KUALA LUMPUR: Former education minister Tan Sri Musa Mohamad, who was also a former vice-chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), passed away on Saturday (June 8). He was 81.

His daughter Aisya Natasha Musa said her father, who suffered from multiple myeloma (blood cancer), breathed his last at 7.12pm Saturday.

“Tan Sri died due to multiple myeloma and will be laid to rest tomorrow, Insya-Allah,” she said briefly.

The Bagan Datuk-born Musa was the first non-politician to hold the post of education minister from 1999-2004.

In addition to serving at USM, he also held several other important posts, including as president of the International Organisation of Ministers of Education from 2011 to 2003.

Musa was also the former chairman of the Multimedia University and chairman of the UCSI University Council. – Bernama