KUALA LUMPUR – Petra Group has lost one of its own with the passing of Petra News director Zakhir Mohamed this morning. He was 53.
Petra News executive director Datuk Ahirudin Attan said Zakhir collapsed at home around 9am, and his wife and daughter tried to resuscitate him with a defibrillator, but to no avail.
Fondly known as Big Dog, Zakhir, who was an accountant by training, was a prominent blogger and political observer.
Regarding Zakhir as family, Petra Group chairman and CEO Datuk Dr Vinod Sekhar expressed his shock and sadness over his passing.
“We have lost one of our own. Big Dog Zakhir breathed his last this morning after suddenly collapsing,” Vinod told senior management.
“He leaves a big hole in my heart. Please pray for his family. He’s in a much better and happier place now, and it is our battle to deal with this sudden loss.”
Ahirudin, also known by his blog moniker Rocky Bru, said he has lost a little brother.
“I will miss him. There are no words now.”
Petra News editor-in-chief and The Vibes managing editor Terence Fernandez said Zakhir was pivotal in the setting up of The Vibes, which was launched on September 19.
“We were in the midst of planning the next phase of Petra News, and he was very excited about it.
“He was very dedicated, and despite feeling unwell, he insisted on sorting out administrative issues for The Vibes before the year is over.
“In the short time that we worked together, Big Dog had become a good friend. I will miss his humour and his smile that he gave in huge doses no matter what he was going through that day.”
Zakhir leaves behind a wife, Suzliaton Norhaslinda Mohamed Said, 53, and daughter, Noor Aishah Zaharah, 24.
He is also survived by his father Mohamed Abdul Ghani, mother Jamaliah Abd Majid, brother Najib Mohamed and sister Nur Hafizah Mohamed.
He will be buried at the Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery after Asar prayers.
While he had been actively writing about Malaysian politics since 1998 – posting commentaries via Internet Relay Chat – it was only when he started blogging in 2004 that Zakhir gained an audience.
“We were among the first bloggers to be critical of the then government (Barisan Nasional led by former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi),” said former Bersatu supreme council member Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi at Zakhir’s home in Bandar Utama.
“Zakhir helped me, like a true-blue friend, from the beginning of my modest entry into politics (during the 2007 Umno elections, where Akhramsyah contested the Youth chief post).
“What united us was not those who we supported, but the values that we both believed in – to fight for the Malays,” he said, in reference to his and Zakhir’s opposing political affiliations following the 2016 formation of Umno splinter Bersatu.
In 2006, Zakhir and former The Star journalist Ian McIntyre – now with The Vibes – were among those who were accidentally pepper-sprayed at Kota Baru airport, in an incident that involved former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“He shielded Dr Mahathir with his bulky body. As a result, Dr Mahathir did not suffer the brunt of the pepper spray,” said McIntyre.
Prior to his employment with Petra News, Zakhir was, in 2016, chief executive of news portal The Mole. Before that, he was CEO of public-listed IT company mTouche.
“He is a dear friend of mine. I have known him since we were young,” said Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi before leading Zakhir’s funeral prayers at a mosque in Taman Tun Dr Ismail here.
“He is a good writer. He does not write with emotion and sentiments, and gives accurate analysis. We have been friends for a long time. His passing… is a great loss to me.” – The Vibes, December 27, 2020
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