My fingers and mind are still numbed by news of the death of Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Khalid Yusoff, a senior fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), a long-time friend and colleague from our early days at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
UKM was established in 1970, with the aspiration to uphold Bahasa Malaysia as the language of knowledge and instruction. I returned from Michigan State University in 1976 with my Ph.D, and Khalid completed his medical studies at the University of Melbourne and the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne a few years later.
We were expected to lecture in Malay, which turned out to be doubly challenging for the students, as most of the references then were in English. With help of Indonesian academics, we overcame the language barrier.
Last year, UKM celebrated its 50th anniversary with a stellar record. The 2020 QS World University Rankings placed UKM 39th in Asia and 160th worldwide, with more than 200,000 alumni from 13 faculties and 12 research institutes.
Khalid helped make UKM what it is today. When the University of Melbourne awarded him an honorary doctorate in medical science in 2014, it described how upon returning from his studies, Khalid "began to teach and cultivate the practice and scientific investigation of his specialty. He established the first clinical cardiac electrophysiology laboratory in Malaysia and advocated new techniques".
"He set up the Heart Centre at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) – now a major cardiac centre – and the UKM Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI) – now one of the main centres for molecular science. His research is cited widely by his peers and continues to be published in high-impact refereed journals. His research performance and impact are greatly valued by colleagues the world over."
The citation goes on to note that Khalid demonstrated deep passion for effective medical education aligned with Malaysia's needs, as demonstrated by his development of the medical course at Universiti Teknologi Mara, where he served as the dean.
Khalid built four medical campuses, with a futuristic curriculum based on solid science, imbued with strong values and a vibrant educational ambience.
Perhaps, one of Khalid's enduring legacies was his leadership of UCSI University, which he joined in 2013 and served as president and vice-chancellor. According to the QS World University Rankings, the university was ranked as the nation's best private university two years in a row – 2019 and 2020 – and now stands among the top two per cent of world universities.
In a recent interview, Khalid said the latest milestone was the result of a university-wide push for excellence and performance, reflecting "the strategies adopted and the dedication and commitment of all concerned".
The founder and chief executive officer of the UCSI Group, Datuk Peter Ng, said in a condolence message on Monday that the university's recent successes were attributed to Khalid's relentless efforts and his attitude of never resting on his laurels.
That is also my experience during my 35-year association with him. He was a member of the National Science and Research Council, when I was the science adviser to the prime minister. Khalid was passionate about R&D and the need for Malaysia to have a sound ecosystem to do R&D.
Working under the auspices of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group on High-Tech and the New York Academy of Sciences, we assessed the performance of public research assets, such as the Institute for Medical Research, the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute and public universities.
Recommendations included establishing a research management agency to coordinate and reduce redundancy among ministries and agencies, and allocating at least two per cent of national gross domestic product on R&D. Those proposals were included in the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016-2020) but, sadly, yet to be implemented.
In the words of Professor Shad Faruqi: "Khalid was brilliant as a medical scholar, a leader with a vision, a demanding administrator who worked hard and expected that of others. Though his expectations from all his colleagues were very high, he was ultimately a good, kind and just person: a wonderful human being, a cut above his contemporaries."
You left us too soon, Adinda, and may Allah reward you with a place in Jannah. Al-fatihah.
The writer is a senior fellow of ASM, former science adviser to the prime minister and a former chairman of the National Science and Research Council