Bishan Singh Ram Singh

Bishan Singh Ram Singh (May 31 1944 - November 30 2006) was a Malaysian social activist and environmentalist.

Background

Born in Nibong Tebal, Penang, Bishan Singh had a Masters in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management, Manila.

Bishan Singh spearheaded a campaign to save Tasik Chini, a famous lake in Pahang which is also Malaysia's largest freshwater lake, and received strong support from the private sector. To him, the lake was special in many ways and had been in love with the lake since his secondary school days and wanted it to be revived.

Bishan Singh was president of Fomca and the Pahang Consumers Association and was a former Kuantan councillor.

He held the presidency of the Sustainable Development Network and was a board member of the Pesticide Action Network, Asia Pacific.

He had offered his services in consultancy for more than 20 years in 22 countries.

His efforts did not go unnoticed and he was the first recipient of the Consumer Advocate Award, and most recently was named the recipient of Langkawi Award by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Death

Bishan Singh died at 6.43am at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital on November 30 2006, aged 62; the cause of death was listed as pulmonary embolism.

His wife Mary Wai, 66, and children Sunitha, 35, and Jeevan Ram, 33, were by his side. Fomca secretary-general Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah described Singh's death as a “great loss to the nation and NGO community”.

References

[http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/30/nation/16178953&sec=nation Social activist Bishan Singh dies] , The Star, November 30, 2006