KUALA LUMPUR: Former education minister Musa Mohamad died today at the age of 81 after battling cancer.
The Bagan Datuk-born Musa was the first non-politician to hold the post of education minister from 1999-2004, reported Bernama.
He was vice-chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from 1982-1995 and was later the chairman of Multimedia University and the UCSI University Council.
His daughter, Aisya Natasha, said her father breathed his last at 7.12pm. He is expected to be buried tomorrow.
USM senior deputy registrar Mohamad Abdullah said Musa helped lay the university’s strong foundation in medical science and engineering.
“He was a firm and far-sighted individual (who was also) jovial, principled, and noble-hearted,” he said.