Kamal, better known as Huzz, died at 6.10pm today at his brother’s house in Kepala Batas, Penang, said his sister, Bernama CEO Nurul Afida.

Kamal began his journalism career with Harian Nasional in the 1980s and later became editor of the entertainment magazine URTV before retiring in 2019.

He was well known for his Sensasi Huzz gossip column in the Pancaindera section of Mingguan Malaysia.

He was reportedly the writer who coined the popular nickname “Datuk K”, referring to Khalid Jiwa who is the husband of renowned singer Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin.

Kamal had been diagnosed with colon cancer last March when he was admitted to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for surgery to remove a tumor.

After several months of treatment he was allowed to return home and was taken to his brother’s residence in Bertam on May 31 for follow-up treatment. However, his condition worsened in the past week.

While he was in hospital, his plight received the attention of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose political secretary, Ahmad Farhan Fauzi, visited Kamal in hospital on May 21 to hand him a donation.

Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil expressed condolences in a Facebook posting, saying that Kamal’s writings were always anticipated by local entertainment fans especially in the ’80s and ’90s.