A memorial service for the late Senedd Member Mohammad ‘Oscar’ Asghar was held in the Welsh Parliament today (September 28).
Oscar, the first ethnic minority Member of the Senedd, represented South East Wales in the Welsh Parliament from 2007 until his tragic death in June 2020.
The memorial was organised by his daughter Natasha Asghar, who now represents the same region in the Senedd.
First Minister Mark Drakeford, Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, Darren Millar MS and Lord Nick Bourne were just a few of the people who paid tribute to Oscar at the service.
Mark Drakeford shared a series of funny memories he holds of Oscar and talked about Glamorgan Cricket Club – something the two bonded over in the Senedd.
Darren Millar read a poem called Life Lessons and Lord Nick Bourne gave an appreciation of Oscar’s life.
Andrew RT Davies, who opened the memorial service, talked about Oscar’s generosity and kindness, his love for his family and deep faith.
The memorial also featured prayers from religious leaders of the Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Hindu faiths.
Oscar’s former staffer Joanna Markham shared some of her memories before reading a letter sent to the family from a constituent following Oscar’s death expressing her gratitude to Oscar for saving her from a forced marriage and noting the countless other women who he helped prior to and during his time as an MS.
Natasha Asghar MS told the audience: “I have given a lot of speeches and tributes in my life and by far I found this the hardest to put into words.
“It is clear from all the contributions today, all of your lovely messages, calls, and conversations over the past two years that Oscar was a lot of things to a lot of people.
“He was the first ethnic minority member of the Welsh Parliament, he was a friend, a colleague, a mentor, a pilot, an uncle, a husband, a father, an accountant, a brother, and alongside of all of those things he was just my dad.”
She added: “He loved being a politician and never took his position for granted. As a member here he knew he was in a position of privilege and always wanted to see people from diverse backgrounds enter the Welsh Parliament and he would be delighted to see more faces in various roles across the board today. However, I also know he would say we can do to better.”
Natasha also talked about her father’s love of clothes, his dedication to constituents, his kindness, sense of humour and political career.
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Cynhaliwyd gwasanaeth coffa i’r diweddar Aelod o’r Senedd Mohammad ‘Oscar’ Asghar yn y Senedd heddiw (28 Medi).
Roedd Oscar, yr Aelod o’r Senedd cyntaf o leiafrif ethnig, yn cynrychioli De-Ddwyrain Cymru yn y Senedd o 2007 tan ei farwolaeth drist ym mis Mehefin 2020.
Trefnwyd y gwasanaeth coffa gan ei ferch Natasha Asghar, sydd bellach yn cynrychioli’r un rhanbarth â’i thad yn y Senedd.
Roedd y Prif Weinidog Mark Drakeford, arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig Andrew RT Davies, Darren Millar AS a’r Arglwydd Nick Bourne ymysg y bobl a dalodd deyrnged i Oscar.
Rhannodd Mark Drakeford gyfres o hanesion doniol am Oscar a siaradodd am Glwb Criced Morgannwg - rhywbeth a ddaeth â’r ddau ynghyd yn y Senedd.
Darllenodd Darren Millar gerdd o’r enw Life Lessons a rhoddodd yr Arglwydd Nick Bourne deyrnged i fywyd Oscar.
Siaradodd Andrew RT Davies, a agorodd y gwasanaeth coffa, am haelioni a charedigrwydd Oscar, ei gariad at ei deulu a’i ffydd gadarn.
Roedd y gwasanaeth hefyd yn cynnwys gweddïau gan arweinwyr crefyddol o’r ffydd Mwslimaidd, Iddewig, Cristnogol a Hindwaidd.
Rhannodd cyn aelod o staff Oscar, Joanna Markham, rai o’i hatgofion cyn darllen llythyr a anfonwyd at y teulu gan etholwr yn dilyn marwolaeth Oscar yn diolch iddo am ei hachub o briodas dan orfod gan nodi’r menywod di-ri eraill yr oedd wedi’u helpu cyn ac yn ystod ei gyfnod fel AS.
Meddai Natasha Asghar AS wrth y gynulleidfa: “Rydw i wedi traddodi llawer o areithiau a theyrngedau yn ystod fy oes ond dyma’r deyrnged anoddaf o bell ffordd i’w chyfleu mewn geiriau.
“Mae’n amlwg o’r holl gyfraniadau heddiw, eich holl negeseuon hyfryd, yr holl alwadau ffôn a sgyrsiau dros y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf bod Oscar yn llawer o bethau i lawer o bobl.
“Ef oedd yr Aelod o’r Senedd cyntaf o leiafrif ethnig, roedd yn ffrind, yn gydweithiwr, yn fentor, yn beilot, yn ewythr, yn ŵr, tad, cyfrifydd, brawd a law yn llaw â’r holl bethau hyn, roedd yn dad i fi.”
Ychwanegodd: “Roedd wrth ei fodd fel gwleidydd a byth yn cymryd ei swydd yn ganiataol. Fel aelod roedd yn gwybod ei fod mewn sefyllfa freintiedig a wastad eisiau gweld pobl o gefndiroedd amrywiol yn ymweld â’r Senedd a byddai ar ben ei ddigon yn gweld mwy o wynebau mewn rolau amrywiol heddiw. Fodd bynnag, rydw i hefyd yn gwybod y byddai’n dweud y gallen ni wneud yn well.”
Siaradodd Natasha hefyd am gariad ei thad at ddillad, ei ymroddiad i’w etholwyr, ei garedigrwydd, ei synnwyr digrifwch a’i yrfa wleidyddol.
