PETALING JAYA, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi participated in the funeral prayers for national journalism laureate and freedom fighter Tan Sri A. Samad Ismail at Masjid Kolej Islam Malaya in Universiti Islam Antarabangsa here Friday.

Abdullah arrived at the mosque at 1.15pm for the Friday prayers before joining in the funeral prayers for Samad.

Approached by reporters afterwards, he declined to make any statements.

A. Samad, 84, better known as Pak Samad, died at the Pantai Medical Centre here at 5.58pm Thursday of lung infection and kidney failure.

His remains were later laid to rest at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery. Kiara. Meanwhile, veteran journalist, Tan Sri Mazlan Nordin, said it would be very difficult to get a journalism mentor like Pak Samad again.

"I am now what I am ...thanks to him," he told reporters after paying his last respects to Pak Samad.

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka chairman, Datuk Johan Jaafar, himself former editor-in-chief of Utusan Melayu, described Pak Samad as a doyen of journalism who was much respected by his peers.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed said Pak Samad not only fought for Malaysians through his writings but once came to Alor Star together with Malaysia's second prime minister the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein to fight for independence.

"When I became prime minister, Pak Samad was among the first ISA detainees released because he was a nationalist and not a communist," he said.

Former information minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said Pak Samad was the most prolific political writer Malaysia ever had despite he not being actively involved in political parties.

Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Annuar Zaini said Pak Samad was not only a great teacher but also a freedom fighter, literary figure and a thinker.

"Pak Samad was a person of very high values, not opportunistic... for him the calling was a higher cause, that of the nation and it did not matter if he had to be imprisoned a number of times to serve that calling," he said.

Meanwhile, Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zainal Abidin Rasheed said he came to konw Pak Samad when he (Zainal Abidin) was the editor of Singapore's Berita Harian newspaper.

"His command of Bahasa Melayu and English were impeccable and was the epitome of dedication," he said.

Former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam said: "I must have been one of his last visitors this afternoon. He was a true Malaysian patriot, selfless and principled to the end.

"I leave for Mecca tomorrow and certainly will pray for him," he said.

-- BERNAMA