KUALA LUMPUR – Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has described the death of former Philippine president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino as the loss of a “noble champion” of democracy.
“Today, I mourn along with the Philippines and many others across the globe touched by the tremendous life that Noynoy lived, and hope that we can continue walking on the road of progress beyond those who have helped us get this far.
“Noynoy came from a long family tradition of political life, often finding themselves in a contentious political atmosphere. Noynoy was in his element as a legislator.
His career in the Philippines’ House of Representatives and Senate was nothing short of the art of politics successfully brought to life.
“Working with friend and foe, Noynoy saw to the passage of numerous key bills that called for reform, and the seeding of power from the presidency back to Congress.
"While his own presidency was marred with national tragedies and natural disasters, he never lost sight of using his power to put the people of the Philippines on the path towards progress,” said the Port Dickson MP in a statement.
Aquino was among the kindest of human beings, said Anwar, describing him as always even tempered.
“He was that rarest of an endangered breed, that of the principled politician. Rarer still, he was one who always had an eager curiosity to learn new things beyond his already vast knowledge.
My heart is filled with the outpouring of support and mourning for a real friend, from both those who supported him and even those who opposed him, many who did so in vicious and despicable ways, but they were never truly ‘enemies’, in his opinion.
“For Noynoy, politics is the act of people coming together and seeking the betterment of the whole of society.”
He said the people should practise the humanity and sense of community that the late leader often preached.
Aquino, the reserved 61-year-old bachelor from one of Asia’s most famous political families, died today.
AFP reported that Aquino, who led the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, was the only son of the late former president Corazon Aquino and her assassinated husband, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, both of whom were revered for leading the country’s struggle to restore democracy. – The Vibes, June 24, 2021
