Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Encyclopedia
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian politician
. She is currently the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat
(People's Justice Party) and she was the Member of Parliament
for Permatang Pauh
from 1999
to 2008. She was also the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat
from March 2008 until 31 July 2008. She resigned her parliamentary seat for Permatang Pauh on 31 July 2008 to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
who won the subsequent by-election
on 26 August 2008.
. She went on to study medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
where she was awarded a gold medal in obstetrics
and gynecology and she later graduated as a qualified ophthalmologist.
Dr. Wan Azizah served as a government doctor for 14 years before deciding to focus on volunteer 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 and became the second woman to lead a political party in Malaysia's history (Ganga Nayar founded and became the first president of the Malaysian Workers' Party
in 1978 ).
Wan Azizah has said that she has a Peranakan
(Straits Chinese) grandfather but identifies as a Malay Muslim. It is claimed that she also has Korean ancestry.
movement. She first led the Social Justice Movement (ADIL), a civil rights
NGO, before helping to establish the Parti Keadilan Rakyat
on 4 April 1999. The establishment of the party saw Dr. Wan Azizah being elected as the first party president.
On 3 August 2003, she 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.
competed by the party in 1999, she led the party to win 5 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
with a reduced majority.
As a political party leader and also a parliamentary representative, Dr. Wan Azizah is involved in many programs and activities domestically and internationally. She 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.
Wan Azizah won her parliament seat of Permatang Pauh
in the 2008 12th General Election of Malaysia with a majority of 13,388. 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 recent public announcement by Anwar Ibrahim regarding his intention to return to active politics despite being legally barred from doing so, Dr Wan Azizah has indicated her readiness to vacate the position of party president if he was elected. Nonetheless, she has also indicated that she intends to defend her parliamentary seat for Permatang Pauh.
(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. The award carries the non-hereditary title
of Datuk Seri.
She resigned her parliamentary seat for Permatang Pauh
on 31 July 2008, to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
to contest in a by-election
, which had to be held within 60 days from the date she resigned. Anwar succeeded to the seat after winning a big majority in the by-election, on 26 August 2008.
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Malay titles
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....
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. She is currently the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Parti Keadilan Rakyat
The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party...
(People's Justice Party) and she was the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Permatang Pauh
Permatang Pauh
Permatang Pauh is a town in Seberang Perai, the hinterland portion of the island-state of Penang, Malaysia. Permatang Pauh is now led by Anwar Ibrahim who is the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh....
from 1999
Malaysian general election, 1999
The 1999 Malaysian General Election was held on 29 November 1999 as stipulated by the laws of Malaysia for general elections. As expected, the Barisan Nasional coalition maintained its majority in parliament, and thus, its grip on the post of Prime Minister....
to 2008. She was also the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
from March 2008 until 31 July 2008. She resigned her parliamentary seat for Permatang Pauh on 31 July 2008 to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
who won the subsequent by-election
Permatang Pauh by-election, 2008
A by-election was held for the Dewan Rakyat parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh on August 26, 2008 with nomination day on August 16, 2008. The seat of Permatang Pauh in the Dewan Rakyat, fell vacant after the resignation of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, on 31 July 2008...
on 26 August 2008.
Early life
Born in 1952, Wan Azizah received her early education in St. Nicholas Convent School, Alor Setar. She was to continue her education at Tunku Kurshiah College http://www.tkc.edu.my/ in SerembanSeremban
Seremban is the capital of the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan, located within the district of Seremban, one of the seven districts of Negeri Sembilan. The town's administration is run by the Seremban Municipal Council or Majlis Perbandaran Seremban...
. She went on to study medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
where she was awarded a gold medal in obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
and gynecology and she later graduated as a qualified ophthalmologist.
Dr. Wan Azizah served as a government doctor for 14 years before deciding to focus on volunteer work, when her husband, Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
was appointed the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia in 1993. As part of her voluntary pursuits, she became a patron of MAKNA
MAKNA
MAKNA or the National Cancer Council Malaysia is a not-for-profit social enterprise mainly tasked to pool and utilise every effort, expertise and welfare from every faction of society to fight cancer and to reduce the pain, suffering and morbidity that the cancer patients often experience...
(Majlis Kanser Nasional or National Cancer Council) in that period and became the second woman to lead a political party in Malaysia's history (Ganga Nayar founded and became the first president of the Malaysian Workers' Party
Malaysian Workers' Party
The Malaysian Worker's Party is a leftist political party in Malaysia.The party was founded in 1978 by Mrs Ganga Nayar, who unsuccessfully contested the Sungai Besi Parliamentary and Sungai Way State seats in the 5th Malaysian General Elections of 1978.-References:* . ...
in 1978 ).
Wan Azizah has said that she has a Peranakan
Peranakan
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
(Straits Chinese) grandfather but identifies as a Malay Muslim. It is claimed that she also has Korean ancestry.
Party founder
Following the dismissal and arrest of her husband on 20 September 1998, Dr. Wan Azizah earned the respect and admiration of many Malaysians as the leader of the fledgling ReformasiReformasi (Malaysia)
The Reformasi movement in Malaysia was initiated by Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters shortly after he was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister in 1998. It consisted of several mass demonstrations and rallies against the long-standing Barisan Nasional coalition government, and continued until Anwar was...
movement. She first led the Social Justice Movement (ADIL), a civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
NGO, before helping to establish the Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Parti Keadilan Rakyat
The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party...
on 4 April 1999. The establishment of the party saw Dr. Wan Azizah being elected as the first party president.
On 3 August 2003, she 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.
Member of Parliament
In the first electionsMalaysian general election, 1999
The 1999 Malaysian General Election was held on 29 November 1999 as stipulated by the laws of Malaysia for general elections. As expected, the Barisan Nasional coalition maintained its majority in parliament, and thus, its grip on the post of Prime Minister....
competed by the party in 1999, she led the party to win 5 seats in the Parliament
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
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
Malaysian general election, 2004
General elections were held in Malaysia on March 21, 2004. The incumbent National Front government of Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was re-elected with an increased majority.-Election results:...
with a reduced majority.
As a political party leader and also a parliamentary representative, Dr. Wan Azizah is involved in many programs and activities domestically and internationally. She 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.
March 2008 Elections
Permatang Pauh
Permatang Pauh is a town in Seberang Perai, the hinterland portion of the island-state of Penang, Malaysia. Permatang Pauh is now led by Anwar Ibrahim who is the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh....
in the 2008 12th General Election of Malaysia with a majority of 13,388. She was supported by all the component parties of Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
to lead the opposition in the lower house of parliament, House of Representatives
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
.
With the recent public announcement by Anwar Ibrahim regarding his intention to return to active politics despite being legally barred from doing so, Dr Wan Azizah has indicated her readiness to vacate the position of party president if he was elected. Nonetheless, she has also indicated that she intends to defend her parliamentary seat for Permatang Pauh.
Recent Developments
Wan Azizah was honored on the occasion of the official birthday of the Yang di-Pertua NegeriYang di-Pertua Negeri
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is the official title of the ceremonial heads of state of the Malaysian states without hereditary rulers, namely Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak...
(State Governor) of Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
on 12 July 2008 when she was awarded the Darjah Panglima Pangkuan Negeri (Order of the Defender of the State), a chivalric order
Chivalric order
Chivalric orders are societies and fellowships of knights that have been created by European monarchs in imitation of the military orders of the Crusades...
of the second rank in the state. The award carries the non-hereditary title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
of Datuk Seri.
She resigned her parliamentary seat for Permatang Pauh
Permatang Pauh
Permatang Pauh is a town in Seberang Perai, the hinterland portion of the island-state of Penang, Malaysia. Permatang Pauh is now led by Anwar Ibrahim who is the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh....
on 31 July 2008, to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
to contest in a by-election
Permatang Pauh by-election, 2008
A by-election was held for the Dewan Rakyat parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh on August 26, 2008 with nomination day on August 16, 2008. The seat of Permatang Pauh in the Dewan Rakyat, fell vacant after the resignation of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, on 31 July 2008...
, which had to be held within 60 days from the date she resigned. Anwar succeeded to the seat after winning a big majority in the by-election, on 26 August 2008.
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