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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 Berhormat Tan Sri Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs
In office 18 March 2008 – 9 April 2009
Preceded by	Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad
Succeeded by	Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 1999 – 17 March 2008
Preceded by	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Succeeded by	Rais Yatim
Personal details
Born	(1944-01-15) 15 January 1944 (age 68) Kampung Melayu Air Hitam, Penang, Malaysia
Political party	United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) part of Barisan Nasional
Spouse(s)	Sharifah Aziah Syed Zainal Abidin
Children	6
Occupation	Member of Parliament
Profession	Lawyer[1]
Religion	Islam
Website	http://www.syedhamidalbar.net/

Tan Sri Syed Hamid bin Syed Jaafar Albar (born 15 January 1944), is a Malaysian politician and the former Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs. He is currently the chairman of the Land Public Transport Commission.^[2] He is also a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), part of the ruling Barisan Nasional. He recently lost his bid for a Vice-President's post in UMNO and was dropped as a minister in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's cabinet.

Early life[link]

Syed Hamid was born in Kampung Melayu Air Hitam, Penang, Malaysia, to Tan Sri Syed Jaafar Albar who is also a Malaysian politician and a former cabinet minister. Syed Hamid's father was of Hadhrami Arab descent, and migrated from Indonesia to Malaysia shortly before World War II.^[3][4][5]

He had his secondary education at Maxwell School before going to Methodist Boys' School (Kuala Lumpur) for his Form Six education. For his tertiary education, he read law in the Inns of Court, London and was called to the Degree of an Utter Barrister by the Honourable Society of Middle Temple in 1970. As a student in London, he set up a club for Malaysian expatriates and students.

He is married with 6 children.

Political career[link]

Syed Hamid has been active in UMNO since his student days. Later, he became a member of UMNO Supreme Council in 1986. He enjoyed a brief stint of support as fellow Malaysians thought that as a well-travelled and Western-educated person, he would bring more political limelight to Malaysia and make the country shine in the international community.

Soon after winning an UMNO Supreme Council seat, he joined the Malaysian cabinet as a minister in the oil department and then as minister of law. In 1995, he was appointed as the Defense Minister and in 1999, he was appointed as the Foreign Minister. In March 2008, he was appointed as the Home Minister.

In April 2009, he was dropped as minister by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Criticisms and Controversies[link]

ISA Detention of Reporter[link]

Syed Hamid was heavily criticised for making the remarks that the detention of a Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng under ISA was to ensure her safety.^[6]

Death of A. Kugan during police custody[link]

Syed Hamid was criticised for labelling suspected car thief as a criminal. A suspect is presumed innocent until proven otherwise and Kugan did not have any criminal record nor was he ever charged in court.^[7] He was a minister of law before.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Syed Hamid Albar

• Syed Hamid Albar Official Website
• Interview: Syed Hamid Albar
• Malaysia-Today

Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun
Native name	陳志遠
Born	1952 Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
Nationality	Malaysia
Occupation	Chairman of Berjaya Group
Net worth	US$1.25 billion (2011)[1]

Tan Sri Dato' Seri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun (born 1952;^[2] (Chinese: 陳志遠; pinyin: Chén Zhìyuǎn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tân Chì-uán); is the current owner of Cardiff City F.C. and also is the Chairman and Chief Executive of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, which controls a wide array of businesses which includes golfing, property, resorts, and gambling in a group known as the Berjaya Group. He operates the second pay-TV service in Malaysia, MiTV, that was launched in September 2005. In 2010 he entered the Forbes billionaire billionaire list with an estimated worth of US$1.3 billion (RM4.2 billion).^[3] Tan's success in the Malaysian business sector has been attributed in part to his close association with prominent Malay political figures.^[2][4]

Tan was born in 1952, in Batu Pahat, Johor. He worked as a clerk and an insurance agent before going into business in the 1980s. In 1982 he purchased Malaysia's McDonald's franchise and in 1985 he bought Sports Toto when the lottery agency was privatised by the government.^[4] Vincent Tan has had close links with Mahatir Mohamed and his family, the ex prime minister of Malaysia. Vincent Tan obtained the license of his lottery business from an untendered privatisation in 1985 (Studwell, Joe; Asian Godfathers, page 130, Grove Press, 2007)

On 23rd of February 2012, Vincent has decided to retire from an active corporate role in (B-Corp), the flagship of the Berjaya Group of Companies. ^[5]

References[link]

Tan Sri Musa Hassan (born 1952) was Malaysia's Inspector-General of Police. He served with the Royal Malaysian Police for 41 years.^[1]

Inspector-General of Police[link]

He took over the post from Mohamed Bakri Omar in September 2006; Hassan had previously worked as Deputy Inspector-General under him.^[2]

Soon after he was investigated on allegations of corruption related to the release of three members of illegal betting syndicates, however, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail ordered the Anti-Corruption Agency to close the investigations in July 2007 for lack of evidence.^[3] Two months later, it was announced that he would receive a two-year extension of his term to 13 September 2009, despite having reached the mandatory retirement age.^[1]

In March 2010, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said that the government will find a replacement for Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan shortly.^[4][5][6][7]

Finally, on 13 September 2010 Musa resigned as Inspector-General of Police after serving for more than 3 years. Subsequently, his deputy, Tan Sri Ismail Omar, was promoted to be the new Inspector-General.^[8]

Family[link]

Musa Hassan is the eldest son of Hassan Azhari, a Koran teacher and famous Qiraati in Malaysia. He received his education in Kuala Lumpur, and has two younger brothers: Dato' Fuad Hassan, a politician, and Dato' Jalaluddin Hassan, an actor.^[9] He was an old boy of Bukit Bintang Boys' Secondary School.

References[link]

External links[link]

• S Ramesh (2009) Malaysian police chief conferred with Distinguished Service Order, www.channelnewsasia.com

Francis Yeoh is a prominent business personality in Malaysia.

Tan Sri Dato' Francis Yeoh Sock Ping, CBE (Chinese: 楊肅斌; pinyin: Yáng Sùbīn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Iûⁿ Siok-pin, born August 23, 1954) is a prominent business personality in Malaysia, and the eldest son of Malaysian billionaire Tan Sri Dato' Seri Yeoh Tiong Lay. He obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) Degree in Civil Engineering from Kingston Polytechnic (now known as Kingston University), United Kingdom in 1978.

Francis had his secondary school education at Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where he was School Captain. He became the Managing Director of YTL Corporation in 1988. Under his stewardship, the YTL Group grew from a single listed entity in 1985 to a force comprising five listed companies, and is now one of the biggest conglomerates in Malaysia ^[1] . Francis is a devout Christian and has often attributed his success in business to the Lord Jesus Christ.^[2]

On January 16, 2003, he was awarded the First Malaysian Ernst & Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2002 in recognition of his entrepreneurial acumen.

On February 13, 2004, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from his alma mater, Kingston University.

He was awarded BusinessWeek's "25 Stars of Asia 2003" on November 6, 2003 in Hong Kong; and was ranked 21 by Fortune Magazine Asia's 25 Most Powerful Business Personalities on August 9, 2004.

Francis married Rosaline Yeoh in 1982, and they have five children. His siblings reside in Malaysia and are fellow directors of YTL Corporation.

In 2006, he was conferred Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for his philanthropic endeavours.

His wife, Puan Sri Rosaline Yeoh, died on 5 August 2006.

References[link]

• Davies, Nick and Evans, Rob (Apr 24, 2006) For services to the UK: top awards for foreign tycoons, military and the Corrs. The Guardian. Retrieved June 15, 2006.

External links[link]

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