Noordin Sopiee Dies Of Cancer

Bernama news agency, Kuala Lumpur


ISIS Chairman Noordin Sopiee Dies Of Cancer
December 29, 2005 18:53 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 (Bernama) -- Institute of Strategic and
International
Studies (ISIS) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Dr Noordin
Sopiee died today of thyroid cancer. He was 61.

Dr Noordin died at 3.50pm at the Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre in
Jalan
Ampang here.

An ISIS statement said Dr Noordin's body would be brought to his home
at No
3, Jalan Jejawi, Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar, here late this evening and
that
he would be buried here on Friday.

Dr Noordin leaves a wife Puan Sri Shamsiah Hashim and three sons, Johan
Arifin Sopiee, Shamsul Arifin Sopiee and Amirul Arifin Sopiee.

He was the Director General of ISIS from 1984 to 1994 before his
appointment
as its chairman.

Dr Noordin, who had a keen interest in journalism, had worked as a
journalist with The New Straits Times Press since 1972 and was
appointed its
group editor-in-chief in 1983.

It is understood that he had received treatment in Singapore for
about four
months before undergoing follow-up treatment at the medical centre
here two
weeks ago.

Dr Noordin, who was born on Dec 26, 1944, in Penang, had wide
experience in
economics and international politics.

Meanwhile, in an immediate response, Malaysia Airlines Chairman Datuk Dr
Munir Majid, who is in London, told Bernama over the telephone that Dr
Noordin was a strong nationalist who did a lot of work that made a
difference to the lives of Malaysians.

"Dr Noordin had a sharp mind and he was always after big targets and big
dreams for the country," he said.

According to Dr Munir, Dr Noordin would be remembered for being
instrumental
in helping to shape Vision 2020 to make Malaysia a developed country.

Dr Munir, who worked with Dr Noordin in The New Straits Times in the
1980s,
said his death was a big loss to the country.

Dr Munir last visited Dr Noordin on Christmas day before leaving for
London.

-- BERNAMA