Zakaria Md Deros dies

The Star, Wednesday March 12, 2008

By WANI MUTHIAH, EDWARD RAJENDRA and MARTIN CARVALHO

KLANG: Former Port Klang state assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros died of a heart attack at his palatial home in Kg Idaman near here early yesterday morning.

His son Zulhisham, 29, said Zakaria died while discussing the grim outcome of the recent general election with family members and friends.

“We were all seated around the dining table after a late dinner at about 12.30, discussing what had happened, when my father experienced breathing difficulties and fell,” said Zulhisham, who is married to former deputy information minister Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s daughter Nurul Izwani.

Besides his children and close friends and political allies, Zakaria’s wife Datin Zizah Ngah was also with him.

Zakaria, 62, courted controversy when he built his palatial home in a low-cost housing area without submitting its building plans to the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) for approval.

He had also operated an unlicensed satay restaurant built illegally on government reserve land and had not paid assessment for another property for 12 years. All these occurred while he was an MPK councillor.

Zakaria’s misdemeanours were brought to light in 2006, which caused him to give up his municipal councillor post of more than 20 years.

His career in politics was put to an end when he was dropped from the Barisan Nasional list for the recently concluded election.

Among those who thronged Zakaria’s troubled mansion was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Putrajaya MP Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Dr Ahmad Zahid and former Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib.

Zakaria is survived by his wife, 11 children aged between 39 to 11, 13 grandchildren as well as two sons-in-law and five daughters-in-law.

His body was later sent to Malacca and laid to rest at his village at the Kuala Sungai Baru Muslim cemetery in Masjid Tanah.