He was a lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic and conducted the first large-scale study on the effects of traffic noise on housing estates; the study would later inform future legislations and studies on traffic noise.[3]
Ahmad was also the founding president of Mendaki (1982–1989), which was established to look into the educational and welfare needs of the Malay/Muslim community.[4]
Political career
In 1972, he ran for the Leng Kee Single Member Constituency at the recommendation of Abdul Rahim Ishak, then the MP for Siglap SMC. From 1985 to 1995, he was appointed as the Minister for the Environment.[5] During his tenure as the Minister for the Environment, he was known for tightening restrictions on the sale of aerosols containing CFCs and introducing the Corrective work order (CWO) to combat littering. He had intended to resign from Cabinet in 1991 but was persuaded to remain by newly elected Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. In 1996 he retired from politics and has largely kept a low profile.