make up for my long absence, took care of my sick mother and when I returned, he received me and helped me get back into [society] again," he said.

"Indeed, I have lost a life-long friend and intellectual collaborator," he added.

Political involvement

PRM's president Dr Syed Husin Ali, who knew Ishak in the early 1970s when the former was finishing his PhD at the London School of Economics, said the latter's idealism was guided by the dictum "seek truth to serve the people".

"When he joined UKM, he came face to face with social realities, but never gave up. He closely attended to the issues of the poor and disadvantaged," said the veteran politician.

"He was passionate, for example, over issues such as the concentration of wealth as this he connected to the abject poverty of others."

Syed Husin said Ishak believed that only political involvement could bring about change in society. Ishak, he said, was not only president of the MSSA after him, but was also quietly active in politics.

He added that not many people knew that Ishak often chaired the PRM annual congress and was actively involved in many meetings which had led to the formation of the Barisan Alternatif.

"In no way did party politics obstruct his pursuit of truth. He was willing to share without prejudice and had no qualms about giving his critical views to government leaders," said Syed Husin.

Ishak's work was known internationally and nationally. He was consultant to many important projects by the government and international agencies such as the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). He also shared his expertise with the Second National Economic Consultative Council (NECC II).

The list goes on. Ishak was also chairperson of the Selection Committee of the Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Programme (Seasrep) and joint chair of the Executive Committee of the Asian Public Intellectuals Fellowship Programme (API Fellowship), launched in July 2000.

He was also a prime mover of the Southeast Asian Public Intellectuals Fellowship (SEAF) Programme and was awarded a fellowship in the Asia Leaders' Fellowship Programme in 1996.

"Ishak was humble despite his successes and had the ability to laugh despite stress. The country has lost a great son and I have lost a very dear friend and comrade," Syed Husin added.

UKM's Abdul Halim Ali remembers Ishak as a friend whom he often engaged in debate "whether academic, political or ideological".

"We would sometimes arrive at an impasse and realise that we could not see eye to eye, since Ishak was a six-footer," Abdul Halim said, referring tongue-in-cheek to his own diminutive stature. "He was someone who could always laugh in the face of adversity," he added.

API programme adviser Khoo Khay Jin said that Ishak's departure had left a gap that must be closed by a younger generation of scholars and researchers who must move forward.

"He never abandoned his work and was able to bring the issues of income distribution, social policy, the impact of globalisation and inequality to the level of ordinary people," said Khoo, a former USM lecturer.

"Ishak was above the narrow concerns of ethnicity and was able to reach out to others of other identities. He came from a humble beginning. He was proud of who he was and where he came from," he added.

True Malaysian

Universiti Sains Malaysia's Dr Francis Loh said despite Ishak's many achievements, the man was "most of all, warm, kind, generous, patient and very unassuming".

"He was jovial, his laughter was infectious, students sought him out for guidance," said Loh, who lectures at USM's School of Social Sciences.

He said Ishak's role was instrumental in turning Ikmas into a vibrant institute of learning and research in such a short period of time.

He added that when he met Ishak at the Australian National University, the latter had lamented about "the sad state of affairs" in local universities and had expressed envy for the kind of activity in USM in the 1980s.

"Ishak had even thought of relocating to USM." said Loh. "He was a beacon in the dark. I speak for many, outside of Ikmas and UKM. We were proud to have him as a leader".

Historian Dr Sumit Mandal of Ikmas said Ishak "provided through a variety of ways a deeper meaning to being Malaysian".

"Like many others in the scholarly community, he was alarmed at the violence that led to six deaths in the racialised conflict that occurred in Petaling Jaya last March," he said.

However, Ishak's analysis went beyond the construct of race by incorporating decades of research on the problems of poor and marginalised groups.

"Beyond the debilitating constraints of 'race', he provided through his self, intellectual dedication, and his politics, a deeper meaning to being Malaysian," said Sumit.

He added that Ishak had "boundless empathy for others".

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas)' Prof Michael Leigh said Ishak was "open to people from all backgrounds".

"His humble beginnings had made him open to all ideas. He encouraged that kind of openness and exchange of ideas. Those whose lives have been touched by him must share his ideals and go forward," he said.

Universiti Malaya's Prof KS Jomo, who was recruited to UKM in 1977 by Ishak and Penang State Exco member, Dr Toh Kin Woon, but could not speak at the memorial he organised, later said, "Ishak was like an elder brother to me, checking me from likely youthful excesses during my time at UKM.

"I have never lost someone as close as Ishak was to me. On the day of the memorial meeting, I woke up before five in the morning, thinking of him, our times together, and had planned to make some personal, rather than academic remarks," he said.

"In the still of the night before dawn, memories flowed back, and for the first time since his passing, I really grieved his loss besides reflecting almost angrily on it being so avoidable and 'unnecessary'," Jomo added, explaining his inability to speak at the memorial.

A beautiful soul lost

Regarding Ishak Shari, it is only with conviction that one can say, with his departure, academia, his comrades and Malaysia have lost a beautiful soul.

Those who remain must set aside feelings of grief and move forward as life for the living must go on. When someone dies, it is the ones who love him or her who also suffer the death.

But life has two faces, two sides, without which, life will not exist. When someone we love dies, it brings us face to face with the ultimate question of who and what we are, where we are heading.

It is worthwhile to ponder on these questions if we seek the answers.

As best-selling spiritual author Lama Surya Das said, "Life is like a waterfall rushing over a cliff, it can't be postponed. Your life is here and now, in this very moment. What would you like to do today if you knew you were going to die tomorrow, or next month? Whom would you talk to? What would you want to do? What messages would you want to express? What unfinished heart-business remains to be completed?"