Ungku Abdul Aziz

Ungku Abdul Aziz bin Ungku Abdul Hamid (28 January 1922 – 15 December 2020) was a Malaysian economist and lecturer. He was the 3rd Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya from 1968 to 1988 and the 1st General Director of the Council on Language and Literature of Malaysia from 1956 until 1957. He was awarded the title of Royal Professor (Profesor Diraja) in 1978.[1]

Yang Mulia Royal Professor Dr.

Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid
3rd Vice-Chancellor of University of Malaya
In office
October 1968 – February 1988
Preceded byJ. H. E. Griffiths
Succeeded bySyed Hussein Alatas
1st Director of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
In office
1956–1957
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded bySyed Nasir Ismail
Personal details
Born
Ungku Abdul Aziz bin Ungku Abdul Hamid

(1922-01-28)28 January 1922
London, England
Died15 December 2020(2020-12-15) (aged 98)
Prince Court Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Resting placeBukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
NationalityBritish, Malaysian
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1946; died 2012)​

Rohayah Ahmad Bahiran
​
​
(m. 2014; his death 2020)​
ChildrenZeti Akhtar Aziz
EducationEnglish College Johore Bahru
Alma materUniversity of Malaya (DipArts, BA in Economics)
Waseda University (PhD)
OccupationEconomist, lecturer
Known forThe only person that hold the title of Royal Professor in Malaysia

Early life, family and education

He was born into the Johor Royal Family. His father, Ungku Abdul Hamid Ungku Abdul Majid was a Malayan prince and military officer. He was a cousin of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas and Syed Hussein Alatas as well as Sultan Ibrahim of Johor on his father's side. His father was of Malay and Circassian descent,[2][3] while his mother was English.[4]

He graduated from the English college at Johore Bahru and the Malay school in Batu Pahat. He received Diploma in Arts from Raffles College, Singapore (now University of Malaya) and Bachelor of Arts in Economics at University of Malaya, Singapore (now University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur) in 1951. He then defended his doctoral dissertation in Waseda University (Tokyo, Japan) in 1964.

His daughter, Zeti Akhtar Aziz, was the former governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, Malaysia's central bank.

Academic career

He worked in the state administration of Johore, in 1952–1961 as a lecturer at the University of Malaya (Singapore), with a one-year break, when he headed the Council on Language and Literature of Malaysia.

In the years 1962–1965, he was a professor and dean of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Malaya (Kuala Lumpur), while in 1968–1988, he was promoted to vice-chancellor of this university. He was the first Malaysian to become the vice-chancellor of University of Malaya. On his initiative, the University created the Botanical Garden, the Museum of Asian Art, the cooperative bookstore.[5] He is the author of the economic justification of a number of industrial projects, more than 50 books and monographs on social and economic problems of Malaysia, consultant to UN specialized organizations (ILO, UNESCO, UN Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East).[6]

In 17 June 1978, he was awarded the rank and title of Royal Professor (Profesor Diraja) by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia and he was the only person in Malaysia to hold that rank.

Awards
  • Rank of the Royal Professor (1978) (awarded by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia) (only in Malaysia)[7][8]
  • Japan Foundation Award (1981)[9]
  • The Fukuoka Prize (1993)
  • The title of "Outstanding Figure of the Islamic era" (Malay: Tokoh Maal Hijrah) (1997) (awarded by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia)
  • The title of "Outstanding Figure of the National Cooperative Movement" (Malay: Tokoh Koperasi Negara) (2002)
  • The Outstanding Malay Figure Award (Malay: Anugerah Melayu Terbilang) (2005)
  • National Academic Award (Malay: Anugerah Akademik Negara) (2006)
  • National Merdeka Award (2008)
  • Rochdale Award (2009)[10]

Death

Ungku Aziz died in Prince Court Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur at 4:30 in the evening due to old age. He was 98 and is survived by his wife, Rohayah Ahmad Bahiran and his only daughter, Zeti Akhtar Aziz.[11][12][13][14] He was laid to rest at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur.[15][16][17]

Namesakes

Several places were named after him, including:

  • Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Ungku Aziz (SMKUA), Sabak Bernam, Selangor
  • Balai Ungku Aziz, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya
  • Kolej Kediaman Ungku Aziz, 11th residential college at the University of Malaya

References
  1. "YM. Professor Diraja Tun Dr. Ungku Abdul Aziz" (in Malay). Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  2. Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas Archived 14 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine, MSA Library Online
  3. Taking root, branching out, DZIREENA MAHADZIR, 1 April 2007, The Star (Malaysia)
  4. Mohamed Abid. (2003). Reflections of pre-independence Malaya. Onn Jaafar, Dato', 1895-1962. Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: Pelanduk Publications. p. 66. ISBN 967-978-865-2. OCLC 53896919.
  5. Malaysian's Renaissance Man Turns 90 Today. – "New Straits Times", 22.01.2012
  6. Hashim Yaacob, et al. Royal Professor Ungku A. Aziz: The Renaissance Man. Kuala Lumpur: UM Press, 2010
  7. Pogadaev, V. Malayan World (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore). Lingvostranovedchesky Dictionary. M.: "The Eastern Book", 2012, p. 699
  8. "YM. Professor Diraja Tun Dr. Ungku Abdul Aziz" (in Malay). Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  9. http://www.jpf.go.jp/e/about/award/index.html Japan Foundation Award, 1981
  10. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) ica.coop ga2009-rochdale-award
  11. "Royal Prof Ungku Aziz dies, aged 98". The Star Online. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  12. "Ungku Aziz dies at 98". New Straits Times. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  13. "Ungku Aziz meninggal dunia". Berita Harian (in Malay). 15 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  14. "Ungku Aziz meninggal dunia". Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 15 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  15. "Royal Prof Ungku Aziz laid to rest". New Straits Times. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  16. "Royal Prof Ungku Aziz laid to rest in Kuala Lumpur". The Malay Mail. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  17. Mokhtar, Nor Azizah (15 December 2020). "Jenazah Ungku Aziz selamat dikebumikan". Berita Harian (in Malay). Retrieved 25 January 2021.

Bibliography
  • Abu Bakar A. Hamid, K. T. Joseph. The University at Pantai Valley: Glimpses of the past. Kuala Lumpur: UM Press, 2009 ISBN 9831004744
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