HISTORIAN and academician Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Zainal Kling (picture) died at Shah Alam Hospital at 4.30 this morning.

Zainal, 80, who is also the Head of the Heritage and Socio-cultural History Cluster of the National Council of Professors (MPN) and former Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Universiti Malaya (UM), was taken to the emergency unit by his family after his health deteriorated due to complications from diabetes a couple of days before.

His body will be taken to Surau Seksyen 3, Shah Alam.

Throughout his life, Zainal make various contribution including being the Chairman of the Expert Committee on the World Encyclopedia, Chairman of the Expert Committee on Culture, Encyclopedia of Malay History and Culture, Member of the Board of Directors of the Language and Library Hall (DBP), Member of the DBP Publication Committee and Member of the Poverty Eradication Steering Committee, Ministry of Rural Development.

He is also the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs) of UM and the former Chair of the Malay Rulers of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). — TMR