Good bye Mr K Bala

I am sad to know the passing of Mr K Bala, my `teacher and boss' when I was working for New Straits Times 1987-2005. He died in his sleep in Pulau Langkawi Monday night, according to TV3 chief new editor Ashraf Abdullah.

Bala, as we all called him, was one of the editors in NSTP that moulded me into what(ever) I am today. Although I was based in Kota Kinabalu, I did received lots of assignments from him who is based at the news desk in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. I lost contact with Bala when he quit NST and lived in Langkawi.

I am also a close friend of Bala's brother Mr P Katharason (PK to us all), a news editor with the Star. PK now lives in Kota Kinabalu after retiring ftrom Star. I remember when PK was transferred to Kota Kinabalu. Bala called me from Kuala Lumpur, telling me to `look after" PK and I did by taking PK on a `pubs hopping visit.'

I also will never forget a time when Bala was in Kota Kinabalu to lead NST's coverage of Tun Ghaffar Baba, newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister. I was to play host to Bala and now I felt I was then a very poor host to a great man. Many knew, or might had been told by Bala, What had transpired during his stay in Sabah,

I am sure that journalists and those who knew Bala mourns his passing. Good-Bye Mr Bala.

Good bye Mr Bala