Tun Syed Ahmad Syed Mahmud Shahabudin, who passed away after a long illness at the age of 83 today, will always be remembered as an independence leader of Kedah and a founder member of Umno Kedah.
Born in Kulim, Kedah on May 4, 1925, he was a member of the very ancient Kedah royal house through his maternal ancestors and a descendant of the Holy Prophet and Johor’s ancient Kings through his paternal ancestors.
Among his illustrious relatives include the Sultan of Kedah Sultan Abdul Halim Shah, first Prime Minister the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra and fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was also his childhood friend and schoolmate.
Syed Ahmad spent his early education in Sultan Abdul Hamid College, Alor Star, Kedah’s premier boys’ school founded by Dr Mahathir’s father Datuk Muhammad Iskandar (Sultan Abdul Halim Shah, Dr Mahathir and Tunku Abdul Rahman were students of the school).
He later graduated with a Public Administration Degree from Pittsburgh University in the United States.
A bureaucrat with the Kedah State Government, he was one of the founder members of Umno Kedah together with Tunku Abdul Rahman and Dr Mahathir.
In 1955, he was elected to the Federal Legislative Council, the forerunner of the Malaysian Parliament.
He became a Kedah State Executive Councillor in 1958 and a Senator in 1959.
In 1967, he was one of Malaysia’s representatives at the 13th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in Kampala, Uganda.
In the same year he became Menteri Besar (Head Minister or Chief Minister) of Kedah and served for 11 years.
In 1978, he became Deputy Home Minister in the Cabinet of third Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn.
Two years later he became High Commissioner to Singapore.
From 1984-2004, Syed Ahmad served as State Governor of Melaka and became the first Umno Menteri Besar to assume the post of Head of State.
Syed Ahmad was awarded the title of Datuk Seri by the Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Abdul Halim Shah in 1968. In 1979, the seventh King of Malaysia, Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang made him a Tan Sri.
In 1987, the eighth King of Malaysia, Sultan Iskandar of Johor, made him a Tun.
Syed Ahmad is survived by his second wife Toh Puan Marfuza Osman, 10 children (four from his second wife) and 14 grandchildren.
His first wife Toh Puan Sharifah Haniffah Syed Alwi died in 1993.
Syed Ahmad was an avid collector of hats.
He was also active in social activities and served as chairman of the National Council Of The Justices Of The Peace Association, chairman of the Kedah Justices Of The Peace Association, chairman of the Kedah St John Ambulance and president of the Kedah Football Association.
