DBP announced the news through its official Facebook channel and expressed its condolences to Firdaus’s family members.

“Members of the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka fraternity expressed their condolences to the family of Yang Berbahagia Firdaus Abdullah who passed away on April 11, 2024, corresponding to 2 Syawal 1445.

“May his soul be blessed and placed among the believers,” it said.

Firdaus was also known for several works including the poetry collection “Prisma Mimpi” (1985), the children’s poetry collection “Puisi Amira dan Falahi” (1986), and a number of short poems published in poetry anthologies and periodicals.

He received his early education at Sekolah Menengah Methodist Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, before completing a bachelor of arts in journalism and political science at Northern Illinois University in the US in 1969.

He also had a masters in communication and international relations from Ohio University and a masters in philosophy and comparative politics as well as a PhD in political science from Columbia University, US.

Career-wise, Firdaus started as an assistant lecturer (temporary) at the faculty of economics and administration at Universiti Malaya and served as deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs) from 1998 to 2001.

In the private sector, he served as a reporter for Berita Harian and New Straits Times and the executive chairman of Utusan Karya Sdn Bhd, while in politics he was appointed twice as a senator from 2009.