(AFP) Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, who died at the Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre today at the age of 75, earned the title "the ruler with the heart of the people".

He mixed easily with his subjects after being crowned Malaysia's 11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on April 26, 1999, and was known for championing the building of hospitals and raising the plight of squatters.

Sultan Salahuddin who is also the ruler of Selangor, was born on March 8, 1926. He had 10 children from four marriages.

Before ascending the throne, he married his fourth wife, 29-year-old Siti Aishah, when she was a banking student in 1990.

As a commoner, she was not fully accepted into royal circles until Oct 1998 when she was formally crowned as sultana before becoming queen when her husband was crowned.

Sultan Salahuddin's early education at the elite Kuala Kangsar Malay College was interrupted when Malaya was invaded by the Japanese in 1941 during World War II.

He remained in the family palace in Klang until the end of the war.

In 1947, he left for Britain where he studied public administration and English at the University of London.

Outspoken nature

After returning home and working as a school inspector and undergoing a brief stint as an army officer, he became sultan of Selangor in 1960 when his father Hisamuddin died in office while serving as Malaysia's second king.

Under the constitution, the position of king is rotated among the heads of the royal families of nine states every five years.

In seven of the states they are known as sultans. The title of raja is used in Pelis and Yang di-Pertuan Besar in Negeri Sembilan.

Due to historical reasons dating back to the British occupation, the other four states of Malacca, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak do not have royal rulers.

Sultan Salahuddin was known for his outspoken and straightforward nature when dealing with administrators and politicians.

He had a keen passion for the arts and Malay architecture, landscaping and craftsmanship, and shunned 'royal' pastimes such as polo in favour of simple hobbies like rearing wild birds, gardening and collecting.

In 1998 he opened a Royal Gallery in Klang, near Kuala Lumpur, which was his personal museum containing more than 1,500 exhibits ranging from photographs and pottery to model cars and dolls.