Earlier today, both of us received the news that Hussein Hamid had passed away at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. Last week, Hussein collapsed inside a mall after suffering a stroke, which left him in a coma. He passed away peacefully without regaining consciousness.

Hussein was controversial but consistent. He exposed issues that no one else was willing to touch and challenged many of Malaysia’s top elite. We were lucky enough to regularly talk with him, and understand the changes in stand he took – in the past and lately.

This resulted in Hussein being able to return to Malaysia after years in exile. We take some solace that he died in his own country. Hussein never took Australian citizenship, even though he was eligible.

Both of us had different but at the same time similar relationships with Hussein. I (Murray) spoke regularly to Hussein and we shared perspectives on issues, often jointly deciding on the approach that should be taken. I know from these discussions, Hussien had a strong moral compass, that always asked the question ‘will the Rakyat knowing this be for the betterment of Malaysia?’ We shared links and documents, and even gave each other contacts, that many in Malaysia will know.

Most of all, we spiritually supported each other. There were times when Hussein felt depressed about issues in Malaysia and I picked him up. This was reciprocated with the issues I have personally faced over the last couple of years.

I (Teck Ghee) had a relationship that was much more upfront and personal. Hussein spent most of his last weeks staying with me in my apartment and we discussed a number of issues regarding his life direction as well as did work together on plans that we intended to pursue to advance the causes that we believed in. Hussein was a fellow activist blogger that I featured in my CPI website from a long time ago. His recent work has also refocused my thinking and influenced the last batch of articles that I have written when he was staying at my home.

As we mourn the passing of our dear friend, Hussein we remember and cherish our time with him, indelibly etched in our hearts and minds.

This piece is written not solely to lament the loss of Hussein. It is also to pay tribute to someone who was a true comrade sharing a mutual journey in trying to make Malaysia a better place.

For Malayia and Malaysians, Hussein’s voice will be sadly missed.

Hussein was fiercely independent, free thinking, and unafraid. He wrote perhaps some of the most biting and critical commentaries on the country, our people and foes and friends that has emerged from the social media world of bloggers.

Simplicity, grace and a certain child-like quality of innocence combined with refined knowledge marked his prose. Few if any of the nation’s community of political and social bloggers come close to his consistency and steadfastness in support of an inclusive and progressive country.

We can remember and pay tribute to him best by reading and rereading his writing. You will see most of his writings, especially the pieces he wrote through the Melbourne nights, came from his heart.

We must all be inspired to continue his journey.

LIM TECK GHEE is a former World Bank senior social scientist, whose report on bumiputera equity when he was director of Asli’s Centre for Public Policy Studies sparked controversy in 2006. He is now CEO of the Centre for Policy Initiatives.

Lim Teck Ghee

Lim Teck Ghee PhD is a Malaysian economic historian, policy analyst and public intellectual whose career has straddled academia, civil society organisations and international development agencies. He has a regular column, Another Take, in The Sun, a Malaysian daily; and is author of Challenging the Status Quo in Malaysia.