Johor MB expresses condolences over Ungku Aziz's death

JOHOR BARU: Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad has expressed his condolences over the passing of Royal Prof Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid.

In a Facebook post, he described almarhum Ungku Aziz as an "eminent statesman".

“Indeed, all his sacrifices and contributions, in the field of economics and education, are incomparable.

“May all the services and favours of the deceased be rewarded by Allah in the hereafter, ” he added.

Ungku Aziz died in hospital at 4pm on Tuesday (Dec 15). He was 98.

Born in Hampstead, London, England on Jan 28,1922, Ungku Aziz was a renowned economist, administrator, academician, sportsman and writer.

Ungku Aziz graduated from Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar, or better known as English College, and the Malay School in Batu Pahat.

He received his higher education at the Raffles College in Singapore.

He was the first Malaysian and longest serving vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaya, and the first Malay economist and the sole person to have been accorded the status of royal professor in the country.

Ungku Aziz was instrumental in the establishment of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), Lembaga Tabung Haji and the National Cooperative Organisation of Malaysia (Angkasa).

He has written more than 50 books and monographs on social and economic problems of Malaysia, and was a consultant to various UN agencies.

His daughter is former Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.