Malaysia's Daim, twice finance minister, dies at 86

13/11/2024 15:03

        Malaysia's Daim Zainuddin, who had two stints as finance minister and pleaded not guilty to charges of failing to disclose assets this year, died on Wednesday, his family said.
        
        The 86-year-old helped steer the southeast Asian nation through recessions and the Asian financial crisis during his terms as finance minister from 1984 to 1991, and again, from 1999 to 2001, under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
        
        Mahathir said in a statement, "I have lost a friend who fought with me for race, country and religion," adding that he was "immeasurably saddened" by the death.
        
        Daim died at 8:21 a.m. at a hospital on the outskirts of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, where his funeral is to be held at the national mosque on Wednesday, the family said in a statement, without giving the cause of death.