THE LIFE OF TAN SRI HARUN M. HASHIM: A MEMOIR

Abstract

This article will provide an insight into the colourful journey of Tan Sri Harun Hashim – his life experience, education background, his distinguished career path and achievements as well as contributions made especially to the education sector and the legal profession. It is also an attempt to provide a glimpse of the other side of Tan Sri Harun Hashim, off the limelight – as a father, a grandfather, a mentor and a friend, as he left his footprints firmly etched in the memory of his loved ones. This research employs a qualitative method focusing on in-depth interviews as well as a comprehensive analysis of relevant books, articles, newspaper reports and documentations. In this article, fragments from the colourful journey of Tan Sri Harun Hashim come from stories narrated through interviews with those who were close to him and had personal encounters with Tan Sri while some other information is extracted from his well-known column, “The Benchmark”, appearing in the New Straits Times from 1994 until his demise in 2003. “The Benchmark” provided useful insights into the ideals and aspirations of Tan Sri, and relayed some first-hand information on his life journey and extraordinary experiences. Some information on Tan Sri’s personal life is gathered from exclusive interviews with Tan Sri’s family members themselves, conducted by the authors and Hisham Harun, Tan Sri Harun’s son. This article aims at offering a unique biography of Tan Sri Harun Hashim who was known to be a gem to the nation, especially in the legal and education sectors in Malaysia. It is an effort to highlight and set in stone the legacy left by him so that it becomes a benchmark for the younger generations to follow and emulate.