KUALA LUMPUR: "Be strong and don't lose hope." Those were the last words of the late Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan to his wife Puan Sri P. Jayashree before he died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital yesterday morning.

It was typical of a man whom family and friends called a fighter. The president of the Indian Progressive Front had been battling cancer for two years.

His wife was at his side when he died.

"Those were among his last words to me," she said.

:He was a strong man and he made me strong," said Jayashree, who had been married to Pandithan for 25 years.
"He did not want me to make a big scene about his death."

It was this strength that kept Jayashree, 55, almost dry-eyed as she spoke to reporters at their house in Serdang.

"We anticipated this. He was ill for two years and had been in intensive care for 102 days. I have seen how he suffered especially in the last few days."

She had received a phone call from the hospital early on Monday informing her that her husband had stopped breathing.

Doctors had told her that Pandithan's heart had stopped beating but they managed to revive him.

"He was extremely weak after that. I am glad my son did not see him in that condition."

Their son, Jayan, 21, is a medical student in Ukraine. At Press time, he was still not informed of his father's death.

"I can't get in touch with him as he is currently on a flight to Malaysia. All he knows is that his father is in critical condition," said Jayashree.

The house was filled with family and friends who came by to pay condolences.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi turned up to offer his condolences to Jayashree about 3pm.

Pandithan will be cremated at the Cheras crematorium tomorrow at 3pm.