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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 22, 2001

Malaysia Mourns King's Death

Seven weeks after undergoing heart surgery, King Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah -- the beloved leader of Malaysia's Muslims --died at age 75. The nation mourned on Thursday, led by hundreds of dignitaries who attended prayers at the national mosque.


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Seven weeks after undergoing heart surgery, King Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah-- the beloved leader of Malaysia's Muslims-- died at age 75. The nation mourned on Thursday, led by hundreds of dignitaries who attended prayers at the national mosque.

Salahuddin died shortly before noon Wednesday at Kuala Lumpur's Gleneagles hospital.

``It is with great regret and sorrow I announce the death of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah,'' Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said in a nationally televised address, using the king's Malay title.

Salahuddin's death does not affect the running of the government. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, and the king's duties-- including rubber-stamping bills-- are largely ceremonial, with governing power lying with the prime minister and Parliament.

But he was considered the supreme upholder of Malay tradition for the Southeast Asian nation's Muslims, who make up more than 60 percent of its 23 million people, and the symbolic head of Islam, a legacy that dates back to the early 15th century.

The country began a day of mourning and funeral ceremonies Thursday. At the mosque, hundreds of the nation's leading figures, including Mahathir, stood silently before Salahuddin's casket, which was draped with a yellow flag bearing the royal crest of twin tigers.

Salahuddin is survived by his wife, Siti Aishah, 29, whom he married in 1990, and 10 sons and four daughters from four marriages.

``I'm very much saddened because he has been a good friend and we were very close,'' Mahathir said Wednesday. ``I will miss him a lot.''

Singapore's President S.R. Nathan expressed ``deepest sympathies and condolences'' to the king's wife on behalf of the government and people of the neighboring city-state. In neighboring Thailand, flags at government and state buildings were ordered to fly at half-staff for three days in solidarity with Malaysia.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II also sent a message of condolence.






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