Umno veteran Abdul Aziz Tapa died today. He was 93.

Abdul Aziz died at the Putra Hospital in Malacca at 11.55am, said his son Amir Hamzah when contacted by Bernama.

He said his father would be buried at his village of Kampung Rim in Jasin.

Abdul Aziz, who was born in Kampung Rim on June 13, 1923, was a teacher before he entered politics in 1946 by joining the Pergerakan Melayu Semenanjung Johor (Johor Peninsular Malays Movement), an anti-Malayan Union movement led by Onn Jaafar.

He had held key positions in Umno and the Barisan Nasional in Malacca, among them Malacca BN treasurer, Jasin Umno deputy chief, Jasin Umno permanent chairperson and Malacca Umno Veterans Bureau chairpeson.

Abdul Aziz was also a senator from 1975 to 1977, and had served as the assemblyperson for Nyalas and Rim from 1978 and 1982, respectively.

He had been acclaimed as the 1986 National Tokoh Guru (Teacher Leader), 2003 Malacca Tokoh Budaya (Cultural Leader) and 2006 Malacca Tokoh Maal Hijrah.

As a recognition of his struggle for the Malays, he was awarded the 2016 Umno Distinguished Tokoh Melayu Award at the Umno 70th anniversary celebration on May 12 this year.

- Bernama