KUALA LUMPUR: Renowned academician and economist Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz died at Prince Court Hospital at 4pm today.
He was 98.
Quoting Ungku Aziz's wife, Rohayah Ahmad Bahiran, a local news agency said his body would be laid to rest at Masjid At-Taqwa tonight.
Born in Hampstead, London, on Jan 28,1922, Ungku Aziz was instrumental in the establishment of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), Tabung Haji Management Board and Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad.
He graduated from the English College Johor Baru and the Malay School in Batu Pahat, becoming the first Malaysian and the longest serving vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaya.
He was also known as the first Malay economist and the sole person to have been accorded the status of royal professor in the country.
His daughter is the former Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.