KUALA LUMPUR: Former Foreign Ministry secretary-general and chairman of the Malay Civilisation Board (Adab) Tan Sri Mohd Yusof Hitam passed away on Thursday (Jan 6) after being involved in a mishap.

       Adab council member and joint founder Mohd Arof Ishak said Yusof, 86, breathed his last at about 4pm at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

       "He was involved in an accident in front of his house in Bukit Damansara," he told Bernama when contacted here Friday (Jan 7).

       Yusof will be buried at the Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery in Taman Tun Dr Ismail after Friday prayers.

       Arof described Yusof's death as a big loss, saying he was a firm and trustworthy man with high intellect.

       Yusof was ambassador to Vietnam in 1976 before he was appointed as High Commissioner to New Zealand in 1978 and Malaysia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 1986.

       He served as Foreign Ministry secretary-general in 1988 and leaves behind his wife, Puan Sri Michiyo Noor Azian Mustakim, and three children.

       Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah expressed his condolences to Yusof's family in a tweet Friday morning.

       "May his soul be blessed and placed among the righteous,” he said. - Bernama

       Salam takziah kepada Keluarga Tan Sri Mohd Yusof Hitam, mantan Ketua Setiausaha @MalaysiaMFA yang telah kembali ke rahmatullah. Semoga roh Allahyarham dicucuri rahmat dan ditempatkan dalam kalangan mereka yang beriman. pic.twitter.com/e7oh60riEO

       — Saifuddin Abdullah (@saifuddinabd) January 7, 2022