A veteran leader of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno) party, Sulaiman Ninam Shah died at the age of 83 from leukaemia, the official Bernama news agency said today.

Bernama said Sulaiman, who had held the post of Umno permanent chairman for the past 28 years, died early today at a private hospital.