'He was a sincere, honest man'

Maziah Manaf (third from left), the widow of Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed, 

pouring scented water on his grave at the Muslim cemetery i

n Petaling Jaya yesterday. — Bernama picture

 The late Selangor Customs Department assistant director Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed, 56, was yesterday described by a relative as "a very honest man".

The relative, a retired police officer in his 60s, also said Ahmad Sarbaini was not a rich man. 

"He lived a modest life. Family members believe he had done no wrong and had nothing to hide. We are, therefore, puzzled why the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was investigating Ahmad Sarbaini.

"He was not the type who would accept a bribe. He even turned down gifts, which he deemed inappropriate. You can ask anyone who knows him. I can vouch for this."

The relative said Ahmad Sarbaini had said he was not worried about the MACC probe because he could account for his financial status.

He said Ahmad Sarbaini had been a sincere and hardworking man all his life.

"He had been working diligently after completing his Lower Certificate of Education (now known as Penilaian Menengah Rendah). 

"He worked as an office boy before becoming a Kuala Lumpur Hospital assistant serving haemodialysis patients.

"He then took a diploma course and joined the Customs Department soon after. Based on his hospital experience, he had planned to open a haemodialysis centre with a friend when he retired," he said at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre mortuary yesterday.

The relative added that Ahmad Sarbaini had owned three houses, one of which had been sold. All the houses were bought on government loans.

"Ahmad Sarbaini was not even considered rich. He owned three cars -- a Perodua Kancil, a second-hand Honda CRV and a Proton Persona, which was bought three months ago.

"The Persona was bought by his wife, Maziah Manaf, as he could not take a loan because he had stood as a guarantor for another loan." 

Ahmad Sarbaini was buried at the Kota Damansara Section 9 Muslim Cemetery.

Customs director-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Yusuf, Selangor Customs director Datuk Aziz Yacub, federal police counter-terrorism director Datuk Mohamad Fuzi Harun and about 100 colleagues, friends and family members were at the funeral which took place about 6pm.

UKMMC Forensic Department head Associate Professor Dr Shahrom Abd Wahid had earlier conducted the post-mortem. The death certificate listed cause of death as "pending lab analysis".