Malaysians mourn spiritual leader

Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, a revered Islamic spiritual leader who helped bolster unity in Malaysia's opposition bloc and was a key advocate of Islamic law, has died. He was 84.

His son Nik Mohammad Abduh Nik Aziz said his father, who was battling prostate cancer, died on Thursday at his home in Kelantan state.

Nik Aziz, the spiritual leader of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS, helped keep his party in an opposition alliance amid calls from conservative members to leave the bloc.