KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, has expressed his condolences to the family and loved ones of historian and academician Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim who died today. 

The King hailed Khoo’s tremendous contribution to the nation. 

"Khoo was a prolific and well-respected Malaysian who had dedicated his life's work to Malaysia.

"A true patriot, his role in nation-building, be it through his teaching, research, writings and his involvement in the drafting of the Rukun Negara, must be honoured and acknowledged. His passing is a great loss to Malaysia,” His Majesty said in a statement issued by the Comptroller of the Royal Household, Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin.

Khoo died of a lung infection at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre in Petaling Jaya at about 10am. He was 82.

Khoo, who was born in Kampar, Perak, leaves behind wife Puan Sri Rathi Khoo, 75, and three sons, Eddin, 50, Rubin, 47, and Mavin, 42.

He was one of the writers who drafted the Rukun Negara after the race riots in 1969.

Khoo will be buried at the Nirvana Memorial Park in Shah Alam on Saturday. — Bernama