LAST RESPECTS BY VIPs: Musa, former Finance Minister Tun , Khalil, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, and Chief Minister Datuk Ali Rustam at Ghafar's house yesterday. Umno veterans mourn loss - " * • of nation's peacemaker

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno veter- and friend. They married and had a child, ans mourned the passing of "He was a very successful but he subsequently divorced 's "peacemaker" - one Barisan secretary-general and her. who had managed to resolve he emphasised unity," he added. Tan Sri said leadership crises not only in Former Umno information Ghafar had many words of wis- Umno but also in other Barisan chief Tan Sri Megat dom. Nasional component parties. Ayob said Ghafar's struggles for He added: "When I was agri- Former Wanita chief Tah Sri the country proved his sinceri- culture minister, Ghafar said he said the late Tun ty. wished all this lalang (people was the, man to "He was the sort of person who sway according to the turn to in difficult times. "He who was able to adapt easily to political situation) had com- played his role very well in people regardless of whether mercial value. Then the Malays resolving any crisis and for this, they were the common folk or would be very rich." everybody respected him. the upper class, whether they Another who spoke highly of "I think he was the man we were veterans or young," he Ghafar was former deputy turned to during the difficult told reporters after paying his prime minister Tan Sri Musa times because he always had last respects at the National Hitam. very good relationships with Mosque. "I began my career in politics leaders in the component par- Megat Junid also spoke about with him and learnt a lot from ties. He could talk to them," she an afternoon in 1992 when he him. If you want to know who said. got a call from the then deputy was involved in Umno in the Former Education Minister prime minister at 3pm. real sense of the word, in whose Tan Sri described "He told me:'Megat I am get- veins ran the blood of Umno, Ghafar as a "wonderful fellow," ting married. Ghafar was that person," he saying he was his friend for "I asked him what time, and said. many years. he said: "5pm! Can you be my Former Umno secretary-gen- "He had been consistent as a witness?' And I said: 'Okay'," eral Tan Sri leader and as a friend," he said, recalled Megat Junid, who was said although Ghafar came adding that Ghafar's love for then the deputy home affairs from a poor family, he did not the country and the people was minister. let this hamper him. also very important Back in 1992, Ghafar, who "His determination and hard Malacca Yang di-Pertua Negri was in his 60s, had fallen for work in the Government and Tun Khalil Yaakob spoke of Heryati Abdul Rahim, a divor- politics should be an example Ghafar as a mentor, colleague cee from . to all of us," he said.