KUALA LUMPUR - Former deputy inspector-general of police, the late Tan Sri Jaafar Abdul who left a S$19 million estate, was simple, frugal, strict and an upright man who led a conservative life and made conservative investments, said a family member.

His niece, Datuk Zuraidah Atan Abdul, said his estate was primarily inheritance from her grandmother (Jaafar's mother) who was a descendant of the Muar landed gentry or the Orang Kaya Bakar and "Jamak dan Bugis" lineage.

Her grandfather was from Brunei, she said in response to queries about her late uncle's estate which is the subject of a legal tussle between her sole surviving uncle (Jaafar's brother) Ahmad Bedol, 70, and Jaafar's only child, Jeffri, 39.

Jaafar, who was 77 when he died on Sept 1 at the Gleneagles Hospital here after massive upper gastronomical bleeding, left S$15 million in savings and S$4 million in properties.

Jeffri had obtained an interim order against Ahmad in the Syariah Court in Muar on Nov 4 to freeze all moveable properties of his father until a decision by the court.

He also wants Ahmad's bank accounts frozen and an order that financial institutions, including Lembaga Urusan Tabung Haji, Permodalan Nasional Bhd, Bursa Malaysia and enforcement agencies, adhere to the Syariah Court order.

The court will be hearing the case on Monday.

Zuraidah, who is honorary adviser to the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, said her late uncle was married to Foziah (formerly Florence), a Chinese from Brunei. She died in 1987.

She further said that after retirement, her uncle went into corporate life "but strongly believed in savings especially in Amanah Saham, Tabung Haji and fixed deposits".

"He refused to spend much and kept a low profile.

"He was a shrewd property investor. Over the years, he would buy up auctioned/distressed assets as investments and sold some and reinvested in Amanah Saham."

Zuraidah said he was greatly missed by their family.

"Our support and love go to our surviving uncle, Ahmad Bedol, the last remaining sibling from the Abdul brothers and clan.

"Our family is confident, Insyallah, that all parties will settle amicably in the Syariah Court on Monday in accordance with the Far'aid and syariah as guided by Islam."