Prominent academic Kamal Hassan dies

Malaysian academic Mohd Kamal Hassan died today following complications from a recent surgical procedure. He was 80.

The Kelantan-born professor was the first Malaysian rector of the International Islamic University, where he served from 1998 to 2006.

Within Malaysian academic circles, he was known as an expert in contemporary Islam in the Malay world and was appointed as chairman of government think tank Institute of Islamic Understanding.

He was also behind the "Encyclopedia of Malaysia: Religions and Beliefs", which details each religion practised in Malaysia since World War II.

Kamal received the title of Professor Ulung for his contributions, and wrote more than 70 papers related to contemporary issues in Malaysia and the challenges facing Muslims.

Last year, he lashed out at the "hypocrisy and moral decay" of politicians in Malaysia in a book titled "Corruption and Hypocrisy in Malay Muslim Politics: The Urgency of Moral-Ethical Transformation", in which he described many local politicians as being alien to the Malay concept of "malu" (modesty).

He also spoke on the problem of blind loyalty to political parties.

"Blind loyalty can be erased if politicians realise that they should devote themselves not to their party, but to God," he told Astro Awani in an interview last year.