Wan_Azizah_Wan_Ismail

Wan Azizah Wan Ismail

Wan Azizah Wan Ismail

Malaysian politician

Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail (Jawi: وان عزيزة بنت وان إسماعيل; born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian politician who has served as Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia as the wife of Anwar Ibrahim, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bandar Tun Razak since November 2022 and 1st President of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition since July 2017. She served as the 12th Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Women, Family and Community Development in the PH administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from May 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020, 1st President of the People's Justice Party (PKR) from April 1999 to November 2018, the 11th and 13th Leader of the Opposition from March 2008 to August 2008 and again from May 2015 to May 2018, MP for Pandan from May 2018 to November 2022, for Permatang Pauh from November 1999 to March 2008 and again from May 2015 to May 2018 as well as Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kajang from April 2014 to May 2018.[1][2] She was the first female Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition as well as the highest ever female political officeholder in the history of Malaysia. She joined politics and held a number of political offices on behalf of her husband Anwar to retain his political influence during his absence from politics due to a series of his sodomy trials and prison sentences that had prevented him from holding the offices. She most notably served as the 1st President of PKR from the party formation to officially handing over the party leadership to Anwar after his release from prison while Anwar served as the "de facto" leader during the period.

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Wan Ismail is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Wan Azizah. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
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Early life

Wan Azizah was born in 1952 at KK Women's and Children's Hospital in Singapore.[3] She has a Peranakan grandfather and was raised Malay Muslim.[4]

She received her early education in St. Nicholas Convent School, Alor Setar and continued her education at Tunku Kurshiah College[5] in Seremban. She went on to study medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland where she was awarded a gold medal in obstetrics and gynaecology[6] and she later graduated as a qualified ophthalmologist.[7]

Wan Azizah served as a government doctor for 14 years before deciding to focus on volunteering work, when her husband, Anwar Ibrahim was appointed the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia in 1993. As part of her voluntary pursuits, she became a patron of MAKNA (Majlis Kanser Nasional or National Cancer Council) in that period.[8][9]

Political career

Party founder

Following the dismissal and arrest of her husband on 20 September 1998, Wan Azizah became the leader of the fledgling Reformasi movement. She first led the Social Justice Movement (ADIL), a civil rights NGO, before helping to establish the Parti Keadilan Nasional on 4 April 1999. The establishment of the party saw Wan Azizah elected as the first party president, a position she was re-elected to in 2001.[10] The position made her the second woman to lead a political party in Malaysia's history; after Ganga Nayar as the founder and first president of the Malaysian Workers' Party in 1978.[11]

On 3 August 2003, Wan Azizah brought the party into a merger with the older Malaysian People's Party (or Parti Rakyat Malaysia) which saw the establishment of the People's Justice Party and was elected as the president of the newly merged party.[citation needed]

Member of Parliament

In the first elections competed by the party in 1999, Wan Azizah led the party to win five seats in the Parliament and was herself elected as the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh; the seat formerly held by Anwar Ibrahim; with a majority of 9,077 votes. She successfully retained the seat in the 2004 elections, after five recounts, with a reduced majority.[12]

As a political party leader and also a parliamentary representative, Wan Azizah has spoken at UN-sponsored programs, and the local and international media. She is also the Vice-Chair of the Malaysian Parliamentary Caucus for Democracy in Myanmar and a member of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus.[13]

March 2008 general election

Wan Azizah won her parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh in the 12th Malaysian general election with a majority of 13,388.[14] She was supported by all the component parties of Pakatan Rakyat to lead the opposition in the lower house of parliament, House of Representatives.

With the public announcement by Anwar Ibrahim regarding his intention to return to active politics despite being legally barred from doing so,[15] Wan Azizah indicated her readiness to vacate the position of party president if he was elected.[16] Nonetheless, she has also indicated that she intends to defend her parliamentary seat for Permatang Pauh.[17] She resigned her parliamentary seat for Permatang Pauh on 31 July 2008, to make way for her husband, who won the subsequent by-election on 26 August 2008 with a large majority.[citation needed]

2014 Kajang by-election

Main article: Kajang Move

On 9 March 2014, PKR announced Wan Azizah as its new candidate for the Kajang by-election.[18] This was following Anwar Ibrahim's sentencing to five years in prison after Malaysia's court of appeal overturned his sodomy acquittal, causing Anwar to be unable to run in the by-election.[19]

On 23 March 2014, Wan Azizah was elected as the Selangor state legislative assembly member for Kajang.[20]

2015 Permatang Pauh by-election

Main article: 2015 Permatang Pauh by-election

A by-election was held for the Dewan Rakyat seat of Permatang Pauh on 7 May 2015,[21] after Wan Azizah's husband Anwar Ibrahim was disqualified from holding the seat after being found guilty of sodomy in a controversial trial.[22][23] Wan Azizah contested the seat against three other candidates,[24] retaining it for PKR with a majority of 8,841 votes.[25]

2018 general election

Main article: 2018 Malaysian general election

On 7 January 2018, the opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan announced Mahathir Mohamad as their candidate for Prime Minister in the 2018 election, with Wan Azizah as Deputy.[26] It was announced as part of a deal for Mahathir to serve as interim if elected, seeking a pardon for Anwar and making way for him to take over.[27] Others have speculated, however, that it would be Wan Azizah who would make way for her husband.[28]

Election results

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Honours

Honours of Malaysia

Wan Azizah was honoured on the occasion of the official birthday of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (State Governor) of Penang on 12 July 2008 when she was awarded the Darjah Panglima Pangkuan Negeri (Order of the Defender of the State), a chivalric order of the second rank in the state which carries the title Dato' Seri.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Mahathir named chairman, Anwar named de facto leader of Pakatan Harapan". Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  2. [2]
    "Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad appointed education minister in new cabinet". Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  3. [3]
    Habibu, Sira; Rahim, Rahimy (3 September 2014). "Party lists PKR president and deputy for Selangor MB post". The Star. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  4. [4]
    Healy, Tim; Oorjitham, Santha (30 November 2000). "Readying for Elections?". Asiaweek. Archived from the original on 31 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  5. [5]
    P Ramakrishnan (8 May 1999). "In Desperate Straits". Aliran.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  6. [6]
    Bissme S. (14 May 2017). "Wan Azizah – a pillar of strength". The Sun Daily. Archived from the original on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  7. [7]
    Norazalina (16 July 2021). "Doktor Mata Fasih Bahasa Inggeris & Hantar Anak-Anak Ke Sekolah Kebangsaan, Kesederhanaan DS Dr Wan Azizah Cukup Menawan!". Nona (in Malay). Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  8. [8]
    Parti Keadilan Rakyat: Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail Archived 26 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  9. [9]
    Asiaweek : A Woman of Grace Archived 15 January 2005 at the Wayback Machine
  10. [10]
    Parti Keadilan Rakyat: Background & History Archived 24 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  11. [11]
    Bernama Library & Infolink Service: Ganga Nayar Profile Archived 19 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  12. [12]
    Malaysian General Election 2004 : Results for Permatang Pauh Archived 21 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  13. [13]
    "ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus". Archived from the original on 4 October 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
  14. [14]
    Malaysian General Election 2008 : Results for Permatang Pauh Archived 19 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  15. [15]
    Radio Australia: MALAYSIA: Anwar Ibrahim to make political comeback Archived 20 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  16. [16]
    Daily Express: Wan Azizah agrees to make way for Anwar Archived 26 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  17. [17]
    Malaysiakini : She's ready to make way for hubby Archived 19 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  18. [18]
    "Wan Azizah to replace Anwar in Kajang". 9 March 2014. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  19. [19]
    "Anwar Ibrahim sentenced to five years' prison after Malaysia's court of appeal overturns sodomy acquittal". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 March 2014. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  20. [20]
    Eileen Ng (23 March 2014). "Barisan claims to regain Chinese support despite losing Kajang by-election". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  21. [21]
    "Four cornered fight in Permatang Pauh by-election". The Star. 25 April 2015. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020.
  22. [22]
    "Anwar no longer Permatang Pauh MP". The Malaysian Insider. 1 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015.
  23. [23]
    Wan Azizah Kosongkan Kerusi Permatang Pauh Untuk Beri Laluan Kepada Anwar, Bernama
  24. [24]
    "Election Commission expects Permatang Pauh by-election results by 9pm polling day". The Malaysian Insider. 25 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  25. [25]
    "Official: PKR retains Pmtg Pauh, smaller majority". Malaysiakini. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018.
  26. [26]
    "Mahathir Mohamad: Ex-Malaysia PM, 92, to run for office". BBC News. 8 January 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  27. [27]
    Kee Beng, Ooi (8 January 2018). "Commentary: Why the opposition has a shot at toppling the Barisan Nasional with Mahathir at the helm". Channel News Asia. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  28. [28]
    Kamarudin, Raja Petra (9 January 2018). "RPK asks: Is Dr Mahathir the interim PM or is Wan Azizah the interim DPM?". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  29. [29]
    "CJ and Dr Wan Azizah top Penang awards list". The Star. 10 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
  30. [30]
    "Darjah Panglima Pangkuan Negeri". Penang State Government Portal. Government of the State of Penang, Malaysia. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
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