In memoriam: Mohd Zin Mohd Sel

I received the news of Pak Zin's passing at around 5 a.m. this morning from his son-in-law.

I knew Pak Zin from my Glasgow years. He was the warden of Malaysian students in Belfast. He was seconded to Glasgow twice (once in 1994 and once in 1995). It was during this time that I made the acquaintance of Pak Zin.

He was always a jovial fellow. I remember how he would come over the Malaysian Student Centre which is next door to the warden's quarters, and spend hours chatting with us - finding out our problems, etc. There was never a dull moment when Pak Zin was around. He would share stories from the Japanese era right up to the early days of independence. He would share his experience of dealing with the IRA in Belfast to ensure the Malaysian students' safety. He would often tell funny stories and would laugh out loud at our silly jokes. His passion was playing scrabble.

He even extended an invitation for us to visit him in Belfast. I remembered how three of us - Azri, Suhaimi and myself - flew off to Belfast for a whirlwind visit. It was quite an experience to be there, and Pak Zin was kind enough to host us for the duration of our visit. In 1996, Pak Zin was posted to Manchester. I visited him just before I came back to Malaysia for good. And again, Pak Zin played the role of a very good host.

After most of the student centres were closed down due to the 1998 economic recession, Pak Zin came back to Malaysia. He stayed for a while in Bukit Antarabangsa, which is just a stone's throw away from where I stayed. From time to time, I would visit him. And there were occasions that I would accept his challenge to play scrabble.

Later on, he moved to Puchong. I didn't get to see him as often as I did before, but still I was very much in contact with him. Towards the end of last year, I met up with him several times. I would drive to Puchong and accompany him for a chat over teh tarik. That was when I knew about his deteriorating health. Even then, he was still very jovial.

When I received the news of his passing just before subuh today, I was very much saddened. Pak Zin had touched the lives of many students during his years serving in the UK. I am sure most of the students especially those in Belfast and Manchester would find his passing a great loss.

My sincerest condolences to the widow and the family of Mohd Zin Mohd Sel.

Al-Fatihah.