IPOH, May 28 — Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said that the country is indebted to the contributions of the late Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim, especially in the education and development sectors.

Ahmad Faizal said that Khoo’s ideas and views have always been a reference point for the nation whenever issues related to the federal constitution or history arose.  

"Khoo’s death is a big loss for the country and his contribution will be remembered forever,” he said in a statement.

Khoo died of lung failure at 11am surrounded by his loved ones at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre. He was 82.

Khoo began his career at the University of Malaya, which lasted over 50 years. He officially retired in 1997, but continued to have an office in the university’s History Department in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

In 2017, Khoo was awarded the 10th "Tokoh Akademik Negara” and the prestigious Merdeka Award in 2018 for his contribution to the country.

The eminent historian also published his own autobiography in 2017, titled I, KKK: The Autobiography of a Historian, in collaboration with his eldest son, Eddin.

Meanwhile, State executive chairman Hasnul Zulkarnain Abd Munaim said that Khoo’s contribution to the country should be seen as precedent for the current younger generation in the process of building a new Malaysia.

The state Communications, Multimedia, Non-Governmental Organisation and Cooperatives Development committee chairman pointed out Khoo as having been party to help draft the Rukun Negara after the violent 1969 racial riots.

"Despite being born a Chinese, Khoo’s appreciation and understanding of the country’s history and cultural value is beyond comparable,” he said.

"Khoo’s death is a great loss for the country and his contribution to the country is irreplaceable,” added Hasnul.