ALOR STAR: Veteran writer and activist Dr Kassim Ahmad died at Kulim Hospital this morning.
He was 84.
His lawyer, Rosli Dahlan said Kassim was pronounced dead at about 10am after slipping into a coma for two days.
"Today, I mourn the death of Kassim Ahmad whom I had developed a deep respect for his resilience, intellectual honesty and for his tenacity, even to his death.
"Malays and Malaysians have lost one of its greatest thinkers," he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Kassim's son Ahmad Shauqi, 50, said his father was warded at the hospital on Sept 16 for lung infection and was discharged on Oct 1.
He added that Kassim was readmitted four days later after his condition deteriorated.
Shaqui said his father had slipped into coma on Sunday and passed away peacefully in the presence of wife Sharifah Fawziah Syed Yussof Al-Sagof, 79, two children and relatives.
He said Kassim's remains will be laid to rest at Jalan Kelang Lama Muslim Cemetery in Kulim after Isya' prayers.
Kassim, the son of Islamic religious teacher, Ahmad Ishak was born in Bukit Pinang, Alor Star on Sept 9, 1933.
He received early education at a primary school in Bandar Baharu and attended Sultan Abdul Hamid College for his secondary education. Kassim furthered his studies at University of Malaya in Singapore in the 1950s.
Kassim started his career as a researcher at Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka in Kuala Lumpur before moving to London where he spent four years lecturing on Malay studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies.
He was also a member of Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) under Ahmad Boestaman. He then led Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia together with Syed Hussin Ali for 18 years before joining Umno.
Kassim was detained for five years under the Internal Security Act (ISA) beginning 1976 for allegedly supporting socialist-communist movement and was released in 1981.
In 1984, he sparked a controversy for penning a book "Hadis: Penilaian Semula" which questioned the role of hadith in Islam, which was subsequently banned by the Home Ministry two years later.
Among the books written by Kassim are Characterisation in Hikayat Hang Tuah (1966), Kemarau di Lembah (1967) Perwatakan dalam Hikayat Hang Tuah (1973), Pengembara Dalam Perjalanan (1978), Universiti Kedua (1983), Hadis: Jawapan Kepada Pengkritik (1992), Quo Vadis Bangsaku?, Polemik Sastera Islam, Mencari Jalan Pulang Daripada Sosialisme Kepada Islam, Jalan Ke Parlimen and Hikayat Hang Tuah.
He had also won several awards such as the Doctorate of Letters, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (1985) GAPENA Award (1987) and Zaaba Award (2016).
It was reported that on March 27, 2014, Kassim was charged at the Putrajaya Syariah High Court to three charges of insulting Islam.
He was charged in connection with his speech at the Perdana Foundation in Putrajaya on "Hadis: Satu Penilaian Semula" and "Hadis: Jawapan kepada Pengkritik".
Two months ago, the Putrajaya Syariah Court acquitted and discharged him from the charges following the withdrawal of the charges by the prosecution.
It was reported that the Syarie prosecuting officer withdrew the case after agreeing with the Court of Appeal and Federal Court decisions which ruled that Kassim's arrest and prosecution by the Federal Territories Islamic Department (Jawi) were invalid.
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