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The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders. The Philippines historically used Malay titles in its pre-Hispanic history as evidenced by historical figures Rajah Sulayman, Lakandula and Dayang Kalangitan. Malay titles are still used by the traditional royal houses of Sulu, Maguindanao, Maranao and Iranun in the southern Philippines.^[1][2][3][4]

Indonesia, meanwhile, despite being a Republic, recognizes several hereditary rulers and aristocratic systems, mostly those who supported the Independence movement of 1945. The late wife of former President Suharto, for example, was the Raden Ayu Siti Hartinah, not as some say, Madame Suharto. (Under the Dutch in Java, similarly, descendants of the Majoors, Kapiteins and Luitnens der Chinezen were entitled to the hereditary title "Sia".) In the 1930s, the colonial government abolished these titles and Peranakan feudalism, during implementation of their "social policy", whose goal was establishing a more egalitarian society.^{[citation needed]}

Today, Malaysia, Brunei and several provinces in Indonesia still regularly award honorary and life titles. What follows is specific to the Malaysian system. References to Brunei and Indonesia are given when pertinent.

In Malaysia, all non-hereditary titles can be granted to both men and women. Every title has a form which can be used by the wife of the title holder. This form is not used by the husband of a titled woman; such a woman will bear a title which is the same as a titled man.

The sequence that should be used when formally writing or addressing a person's name is as follows:

Honorary Style, Professional Rank, Royal Hereditary Title, Federal Title, State Title, Non-royal Hereditary Title, Doctor (of medicine or philosophy), Haji/Hajjah (for Muslim men and women who have performed the Hajj), Name.

A "style" carried by virtue of royal title always trumps those carried by non-royal titles. Male royals may choose to append "al-Haj" to their name instead of using "Haji". The following example is correct:

• Yang Amat Mulia Jeneral Tengku Dato' (Name) al-Haj

Malay royalty[link]

The following titles are hereditary and reserved for royal families of the nine royal states of Malaysia and royal families of Brunei.

Malaysia[link]

• Yang di-Pertuan Agong (literally, "He who is made Supreme Lord" but usually "Supreme Head" or "Paramount Ruler") is the official title of the ruler of all Malaysia, elected from among the nine heads of the royal families. The title is often glossed King in English.
• Yang di-Pertuan Besar (literally "He who is made Great Lord", but often "Great Lord") is the official title of the Ruler of Negeri Sembilan. All other Rulers are Sultans except the Raja of Perlis.
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri is not a royal title, but the title of a Governor of a state which does not have a hereditary ruler.
• Tuanku is both a title when used before a name and form of address when used alone, and is reserved for the Malay Rulers. It literally means "My Lord", and as a form of address can be glossed as "Your Majesty" or "Your Highness", but is left untranslated when used as a title. In Sarawak, "Tuanku" is the prefix used by certain noble families. In Aceh, a province of Indonesia, "Tuanku" is given to children and grandchildren of a ruling monarch.
• Tengku (also spelled Tunku in Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Kedah, and Ungku or Engku to denote particular lineages, and Raja in Perak and certain Selangor lineages, and Syed/Sharifah in Perlis if suffixed by the royal clan name "Jamalullail") is roughly equivalent to Prince or Princess. Tengku is also royal hereditary Malay title in eastern Sumatra which is part of Alam Melayu (Malay World). East Sumatra have several Malay sultanate such as Sultanate of Langkat, Sultanate of Serdang, Sultanate of Deli, Sultanate of Asahan, Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura, Tengku Besar of Pelalawan and Sultanate of Riau-Lingga

Brunei[link]

• 'Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan' is the official title of the Sultan of Brunei. The present Sultan's official name (with full title) is "Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam"
• The Crown Prince has the title "Pegiran Muda Mahkota".
• The Sultan's sons would have the title "Pengiran Muda" while his daughters would have the title "Pengiran Anak Puteri"
• Pengiran is a hereditary honorific prefix for people who have blood ties with the royal family.
  • Awangku is the honorific for male children of a pengiran who are unmarried.^[5]
  • Dayangku is the honorific for female children of a pengiran who are unmarried.^[5]

Styles on formal Malaysian notices[link]

• Ke Bawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia (literally "The Dust Under The Feet of His Exalted Highness") is used for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and state Rulers alike. However, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong also uses the prefix "Seri Paduka Baginda" (literally, "Conqueror Majesty") and in English, his title is often translated as "His Majesty". A state Ruler is "His Royal Highness" (before 1971, "His Highness"). Since 1984, the ruler of Johor has used the title "Baginda" as well, but he is still referred to in English as "His Royal Highness". The ruler of Perak also uses the prefix "Paduka Seri" which is derived from the archaic formula "Paduka Seri Maulana". The ruler of Negeri Sembilan also used the prefix "Paduka Seri" between 1993 and 2004 (this has since been dropped). These titles are not used as a form of address - instead Tuanku is used.
• Yang Teramat Mulia is used by the children of reigning Sultans (except in Negeri Sembilan) and by the Dato' Kelana, the Undang of Sungai Ujong in Negeri Sembilan
• Yang Amat Mulia is used by the children of the ruler of Negeri Sembilan and Johor, the Undang of Jelebu, Johol and Rembau and the Tunku Besar of Tampin in Negeri Sembilan
• Yang Mulia translates to His/ Her Grace, used for heirs and heiresses, who are the descendants of royal families.

Federal titles[link]

In Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong grants federal title awards. Some may carry the following federal titles. Such titles are honorary and non-hereditary. Federal title may be revoked by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and may be returned by the individual.

Tun[link]

The Tun title has existed in the Malay society for hundreds of years. In ancient times, Tun was an honorific title used by noble people of royal lineage. Tun is a title inherited by the male descendants.

Over time, the Tun title has become a title conferred by the Agong to the most deserving recipient who has highly contributed to the nation. The wife of a Tun is Toh Puan. The highest federal award granted by the Malaysian government is the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SPGP).

Tun is the most senior federal title awarded to recipients of either the SMN (Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara) or SSM (Seri Setia Mahkota). However, the SMN and SSM are not the highest federal awards. The SMN ranks fourth in order of Federal Awards and the SSM ranks fifth.

There may not be more than 35 local living holders of each of these awards at any one time. The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects. Foreigners may receive the award in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Toh Puan[link]

The title for the wife of a Tun is Toh Puan.

Tan Sri[link]

Tan Sri is the second most senior federal title and an honorific used to denote recipients of the Panglima Mangku Negara (PMN) and the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM). The PMN and PSM rank seventh and eighth respectively in the order of Malaysian Federal Awards. The wife of a Tan Sri is called Puan Sri.

There may be at any time up to a maximum of 75 living PMN holders, and a maximum of 250 living PSM holders. The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects. Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and may use the title locally.

The current Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia has the title Tan Sri, and is known as Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Datuk[link]

Datuk is a federal title that has been conferred since 1965. It is limited to recipients of Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN), of which there may be up to 200 living at any one time, and Panglima Setia Diraja (PSD), of which there may be up to 200 living at any one time. The PJN and PSD rank 9th and 10th respectively in the rank of federal awards.

The wife of a federal Datuk is a Datin.

A female conferred the title in her own right is formally known as "Datin Paduka"; the prefix "Datuk" is more commonly used for women as well as men.

The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects. Foreigners may receive the award in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Individual states that have a head of state nominated by the respective state's legislature may confer the title of 'Datuk' to individuals. However, this is different from the title "Dato'". The latter is awarded by individual states headed by a Sultan, and not a head of state nominated by the state legislature. For example, the Yang Dipertua Negeri Melaka is the non-hereditary head of state nominated by the Melaka state legislature. He may confer the title of 'Datuk'. The Sultan of Pahang is the hereditary ruler of the state and may confer the title of "Dato'". Individual rulers (and their staff) determine the award of these titles.

State titles[link]

In Malaysia, the Ruler and Governor grants state title awards. Some may carry the following state titles. Such titles are honorary and non-hereditary. State title may be revoked by the Ruler or Governor, and may be returned by the individual.

Dato' Sri[link]

Dato' Sri or Dato' Seri is the highest state title conferred by the Ruler on the most deserving recipients who have contributed greatly to the nation or state. It ranks below the federal title Tun and is an honor equivalent to Tan Sri. The wife of a recipient is Datin Sri.

The current Prime Minister of Malaysia's title is Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak. Both former Prime Ministers Mahathir bin Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also held the title Dato' Sri during their administrations. After retirement, both received Malaysia's most senior federal title Tun, conferred by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Since Dato' Sri is the most senior state title, there is a limited quota that can be awarded in each state. The Ruler only confers such an honorary title to a very few recipients during the Ruler's royal birthday celebration every year. In Selangor, a maximum of 2 Dato' Sri (SPMS)^[6] state awards can be conferred each year, up to a maximum of 40 living Dato' Sri (SPMS)^[6] holders at any one time. The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects.

Some rulers grant awards which carry highest titles unique to that state, such as Dato' Sri Utama of the state of Negeri Sembilan.

Datuk Seri[link]

Datuk Seri is also the most senior state title conferred only by the governor to the most deserving recipient who has highly contributed to the nation or state.

A governor who is appointed by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong, namely the Governor of Melaka, Penang, Sabah except Sarawak, can award the Datuk Seri title and such honorary title is equivalent with Dato' Sri.

However, both titles Dato' Sri and Datuk Seri may cause confusion since Malaysia media and press may address Dato' Sri title holders as Datuk Seri.

Dato'[link]

Dato' is the most common highly regarded title in Malaysia. The wife of a Dato' is a Datin, except in Terengganu where they are known as "To' Puan" (not to be confused with "Toh Puan", the wife of a non-hereditary "Tun").

The Dato' (pronounced in similar manner to Datuk) may only be conferred by a hereditary royal ruler of one of the nine Malay states.

There are also hereditary Dato's from Negeri Sembilan, where titles are held for life by heads of certain families and passed on to their heirs. These are not conferred by the ruler, but passed on through the customary native laws. The wife of a hereditary Dato' is addressed by courtesy as "To' Puan".

In other states, certain noble families also have hereditary titles and are addressed as Dato'. For example, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak, is hereditary Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar of Pahang. He would have been addressed as "Dato'" even if he had not been conferred a "Dato' Sri" (SSAP)^[7] state award of Pahang.

Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Datuk[link]

A governor who is appointed by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong. The Governors of Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak can confer the title Datuk, not Dato'.

Some state governors grant awards which carry titles unique to that state, such as Datuk Wira of the state of Melaka, and Datuk Amar and Datuk Patinggi of the state of Sarawak. Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Pehin[link]

This title is mainly used in Brunei and Sarawak. An example of the title in Brunei would be Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa, the former Minister of Home Affairs.^[8] In Sarawak, it would be Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib, the current Chief Minister of Sarawak.^[9]

JP[link]

JP or Justice of Peace rank below all Dato' or Datuk. In Malaysia, Justices of the Peace have largely been replaced in magistrates' courts by legally-qualified (first-class) stipendiary magistrates.

However, state governments continue to appoint Justices of the Peace as honours. In 2004, some associations of Justices of the Peace pressed the federal government to allow Justices of the Peace to sit as second-class magistrates in order to reduce the backlog of cases in the courts. Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Dato Paduka[link]

Dato Paduka is the most common title awarded in Brunei, of which it is a class of the Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Yang Amat Mulia (The Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei). The wife of a Dato Paduka is a Datin, except when the recipient is a female, whereby she would be addressed as Datin Paduka. Other versions of Dato Paduka includes Dato Seri Paduka, Dato Paduka Seri, Dato Laila Utama, Dato Paduka Seri Laila Jasa and others. These title awards are granted by His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei, and the titles are non-hereditary.^[10]

Honorary styles[link]

The following are both used as styles, before a person's title, and (by themselves) as forms of address:

• Tuan Yang Terutama (T.Y.T.) (literally "The Most Eminent Master") is the style of a state Governor, equivalent to "Your/His Excellency" and also as a title for serving Ambassadors to Malaysia, e.g. T.Y.T. Tuan Christopher J. LaFleur.
• Yang Amat Berhormat (Y.A.B.) (literally "The Most Honourable") is the style of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chief Ministers of the states.
• Yang Berhormat (Y.B.) (literally "The Honourable") is the style of Members of Parliament and state Legislative Assemblymen. A prince who is a Member of Parliament is "Yang Berhormat Mulia" e.g. Yang Berhormat Mulia Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah, the MP for Gua Musang. "Yang Berhormat" is also used for recipients of the First Class Order of the Crown of Johor (S.P.M.J.) regardless whether he is a Member of Parliament or not.
• Yang Amat Arif (Y.A.A.) (literally "The Most Learned") is the style of the Chief Justice of Malaysia, the President of the Malaysian Court of Appeal, the Chief Judge of the High Court of Malaya and the Chief Judge of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak.
• Yang Arif (Y.A.) (literally "The Learned") is the style of a judge.
• Yang Berbahagia (Y.Bhg.) (literally "The Felicitous") (and variants thereof) are the styles of persons with a chivalrous title.

The English versions of these styles follow British usage. Thus the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, Senators, state Executive Councillors and judges of the High Court and above are styled the Honourable. It is a solecism to style the Prime Minister or a Minister Right Honourable as they are not members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.

Other Malay titles by inheritance[link]

• Pengiran, equivalent to Tengku or Prince'
• Raja, varies depends the lineage of heretary.
• Ungku, equivalent to Tengku or Prince. A hereditary (paternal) title from one of the lineages of the Royal Family of Johor.
• Raden, a royal family name used in the several Malay Sultanates in Kalimantan, used extensively by the Pontianak Malays.
• Abang is a title that is particularly found in Sarawak. Its origin rooted from the appointments of Datuk Patinggi, Datuk Temenggung, Datuk Bandar and Datuk Imam for centuries, long before the British colonization. The children of these state dignitaries carry the title Abang (male) and Dayang (female). When an Abang marries a Dayang or a commoner, the issue will get to keep the title. The issue of a Dayang does not carry a title if he/she has a non-Abang father. However, if a Dayang marries a male aristocrat bearing a different title than hers, her issue will be named according to the husband's given title.
• Awang is the term used for addressing men in Brunei and it is equivalent to Mr. However, Awangku are hereditary, of which they may later claim the title Pengiran since they are also related to the Brunei Sultanate. This, however can only be done after he gets the approval of the elders and is considered as matured enough to carry the title, or after which he has married. The change is only eligible for those who inherit the name Awang from their family line. As for the rule of inheritance of the name, it is the same as Abang
• Dayang is the term used for addressing women in Brunei and it is equivalent to Ms. Dayang is also the female issue of an Abang and an Awang (see Abang and Awang).
• Syed is a title inherited by male descendants, through the male line, from the Prophet Muhammad via his grandsons Hassan and Hussein. Female descendants are known as Syarifah or Sharifah.
• Megat is a title inherited by the male descendant of a Megat. A Megat is a descendant of the Pagaruyung Prince, Megat Terawis who was also the first bendahara of Perak. Megats along with Puteris and Tuns are typically found in Perak."Megat" is also styled by a half blood royal male descendant of a female royal of Pahang.
• Puteri is a title inherited by the female descendant of a Megat.
• Tun is a title inherited by the issue of a Puteri, the female descendant of a Megat and a commoner father, in turn inheritable through the male line. In Pahang it is the title of a male or female descendant of a Sultan through the distaff line. In upper part of Terengganu, Tun is a title inherited by descendant of now abolished Bendahara of Terengganu,
• Meor is a title inherited by the male issue of a Syarifah and non-Syed father and for female the first letter of the name comes with 'Ma' as in "Ma Mastura". Typically used in Perak and few other states such as Terengganu and Kelantan.
• Wan is a title inherited by the issue of a male Wan. Typically found in Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and Natuna-Anambas. In Kedah, Wan is the title used by descendants of certain former chief ministers of the state, e.g. the descendants of Wan Mohd Saman. Wan can also be used as the title for a girl's name, but this is uncommon, e.g. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Wan can also be found in Sarawak, and is somehow related to the state's Syed lineage. A female issue of Wan carries the title Sharifah. A Wan may later claim the title Tuanku. This, however can only be done after he gets the approval of the elders and is considered as matured enough to carry the title. The change is only eligible for those who inherit the name Wan from their family line. The issue of a Sharifah does not carry a title if he/she has a non-Wan father.
• Nik is a title inherited by the issue of a male Nik. It is typically found in Kelantan and Terengganu.
• Che is a title inherited by the issue of a male Che descendants and were also used by some Malay nobles in ancient time. Certain lineage of Raja Jembal descendants also uses the Che title. However the Che title can also be passed down from a descendant of a female Nik and non-Nik male. The Che title is commonly found in Pattani,Kedah,Kelantan and Terengganu.

Other salutations[link]

• Haji (or Hajjah for female) can be used by people who have completed the Hajj. This title is abbreviated as "Hj." or "Hjh.".
• Tuan is equivalent to Master. Due to its colonial overtones, this term is mostly obsolete, although the title can still be prepended to Syed and Haji. It is used for non-titled Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen. In some states like Kelantan, it could also denote one of the royal family.
• Encik (abbreviated "En.") is equivalent to Mr and can be used by all men.
• Puan (abbreviated "Pn.") can be used by all married women. It is equivalent to 'Mdm./Madam' not 'Mrs', as in the Malay language, married women do not use the names and/or surnames of their husbands. Married Chinese-Malaysian women are also addressed as "Puan (name)" in Malay and "Mdm. (name)" in English, since they do not change their surnames on marriage.
• Cik is equivalent to Miss and can be used by all unmarried women.

Sabah[link]

Honours and awards for Sabah[link]

The State of Sabah by Act of Parliament established an Order of Chivalry styled Darjah Yang Mulia Kinabalu (The Illustrious Order of Kinabalu). The relevant legislation governing Honours and Awards in Sabah is the State Honours Enactment, 1963 (Sabah No.33 of 1963)(as amended).^[11] The Enactment deals with all aspects including process of nomination, conferral, wearing of medals, promotion in the Order and quotas. Appointments to the Order are made to persons who have rendered 'meritorious service to the State'.^[12] Appointment to the Order is submitted to the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (the Governor) by the Chief Minister; every appointment to the Order is by Warrant under the hand of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.^[13]

Non-citizens may be appointed as honorary members of the Order.^[14] An example of an honorary award is The Honourable Shane Leslie Stone AC PGDK QC former Chief Minister of Australia's Northern Territory, conferred the Pangalima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu in 1998.

Order of Kinabalu[link]

The motto of the Order is 'Sabah Maju Jaya'.^[15] The Yang di-Pertua Negeri (the Governor of Sabah) is the Patron of the Order - Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Kinabalu (The Most Illustrious Order of Kinabalu) - and is deemed a member of the First Grade.^[16] A Chancellor is selected by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri from amongst the members of the First Grade.^[17]

Grades of the Order[link]

There are four Grades of the Order^[18]

1. First Grade - Sri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (post nominal SPDK)(Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Kinabalu). Recipients may use the appellation and style before their names of Datuk Seri Panglima and wives Datin Seri Panglima.^[19] There is a quota of 150 members excluding honorary members.
2. Second Grade - Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (post nominal PGDK)(Knight Commander of the Order of Kinabalu). Recipients may use the appellation and style before their names of Datuk and wives Datin.^[20] There is a quota of 950 members excluding honorary members.
3. Third Grade - Ahli Setia Darjah Kinabalu (post nominal ASDK)
4. Fourth Grade - Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (post nominal ADK)

Medals of the Order[link]

• Bintang Setia Kinabalu (First Class)
• Bintang Kinabalu (Second Class)
• Certificate of Honour (CH)

The Yang di-Pertua Negeri may on the recommendation of the Chief Minister cancel and annul the appointment of any person to any of the Grades of the Order.^[21]

Related Issues[link]

It was recently brought to attention that not all Datuks have lived exemplary lives and some have even been convicted of crimes. The various sultans have taken steps to ensure the integrity of the institution by means of consultation as well as the revoking of the given titles.

Tun Dr Mahathir mentioned that one of the problems with titles in Malaysia is the numbers given out. He stated in an interview "Personally, I feel if you want to give value to anything, it must be limited...if you produce a million Ferrari cars, nobody will care about buying a Ferrari."

The Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah stated "That is my view. You degrade the award and the Ruler has the right to revoke it. In my opinion, it should be taken away." He also stated that "Sometimes, I think we give away too many datukships...it dilutes and devalues the award."

In the first government following the independence of Malaya in 1957, five of 15 cabinet Ministers were Datuks. The finance minister at the time, Tan Siew Sin, held the title Justice of Peace. Later he was granted a Federal award which carried the title Tun. The father of Malayan independence, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, received no awards and carried the title "Tunku", which he inherited as the prince of the state of Kedah. He was honorarily referred to as "Yang Teramat Mulia". The senate held only 14 datuks and parliament held only seven.

The conferral of "Datuk" by the Penang government to 25-year-old squash world champion Nicol David and Olympic silver medalist Lee Chong Wei sparked controversy^[who?] that they are too young to receive the title. The Melaka government also was criticized for awarding the Datuk title to a non-Malaysian Indian actor, Shahrukh Khan, for making movies in the state.

Issues in Selangor[link]

• The Dato's of Selangor attempted to set up an association of Selangor Dato's. It received approval from the registrar of societies but was shelved when the Sultan forbade any Dato' from joining or risk losing the title.
• Four datuks were removed in 2003 by the Sultan of Selangor.

Pahang[link]

• The Sultan of Pahang revoked the titles of two dato's in 2004.

See also[link]

• Datu - Philippine equivalent of Malay term Dato
• Datuk (Minangkabau) - traditional title in Minangkabau community

Notes[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2009)

External links[link]

• "Special list of federal and state honours", awarded 2002-2009, The Star
• Correct Forms of Address in ^{[dead link]}
• "Selangor Sultan strips trader of title", Aug2007, Malaysian Bar
• "NasionCom founder charged with graft", 20 May 2008, The Star

[{[ms:Darjah kebesaran Melayu]}]

Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek 蔡细历
9th President of Malaysian Chinese Association
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 March 2010
Deputy	Liow Tiong Lai
Preceded by	Ong Tee Keat
Minister of Health of Malaysia
In office 24 March 2004 – 2 January 2008
Preceded by	Chua Jui Meng
Succeeded by	Ong Ka Ting (acting) Liow Tiong Lai
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Labis
In office 28 March 2004 – 2 January 2008
Preceded by	Ling Liong Sik
Succeeded by	Chua Tee Yong[1]
Personal details
Born	(1947-01-02) 2 January 1947 (age 65) Batu Pahat, Johor, Malayan Union, British Malaya
Political party	Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) part of Barisan Nasional
Spouse(s)	Wong Sek Hin
Children	Chua Tee Yong
Occupation	Psychiatrist
Website	Chua Soi Lek: Change to Move forward

Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek (simplified Chinese: 蔡细历; traditional Chinese: 蔡細歷; pinyin: Cài​ Xì​​lì​; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chuà Soè-li̍k); born 2 January 1947, also known as Chua Kin Seng, is a Malaysian politician from the state of Johor. He is married to Datin Seri Wong Sek Hin. They have three children. He is the President of the Malaysian Chinese Association.

He was trained in psychology and practiced psychiatry before entering politics through his involvement with the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA). He held the post of Minister of Health from 2004 until 2008.

Chua set up his medical practice in 1977 after serving as a medical officer at the Batu Pahat Hospital. He sold the clinic in 1990 to pursue a full-time career in politics with MCA.

Political career[link]

He was first elected as a state assemblyman for Penggaram, Johor on MCA's ticket in 1986. He continued to serve Penggaram for 18 years through four consecutive state elections. Later, he became a state executive councilor. In the 2004 general election, he contested for the Labis parliamentary seat under the Barisan Nasional coalition and claimed victory. The then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi appointed Chua into the Malaysian cabinet as the Minister of Health following that victory.

He held several prominent posts throughout his later career. He was the Member of Parliament for Labis, a MCA vice-president, Johor MCA state liaison committee chairman as well as Batu Pahat MCA division chairman until he resigned from all public and political offices on January 2, 2008 due to the eruption of a sensational sex scandal.^[2]

Sex scandal[link]

On January 1, 2008, Chua admitted that he was the person featured in a sensational sex DVD that was widely being circulated in Johor. The two DVDs were distributed anonymously in Muar and other towns in Johor show Dr Chua having sex with a young woman, described by him as a "personal friend." The DVDs are believed to be wireless hidden camera recordings in a hotel suite.^[3]

He claimed no involvement in the filming or production of the DVD in question.^[4] On January 2, 2008, he formally announced his resignation from all posts including Member of Parliament for Labis, vice presidency of MCA, and Minister of Health at a press conference.^[5]

Chua later remarked his downfall was due to his dedication to his work as Health Minister and MCA Vice-President, which caused his political rivals to grow suspicious of him.^[6]

MCA deputy presidency[link]

In the 2008 general elections, MCA won only 19 parliamentary seats out of 40 they contested. Some grassroots leaders and former top leaders including Dr Chua, demanded the President, Ong Ka Ting, step down to take responsibility.

He returned to active politics in the second half of 2008 and won the Batu Pahat Division Chairman post uncontested. Then he contested the MCA deputy presidency, defeating Ong Ka Chuan, Donald Lim and Lee Hak Teik in a four-cornered fight.^[7]

Despite that, Dr Chua was only appointed chairman of the Government Policy Monitoring bureau and left out of the MCA leadership in Johor by Tee Keat. This was seen as a move to isolate Dr Chua politically.^[8] Eventually, Chua was expelled from the party in August 2009 by the MCA Disciplinary Committee for his sex scandal.^[9]

2009 Extraordinary General Meeting[link]

In 2009, Chua Soi Lek's supporters sparked an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to challenge Ong Tee Keat's Presidency and reinstitate Dr Chua as a member and deputy president.

The EGM was held on 10 October, where a number of resolutions were made challenging Chua Soi Lek's removal from MCA and his sacking as deputy president of MCA.^[10] A vote of no confidence against Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat passed by 14 votes.^[11] In the other resolution, Dr Chua's expulsion was overturned.^[12] Ong and Chua both refused to resign, and united under a "greater unity plan," putting their differences aside temporarily. However, some central committee members, led by Liow Tiong Lai, previously aligned with Ong, demanded fresh elections.

MCA presidency[link]

In early March 2010, Chua and his supporters in the central committee (CC), joined other CCs led by Liow Tiong Lai, in resigning. With the resignation of two-thirds of the central committee, fresh elections were to be held per the party constitution. Chua contested the presidency against incumbent Ong Tee Keat and former president Ong Ka Ting. In the three-cornered fight, Chua emerged victorious while incumbent Tee Keat finished in third place.^[13] Since becoming president, Chua has focused on rebuilding the appearance of unity within MCA after a year of public infighting.^[14]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Dr. Chua Soi Lek — Official blog

• MCA - Official MCA Site

• About Dato Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek

• [1]

This article about a Malaysian politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Yang Amat Berhormat Dato' Sri Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak DK (Pahang) MP
6th Prime Minister of Malaysia
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 April 2009
Monarch	Mizan Zainal Abidin Abdul Halim
Deputy	Muhyiddin Yassin
Preceded by	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
In office 7 January 2004 – 3 April 2009
Prime Minister	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Preceded by	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Succeeded by	Muhyiddin Yassin
Personal details
Born	(1953-07-23) 23 July 1953 (age 58) Kuala Lipis, Malaya (now Malaysia)
Political party	United Malays National Organisation
Spouse(s)	Puteri Zainah Eskandar (1976–1987) Rosmah Mansor (1987–present)
Children	Mohd Nizar Puteri Norlisa Mohd Nazifuddin Nooryana Najwa Norashman Razak
Alma mater	University of Nottingham
Religion	Sunni Islam
Website	Official website

Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak (born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who has been the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia since 2009.^[1] He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 7 January 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on 3 April 2009. Najib is President of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). He is the son of Malaysia's second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak^[2] and the nephew of Malaysia's third prime minister, Tun Hussein Onn. Najib is also the Minister of Finance.

Najib succeeded Abdullah at a time after his ruling coalition, the Barisan Nasional, lost its long held two-thirds majority in parliament to the opposition led by former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the 2008 parliamentary election. Since then Najib has tried to build a moderate image for himself and the UMNO through the 1Malaysia campaign.

Early life[link]

Born 23 July 1953, in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Najib is the eldest of Prime Minister Abdul Razak's six sons, and the nephew of Hussein Onn, Malaysia’s third Prime Minister. His younger brother, Dato' Seri Mohd Nazir Abdul Razak,^[3] runs the country's second-largest lender, Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd.^[4] Najib is also one of the Four Noblemen of the Pahang Darul Makmur (Royal Court) by virtue of his inherited title as the Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar. He received his primary and secondary education at St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur. He later attended Malvern College ^[5] in Worcestershire, England, and subsequently went to the University of Nottingham, where he received a bachelor's degree in industrial economics in 1974. Najib Razak returned to Malaysia in 1974 and entered the business world, serving briefly in Bank Negara (Central Bank) and later with Petronas (Malaysia's national oil company) as a public affairs manager.^[6]

In 1976 Najib married Tengku Puteri Zainah Tengku Eskandar ('Kui Yie') with whom he has three children: Mohd Nizar Najib (born 1978), Mohd Nazifuddin Najib and Puteri Norlisa Najib. In 1987 he divorced Ku Yie and married Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor with whom he has two children: Mohd Norashman Najib and Nooryana Najwa Najib. This is Rosmah's second marriage as well. She has two children from her previous marriage to Farid Ismeth Emir who was a former TV news presenter and currently a general manager in a trading company.

Political career[link]

Ministerial portfolios[link]

Najib has held a variety of ministerial portfolios (the first at the age of 32), culminating in the post of Minister of Defence before being chosen as the Deputy Prime Minister by Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2004. Najib was first assigned into the Cabinet of Malaysia at the age of 25 when he was appointed Deputy Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Post in 1978, becoming the youngest deputy minister in the country.^[7] Najib would go on to assume myriad posts in the cabinet, including the Deputy Minister of Education, the Deputy Minister of Finance, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports (and its split successor, the Minister of Youth and Sports), the Minister of Education, the Minister of Defense, and the Minister of Finance beginning 17 September 2008.^[8]

In addition to positions held in the federal government, Najib served as the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Pahang between 1982 and 1986, becoming the youngest Menteri Besar in the state to enter office when he was sworn in at the age of 29.^[9] Najib was also appointed chairman of the Livestock Development Institute (Lembaga Kemajuan Penternakan, Majuternak). During the 1986 general elections, Najib was returned as the Member of Parliament for Pekan, and was appointed as Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports. He immediately focused on improving Malaysian sports and introduced the National Sports Policy in 1988. In 1989 Malaysia achieved its best-ever performance at the South East Asia (SEA) Games, which were held that year in Kuala Lumpur.^[10]

Minister of Defence[link]

In 1991, Najib was appointed Minister of Defence. Under his direction, Malaysian troops were deployed to assist the UN peacekeeping forces in Bosnia in 1993.^[11] Malaysian forces were greeted warmly by Bosnians as well as Serbs and Croats.^[12] Malaysia also assisted peacekeeping operations in Somalia in 1993, losing one soldier in an effort to aid U.S. soldiers during the Battle of Mogadishu. Najib later criticized the UN’s Somalia operation as putting too much emphasis on military action.^[13] Since then Malaysia has stated a preference for participating in Chapter 6 “peace enforcement” missions, rather than Chapter 7 “peacekeeping” missions.^[14] After four years at the Ministry of Defense, Najib assumed control of the Education Ministry in 1995. He returned to the Ministry of Defense in 2000.

During his second tenure as Minister of Defense Najib coordinated Malaysia’s relief efforts following the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, and provided support to Indonesia in arresting those responsible for the 2004 Bali bombings.^[15] Najib also oversaw the deployment of Malaysian troops as a part of a UN peacekeeping force in 2006, when Malaysia volunteered to help stabilize Lebanon following the 2006 Lebanon War.^[16]

As Defense Minister, Najib instituted compulsory military service in December 2003, stating that it would encourage interaction and friendship between youth of different ethnic groups and religions.^[17] During its first five years of operation, over 339,000 Malaysian youth participated in the PLKN (the Bahasa Malaysian acronym for "Malaysian National Service"),^[18] which is intended to promote tolerance, team work, and community engagement. The programme, however, has faced challenges. Safety issues in the program have been reported and several people died during or shortly after their terms of service during the program's first few years.^[19] In response, Najib strengthened the PLKN's health screening requirements and reinforced the government’s commitment to punish negligent PLKN officials.^[20]

Minister of Education[link]

In 1995, Najib left the Defense Ministry for the first time when he was appointed Minister of Education. His challenge was to respond to Malaysia's newly proclaimed aspiration to become a fully developed nation by the year 2020. During his five-year tenure, Najib restructured the Ministry, created an independent corporate structure for public universities, and encouraged collaboration with foreign universities and institutions.^[21] The 1996 Private Higher Education Institutions Act, allowed foreign universities to establish degree-conferring schools in Malaysia, providing greater educational opportunities for Malaysians and positioning Malaysia as a regional learning hub.^[22] Najib also upgraded teaching certificates to the status of diplomas, so that teachers in that category would receive a higher monthly starting salary.^[23]

Minister of Finance[link]

In September 2008, Najib traded portfolios with Abdullah Badawi, the Prime Minister, and assumed control of the Ministry of Finance.^[24] During the global financial crisis, Malaysia faced a strong recession and reduced levels of trade throughout the South Asian region. In response, Najib announced a series of stimulus packages to be implemented over a two-year period with the intention of acting as a countercyclical response that might otherwise protect Malaysia’s economy. He also pressed for the country to move beyond existing manufacturing capabilities through education, research and development to develop greater strength as a provider of sophisticated business services.^[25]

Deputy Prime Minister[link]

Upon his appointment in 2004 as Deputy Prime Minister, Najib was given a broad portfolio of responsibilities, including oversight of FELDA, the Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM), and the Election Commission. Najib also chaired more than 28 cabinet committees, which preside over a wide range of issues.^[26]

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports[link]

After the 1986 general elections Najib was appointed Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports. During his time in this position Malaysia made its best ever showing in the Sea Games. Najib was also the architect of Malaysia's National Sports Policy which promotes the development of sport in general and provides monetary incentives for athletes that win medals at the Olympics.^[2]

Election to Parliament[link]

In 1976 Najib was selected to run for the seat in parliament left vacant by his father's death. The national outpouring of grief following Tun Razak's death and the respect for his father helped Najib win election unopposed as Member of Parliament at the very young age of 23.^[2] In 1986 Najib won re-election to the same seat.^[2] During the 1999 general elections Najib suffered a major setback when he barely won-re-election by a margin of 241 compared to a margin of over 10,000 in the previous election. Although a surprise to political observers it was understandable given the political upheavals of 1999.^[2] The 2004 general elections, which came a few months after Najib's appointment as Deputy Prime Minister, saw him win re-election with a by a very large margin of 22,922 votes.^[2] In the 2008 general election, Najib won with a majority of 26,464 votes. It was the largest majority for any Barisan Nasional candidate. Najib won handily despite a poor showing by the government.^[2]

UMNO[link]

Najib was appointed head of UMNO Youth's Pekan branch and became a member of UMNO Youth's Executive Council (Exco) in 1976. In 1981, he was selected as a member of UMNO's Supreme Council, before winning the post of Vice President of UMNO Youth in 1982.^[27][28]

In 1987, Najib was selected as the acting head of the Movement of UMNO Youth by Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim after Anwar was asked to contest the post of UMNO Vice President. Following mounting ethnic tensions anti-Chinese sentiments were expressed at a UMNO Youth rally held in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur the same year where Najib spoke. Rising tensions soon lead to fears of ethnic violence and eventually resulted in a security operation known as Operasi Lalang, that included numerous administrative detentions.^[29] In June 2009 Najib overturned a rule that required 30% Malay ownership in corporations, and allowed non-ethnic Malays, like the Chinese and the Indians to exercise more financial control in Malaysia. Najib has also worked to improve relations with Singapore, which is seen by many as Chinese-dominated, to encourage it to invest more heavily in the Malaysian economy.^[30]

Following the complete reorganisation and founding of the "New" UMNO by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in the aftermath of the 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis, Najib was appointed president of UMNO Youth in 1988.^[31]

By 1993, Najib was elected as one of six vice presidents of UMNO in response to Anwar's decision to contest as the deputy president of UMNO. Najib continued to defend his post in party elections held in 1993, 1996, and 2004.^[32]

After a poor showing by the ruling UMNO coalition in the elections of 8 March 2008 in which opposition parties gained control of five of thirteen Malaysian state governments, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi identified Deputy Prime Minister Najib as his intended successor. On 8 October 2008, Prime Minister Badawi announced he would step down in March 2009, paving the way for Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to succeed him. However he said the onus was on Najib to win party elections set for March before he could take over.^[33] Najib ran for the presidency of UMNO and went on to win on 2 November 2008, without contest.^[34]

On 26 March 2009, Najib won the UMNO presidency unopposed.^[35]

Appointment as Prime Minister[link]

Najib entered office as Prime Minister with a focus on domestic economic issues and political reform. On his first day as Prime Minister, Najib announced as his first actions the removal of bans on two opposition newspapers, Suara Keadilan and Harakahdaily, run by the opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim-led People's Justice Party and the Pan Islamic Party, respectively, and the release of 13 people held under the Internal Security Act. Among the released detainees were two ethnic Indian activists who were arrested in December 2007 for leading an anti-government campaign, three foreigners and eight suspected Islamic militants. Najib also pledged to conduct a comprehensive review of the much-criticized law which allows for indefinite detention without trial. In the speech, he emphasized his commitment to tackling poverty, restructuring Malaysian society, expanding access to quality education for all, and promoting renewed “passion for public service.”^[36] He also deferred and abandoned the digital television transition plan of all free-to-air broadcasters such as Radio Televisyen Malaysia.

1Malaysia[link]

1Malaysia is an on-going campaign announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak on 16 September 2008, calling for the cabinet, government agencies, and civil servants to emphasize ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance.^[37] The eight values of 1Malaysia as articulated by Najib Razak are perseverance, a culture of excellence, acceptance, loyalty, education, humility, integrity, and meritocracy.^[38]

On 17 September 2008, Najib launched 1Malaysia.com.my in an effort to communicate with the citizens of Malaysia more efficiently and support the broader 1Malaysia campaign, He has used the site to highlight his policy initiatives and to provide a forum for Malaysians to their government. The 1Malaysia campaign makes extensive use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.^[39][40]

Yet when his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin declared that he is "Malay first and Malaysian second" thus going head-on against his "1Malaysia" ideals, Najib did not hesitate to go to Muhyiddin's defence.^[41]

Government Transformation Programme[link]

Najib's government is in the process of implementing its Government Transformation Programme in order to improve the quality of public services, increase efficiency, and make government more transparent. Specific measures include the use of Key Performance Indicators to measure the performance of officials and agencies and National Key Result Areas to define goals for specific areas of public policy.

Under Najib the Malaysian government has implemented many measures to increase transparency and government accountability. These measures include the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to hold ministers accountable for their work,^[42][43] using new media such as Twitter^[44] and Facebook^[45] to communicate with citizens about happenings in the government, opening previously closed government tenders to increased public participation and scrutiny, and soliciting public feedback on government spending.^[46]

In order to keep his promise to make government smaller and more efficient Prime Minister Najib has abolished two ministries while creating the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water. Najib has appointed a total of 28 ministers. This is four fewer than the last government. Najib also named Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, an ethnic Chinese and leader of a minority party in the ruling coalition, to be the Minister of Unity and Performance.

Economic policy[link]

New Economic Model[link]

On 2 May 2009, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced the government’s plan to develop a New Economic Model that will speed Malaysia's transition to a high income country. The plan will emphasise ways to increase the income and productivity of workers by encouraging knowledge industries and increasing investment from overseas.

Reform of government subsidies[link]

Prime Minister Najib has started to implement comprehensive reform of government subsidies. On 16 July 2010 subsidies for petrol, diesel and LPG were cut as part of Malaysia's general programme of reducing and rationalising subsidies per the 10th Malaysia Plan and the New Economic Model. The government believes it will save RM750 million by the end of 2010 through these measures with little negative impact on most citizens. Sugar and fuel subsidies were selected for reform due to the fact that they disproportionately benefit the wealthy and foreigners, encourage over-consumption and create opportunities for fraud and smuggling.^[47] The Prime Minister expressed his hope that Malaysians would adopt a healthier lifestyle. He said, “there is no logic in the government allocating subsidies worth almost RM1 billion on a commodity that could endanger the people’s health.”^[48] Responding to concerns about how these reforms might affect the poor the Prime Minister's Office pointed out that Malaysia will still be spending RM7.82 billion per year on fuel and sugar subsidies and that prices for these commodities would remain the lowest in Southeast Asia. The government also stated that education and healthcare would continue receiving state support.^[49]

Economic liberalization[link]

Malaysia has implemented substantial measures to attract foreign investment including a moderation of preferences designed to benefit ethnic Malays. Specifically these reforms include allowing foreign investors to hold majority stakes in most enterprises excluding "strategic" industries such as banking, telecommunications, and energy, easing insurance regulation, curtailing powers of the Foreign Investment Committee and lowering the minimum quota for Malay ownership in publicly traded companies from 30 percent to 12.5 percent. As he introduced the reforms Najib stated, "The world is changing quickly and we must be ready to change with it or risk being left behind.”^[50]

Since these reforms have been implemented the American banking firms Goldman Sachs and Citigroup have been granted permission to expand their operations in Malaysia, Goldman Sachs, received licenses to set up fund management and advisory operations. Citigroup has obtained a permit to offer brokerage services. The approval of these licenses is a sharp break from Malaysia's historiy of domestically dominated and tightly regulated markets for financial services.

The International Institute for Management Development responded to these and other reforms by increasing Malaysia's ranking to the 10th most competitive economy in the world in 2010 from 18th in 2009. Malaysia, which is now ranked fifth in the Asia Pacific region, scored well in business and government efficiency. Economists attributed the rise of Malaysia's ranking to the efforts of the Malaysian government to improve the country's business environment such as the New Economic Model, the Government Transformation Programme and the Economic Transformation Programme^[51]

Stimulus packages[link]

The Malaysian government passed two stimulus packages to mitigate the effects of the global economic downturn. The first stimulus package, worth RM7 billion, was announced on 4 November 2008. The second package, worth RM60 billion, was announced on 10 March 2009. Since assuming office as Prime Minister, Najib has been monitoring the progress of the stimulus packages on a weekly basis. Government economists believe that the stimulus packages have successfully generated increased economic activity, especially in the construction sector. Malaysia's central bank reported that Malaysia's economy grew at an annualized rate of 9.5% during the first half of 2010. Prime Minister Najib says the country is on track to meet the 6% average annual growth to reach its goal of becoming a developed country by 2020. Commenting on this same economic data Najib says that as of August 2010 there are no plans for further economic stimulus. Rather he says the government would focus on improving Malaysia's economic fundamentals and increasing investment.^[52]

Foreign policy and state visits[link]

United States[link]

Prime Minister Najib and President Barack Obama met just before the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on 12 April 2010. This meeting was thought by many to represent a significant improvement in relations. This was their first one-on-one meeting. During their talk Obama sought further assistance from Malaysia in stemming nuclear proliferation which Obama described as the greatest threat to world security.^[53][54] During the summit Najib stressed that Malaysia only supported nuclear programmes designed for peaceful purposes. Najib's attendance at the summit was part of a week-long official visit to the United States.^[55]

India[link]

Prime Minister Najib traveled to India on a five-day state visit in January 2010. His 200-strong entourage included cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, state government officials, members of parliament, and prominent business leaders.^[56] During his visit Najib pushed for a free-trade agreement and cooperation across a wide range of fields.^[57] Najib and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed an extradition treaty and agreements to cooperate in the areas of higher education and finance. The two countries have agreed to sign a free-trade agreement before the end of 2010 and Najib called for signing a "Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement" by the same date.^[58] These economic agreements have resulted in plans for RM1.6 trillion in investment for Malaysia.^[59] In January 2010 Najib announced plans to develop a new visa regime for Indian nationals, specifically for managers and knowledge workers to visit Malaysia.^[60]

Singapore[link]

Najib made a two-day visit to Singapore, from 21–22 May 2009. During the visit, both Najib and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong agreed to move bilateral relations forward in a more productive manner and will either set aside or resolve the “legacy” problems between the two countries. During a speech in Singapore Najib said he hoped his visit would signal “the beginning of a new era” between the two countries.^[61]

in 2010 Najib resolved a key diplomatic problem between the two countries by ending the impasse over transportation links and Singaporean investment in Iskandar Malaysia. Prime Minister Najib and Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore have agreed to modify the Points of Agreement signed in 1990. Specifically, the two sides have promised to move the KTM railway station from Tanjung Pagar to Woodlands, set up a joint venture to be called M-S Pte Ltd to develop six parcels of land in Singapore, develop a rapid transit link between Tanjung Pateri in Johor Bahru, and allow Temasek and Khazanah to set up a joint venture for the purpose of developing a town in Iskandar Malaysia.^[62]

South Korea[link]

Najib attended the ASEAN-South Korea Summit on 1 June 2009 hosted by South Korean President Lee Myung Bak. During the summit, the ASEAN-Korea Investment Agreement was signed to boost economic and trade relations between ASEAN and South Korea After the summit, Najib said Malaysia is keen on emulating South Korea in developing a small-scale nuclear reactor for power generation, as well as South Korea’s other low-carbon green technology.^[63]

China[link]

Najib made a four-day visit to China from 2–5 June 2009. During the visit, Najib mentioned his family’s special relationship with China, noting that his father, and Malaysia’s second Prime Minister, first established diplomatic relations with China in 1974. During the visit, several substantive issues were discussed in meetings between Najib and Chinese President Hu Jintao and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The two sides signed an endorsed strategic action plan covering 13 major areas, which will serve as the guideline for relations between Malaysia and China. Najib described the trip as most fruitful. Najib also received an honourary doctorate in international relations from the Beijing Foreign Studies University.^[64]

Indonesia[link]

Najib made a visit to Indonesia on 22–24 April 2009. Several issues were discussed, including cooperation in the tourism, oil and gas, and high-technology industries, as well as electricity supply from the Bakun dam to Kalimantan. Najib and his entourage also attended an official dinner hosted by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife Ani Yudhoyono.

New Zealand[link]

Under Najib's government Malaysia signed a free-trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand on 26 October 2009 to take effect 1 August 2010. The agreement will reduce or eliminate tariffs on thousands of industrial and agricultural products. The two countries have also agreed to reciprocal Most Favoured Nation status in private education, engineering services, environmental protection, mining services and information technology.^[65]

Controversy[link]

The Malaysian opposition has accused Najib of involvement in the receipt of large commissions for the purchases of two Scorpène submarines, 18 Sukhoi fighter jets, 12 Eurocopters helicopters and a military bomb involved in the murder of Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa.^[66][67] The French judiciary are currently investigating charges of corruption in the submarine deal.^{[68][69][70][71][72]}

Appraisal[link]

An article published in The Economist calls Najib a 'well-intentioned man' fighting for 'right and proper' reforms who faces obstructionism not from the opposition, but from his own party. The article argues that in spite of Najib's well-meaning agenda, because he came to power in an internal coup instead of an electoral mandate, he lacks the clout to impose his will on his own party. As a result, in his push for reforms Najib has both reformed too much and reformed too little, offending both the conservatives and reformists. ^[73]

Notes and references[link]

External links[link]

	Malaysia portal
	Biography portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Najib Razak

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Najib Razak

• Official weblog–1Malaysia
• Official Youtube page
• Official Twitter page
• Official Facebook page
• Pekan Official page

v t e Prime Ministers of Malaysia Abdul Rahman Abdul Razak Hussein Onn Mahathir Mohamad Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Najib Razak

v t e Deputy Prime Ministers of Malaysia Abdul Razak Ismail Abdul Rahman Hussein Onn Mahathir Mohamad Musa Hitam Ghafar Baba Anwar Ibrahim Abdullah Badawi Najib Tun Razak Muhyiddin Yassin

Datuk Seri Noh bin Omar is a Malaysian politician. He is the current Minister for Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Tanjong Karang constituency in Selangor. He is a member of the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) party in the governing Barisan Nasional coalition.

Noh was appointed to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after the 2008 election as Minister for Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development.^[1] On 10 April 2009, he was appointed as Minister for Agriculture and Agro-based Industry by Abdullah's successor, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.^[2]

In 2005, while Deputy Minister for Internal Security, Noh made international news for his role in a controversy concerning the alleged mistreatment of an ethnic Chinese woman by Malaysian police. In response to the revelation of mistreatment and protests by the Chinese government, Noh reportedly stated "if foreigners think that Malaysia police are brutal, please go back to their own countries and not to stay here".^[3] Noh was reprimanded by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi^[4] and Noh issued an apology for his comments that BBC News described as a 'grudging at best'.^[5]

Election results[link]

References[link]