OBITUARY

The Passing of an Innovator

Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un

On a quiet morning, Indonesia’s academic community and environmental movement lost one of their finest sons. Ir. Akhmad Zainal Abidin, M.Sc., Ph.D., a Chemical Engineering lecturer at ITB, has passed away and was laid to rest this past Sunday.

The passing of Kang Zainal—as I habitually called the late scholar—has left an irreplaceable void. More than just a lecturer or researcher, he was a pioneer who transformed the paradigm of waste management in Indonesia through MASARO (Zero Waste Management) technology—a valuable legacy that continues to empower communities and heal the earth.

The Sower of Justice

Back in our college days during the 1980s, we—students from the ITB classes of ’81 and ’82—frequently interacted and conversed about a wide range of topics. Amidst the bustle of student life—whether in a corner of the Ganesha campus or at the Salman Mosque—Kang Zainal would always speak with a sparkle in his eyes about justice for the destitute, the necessity of standing with the vulnerable, technology that fosters well-being, and education for the forgotten, even though he often displayed an unmistakable shyness in his mannerisms.

He did not merely speak; he turned his words into action. From the laboratory to remote villages, and from prestigious international journals to community training programs, Kang Zainal has woven his vision into reality. With over 590 citations of his scientific work, dozens of registered patents, and hundreds of tons of waste transformed into fuel, fertilizer, and animal feed, he offers tangible proof of a life lived with integrity.

From Manchester to the Nusantara

After earning his doctorate from the University of Manchester in 1996, Kang Zainal chose to return home. Amidst the allure of a glittering career abroad, he chose his homeland, chose ITB, and chose to serve the nation that had nurtured him. He believed that knowledge must be grounded in reality, sustain the people, and serve as a blessing to the universe.

The MASARO technology he pioneered in 2010 is not merely about superabsorbent polymers or the circular economy—it is about dignity. It is about waste pickers earning a decent living, villages free from the stench of refuse, and future generations inheriting a cleaner earth. That is the justice he used to speak of; that is the love he embodied in every chemical formula.

An Enduring Legacy

That figure has now departed—returning to the Creator. Yet, his legacy endures: in every operational MASARO installation, in every student he mentored, and in every community he touched with his kindness.

My dear friend

Amidst the ceaseless whirl of the world, your passing reminds us of the true meaning of life: that knowledge without humanity is an illusion, and innovation without a commitment to the greater good is in vain.

You have shown the way—that a true scientist is one who does not stop at publications and patents, but presses on until their technology becomes a blessing for the weak and marginalized.

May all your acts of worship and goodness be an inspiration for those of us who are still alive, and may you obtain mercy and glory in the sight of Allah SWT. May your journey home to the Eternal Home be filled with incomparable light and peace.

Farewell, my friend…

You have run well and finished the race brilliantly.

Now is the time for you to rest under His protection.

From an old friend, GWS – TK81