London - Robin Gibb of British pop group The Bee Gees Friday described Michael Jackson as a "wonderful sensitive human being" and suggested the US singer would still be alive if he had been allowed to keep his private life private.

"This tragedy should teach us a lesson to value and praise those gifts while we still have them in the world," said Gibb.

"If even a small portion of the praise that is bestowed on Michael Jackson now in death was given to him last year, in life, he might well still be with us."

"That is the sad truth. One consolation is that he will triumph by his legacy," said Gibb in a radio interview. (dpa)