BANGI, Dec 26 — A perfectionist and passionate writer at heart, national laureate Datuk Dr Shahnon Ahmad was a strict father who grew to become a loving grandfather, according to those who knew him best.

His eldest daughter Norhayati Shahnon, 58, said she and her other three siblings were very obedient as their father had strong traditional and religious values.

Even so, as the only daughter, Norhayati said her father had a soft spot for her and the duo had a very close relationship.

Family and relatives of late national laureate Professor Emeritus Datuk Shahnon Ahmad pay their last respects at Bandar Baru Bangi December 26, 2017. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

"With me, I can scold if he does not take his medication and get away with it. My other two siblings would not dare to do so.

"When he passed away, I was the one by his side while my other two siblings were away and my mother was sleeping on the couch,” she said when met after the final prayers for the deceased at Surau Madani, Bandar Baru Bangi, here, today.

Norhayati is the first child of four siblings. However, her second sibling, Suhaimi Shahnon, had passed away five years ago.

Though a stern parent, Norhayati said the late novelist had a very loving relationship with his wife, Datin Wan Fatimah Wan Salleh, 82.

"His love is my mother. She is very much in love with him even until the very end they address each other like teenage lovers.

"Even at old age they would call each other ‘sayang’ lovingly,” said Norhayati, referring to the Malay term of love.

Norhayati said though her late father was a very simple man, he was very particular when it came to his appearance even when he was ill in hospital.

"Some people did not understand him, but sometimes he would dismiss his guests because he does not feel he was presentable wearing the hospital gown.

"If you had met him at normal times, he would dress neatly... he just wants everything to be perfect,” she said.

She said the country has lost a laureate and there would not be another who is comparable to the late Shahnon.

Though he had a brief stint in politics, Norhayati said he was a novelist at heart and his involvement in politics was due to his concern for the people.

"He is a novelist, but he wants Islam in the country,” she said.

Meanwhile, Shahnon’s fourth grandchild Nur Fatimah Mohd Khairi, 27, said she had highly respected her grandfather for his knowledge, especially in the Malay language.

For the architect and her cousins, sometimes they would refer to their late grandfather as a dictionary, and would learn new words from him.

"He was one of the most intellectual people I know and back then we would ask him to help out with assignments on the Bahasa Malaysia language.

"But then he would still encourage us to climb our way up on our own. Though he was quite aggressive when he was younger, he grew to become more passionate and loving towards his grandchildren,” said Nur Fatimah, who calls Shahnon by the name of "Wan”.

Shahnon was laid to rest at the Tanah Perkuburan Islam Bandar Baru Bangi (Sungai Tangkas) at around 2.15pm, today.

About 200 friends and relatives had attended the funeral to pay their last respects.

Shahnon Ahmad died today of pneumonia at the KPJ Kajang Hospital at about 7.30am. He was 84.

He is survived by his wife, Datin Wan Fatimah Wan Salleh, 82, three children, including Sanusi Shahnon, 56 and Asrul Sani Shahnon, 54, 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Shahnon was renowned for his literary works, including Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan and Lamunan Puitis, and was also the PAS MP for Sik in Kedah.

He defeated the then minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Dr Abdul Hamid Othman, in the 1999 General Election by a 478-vote majority. He served as the MP for one term, until 2004.