Mohamed Azmin Ali

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yang Berhormat Dato' Seri

Mohamed Azmin Ali

SPMS MP MLA
محمد عزمين علي
Azmin Ali 2019 (cropped).jpg
Azmin in 2019
15th Menteri Besar of Selangor
In office
23 September 2014 – 19 June 2018
MonarchSharafuddin
Preceded byAbdul Khalid Ibrahim
Succeeded byAmirudin Shari
Deputy President of the People's Justice Party
In office
28 November 2010 – 24 February 2020
PresidentWan Azizah Wan Ismail
Anwar Ibrahim
Preceded bySyed Husin Ali
Vice-President of the People's Justice Party
In office
9 November 2001 – 28 November 2010
PresidentWan Azizah Wan Ismail
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded by
See list
Ministerial roles
2018–2020Minister of Economic Affairs
2020–Senior Minister
2020–Minister of International Trade and Industry
Personal details
Born
Mohamed Azmin bin Ali

(1964-08-25) 25 August 1964 (age 57)
State of Singapore, Malaysia
CitizenshipMalaysia
Political partyUMNO (1987-1998)
PKR (1998-2020)
BERSATU (since 2020)
Other political
affiliations
Barisan Nasional (1987-1998)
Barisan Alternatif (1998-2004)
Pakatan Rakyat (2008-2015)
Pakatan Harapan (2015-2020)
Perikatan Nasional (since 2020)
Spouse(s)Shamshida Tahrin
RelationsAzwan Ali (brother)
Ummi Hafilda Ali (sister)
Children6
ResidenceUlu Kelang, Selangor, Malaysia
Alma materUniversity of Minnesota (BSc, MEd)
OccupationPolitician
Signature
Websitewww.azminali.com
Mohamed Azmin Ali on Parliament of Malaysia
Mohamed Azmin Ali
Faction represented in Dewan Rakyat
2008–2018People's Justice Party
2018–2020Pakatan Harapan
2020Malaysian United Indigenous Party
2020–Perikatan Nasional
Faction represented in Selangor State Legislative Assembly
1999–2003National Justice Party
2003–2004People's Justice Party
2008–2018People's Justice Party
2018–2020Pakatan Harapan
2020Malaysian United Indigenous Party
2020–Perikatan Nasional

Mohamed Azmin bin Ali (Jawi: محمد عزمين بن علي; born 25 August 1964) is a Malaysian politician who has served as Senior Minister in charge of International Trade and Industry and Minister of International Trade and Industry for the second term in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob since August 2021. He served his first term in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration under former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin from March 2020 to August 2021. He has also served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Gombak and Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Bukit Antarabangsa since March 2008. He also served as Senior Minister in charge of Economy in the PN administration under Muhyiddin from March 2020 to August 2021, Minister of Economic Affairs in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from May 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020 and Menteri Besar of Selangor from September 2014 to June 2018. He is a member of the Supreme Council and Chairman of the International Bureau of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), a component party of the ruling PN coalition. He is a founding member, was a member and served as Deputy President of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH opposition coalition, from November 2010 to his resignation from party in February 2020 with several other MPs and its Vice-President from November 2001 to his promotion to Deputy President in November 2010. He is also former President of the Football Association of Selangor (FAS).[1]

Early years and education[]

Mohamed Azmin Ali was born on 25 August 1964 in Singapore (then a state of Malaysia) to Ali and Che Tom Yahaya. His father worked for the British Army as a clerk. His family later migrated to Malaysia and he grew up in Kuala Lumpur. He began his education at Gurney Road Primary School, then Setapak High School, and ended it at Jalan Cheras Technical Institute.

He received Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics and Mathematics from the University of Minnesota. He later completed his Master of Education's degree (MEd) from the same institute where he met Shamsidar Taharin, his future wife. While studying, Azmin taught modern and additional mathematics. One of his notable students was Razali Ibrahim, a former deputy minister, when they were in MRSM Terendak. He also attended an executive training programme at the University of Oxford.

Political career[]

Early career[]

In 1987, following advice from the Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Azmin started working for Anwar Ibrahim, who was then a Minister in Mahathir's Barisan Nasional government. Azmin served as Anwar's personal secretary through Anwar's appointment as Deputy Prime Minister in 1993 and until Mahathir sacked Anwar in 1998. Azmin remained close to Anwar following the dismissal and they both became founders of the opposition Parti Keadilan Nasional (KeADILan), which later became the People's Justice Party or Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).[2]

State assemblyman and parliamentarian[]

Keadilan entered the 1999 general elections amidst voter anger over Anwar's dismissal and subsequent imprisonment. Azmin was elected Selangor State Assemblyman for Hulu Kelang. However, he was barred from participating in the 2004 general elections due to his conviction for lying in court during the trial against Anwar. The High Court and Court of Appeal have since acquitted him.[3]

Azmin returned to national politics in the 2008 general elections, winning the Gombak parliamentary seat and Bukit Antarabangsa state seat in Selangor. Meanwhile, in 2010, he won an internal PKR election for the party's deputy presidency. He replaced Syed Husin, who did not seek re-election.[4] He was reelected as the party's deputy president in 2018 after a close election against Rafizi Ramli.[5]

In the 2013 general elections and 2018 general elections he managed to clinch both seats again.[6]

Menteri Besar of Selangor[]

Azmin became the Menteri Besar of Selangor on 23 September 2014, following the resignation of the PKR incumbent Khalid Ibrahim. His ascension to the post followed months of internal political wrangling within the Pakatan Rakyat coalition that led the state. Khalid had been the Menteri Besar since the coalition of PKR, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) won a majority in the Selangor State Assembly in the 2008 election. In early 2014, PKR's national leader, Anwar Ibrahim, then a federal parliamentarian sought to contest the Selangor State Assembly seat of Kajang in a by-election. The so-called "Kajang Move" would have allowed Anwar to oust Khalid as Menteri Besar with PKR's support. However, after Anwar's conviction for sodomy weeks before the by-election, his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail assumed PKR's nomination for the by-election in his place and won the seat. Khalid resigned as Menteri Besar after PKR withdrew its support for his leadership later in the year. PKR, with the DAP's support, nominated Wan Azizah to replace him, but both the Sultan of Selangor (who appoints the Menteri Besar) and the third coalition party, PAS, sought other options. The Sultan requested that each coalition party submit three names for his consideration. PKR and the DAP submitted only Wan Azizah's name, while PAS submitted others.[7][8][9][10] On 22 September, the Sultan announced the appointment of Azmin. He was sworn into office the following morning.[11]

Azmin was the sole recipient of the Order of the Crown of Selangor in Knight Grand Commander class (S.P.M.S) in 2015, which carries the title 'Dato' Seri' in conjunction with the 70th birthday of the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah on 11 December 2015.[12]

Azmin was once again reelected as the Menteri Besar of Selangor in the aftermath of 2018 Malaysian general election after defending his Bukit Antarabangsa state seat. He was sworn into title on the evening of 11 May 2018 at Istana Alam Shah.[13]

Minister of Economic Affairs[]

Following the aftermath of the 2018 General Election, Azmin was named as one of the ministers in the newly elected Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's cabinet on 18 May 2018.[14] He is to head the newly established Ministry of Economic Affairs. He was sworn in as the Minister of Economic Affairs on 21 May 2018 at Istana Negara.[15] His term ended on 24 February 2020 after the dissolution of cabinet following the resignation of Mahathir Mohamad as Malaysia's Prime Minister per article 43(5) of the Constitution of Malaysia, that allowed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to revoke the appointment of ministers.[16][17][18]

Change of allegiance[]

On the morning of 23 February 2020, Azmin held a meeting with several lawmakers from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and twenty others at Sheraton Hotel, Petaling, amidst the rumour of a formation of a new coalition at the parliament of Malaysia.[19] He and his faction in PKR, went to the Istana Negara on the evening to seek a meeting with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Abdullah of Pahang. Leaders from other five political parties; Bersatu's Muhyiddin Yassin, UMNO's Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, GPS's Abang Johari Openg, Warisan's Shafie Apdal and PAS's Hadi Awang were also in attendance.[20] It was speculated that the leaders were there to brief the Agong about the recent political development; formation of a new coalition government and to declare their support for a new prime minister, effectively blocking PKR's president Anwar Ibrahim from the position.[21][22] After the meeting, several opposition party leaders, including UMNO's Ismail Sabri Yaakob and PAS' Hadi Awang then joined Azmin's supporters at Sheraton Hotel.[23]

On the next day, 24 February, PKR's general secretary, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced in a press conference at the party's headquarters that Azmin and Minister of Housing and Local Government, Zuraida Kamaruddin who is also the vice president of PKR had been sacked from the party.[24] Saifuddin explained that they were expelled due to their actions on 23 October which was against the party's principle regarding the position of prime minister.[25] Azmin later announced that he will be forming an independent bloc at the parliament along with Zuraida and other nine MPs who had decided to exit the party following his expulsion.[26] However, on 28 February 2020, a representative from Bersatu confirmed that Azmin and his faction had joined the party.[27]

He was named as one of the four senior ministers alongside Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Fadillah Yusof and Mohd Radzi Md Jidin in Muhyiddin cabinet on 9 March 2020. The positions were established by Muhyiddin Yassin, the eighth prime minister as a substitute for the deputy prime minister position.[28] Although the four ministers were of equal standings, Azmin was designated by the prime minister to preside over the cabinet's meeting in his absence.[29]

Controversies[]

2019 "Semburit" video scandal[]

On 12 June 2019, it was reported that Azmin was filmed being intimate with another man, political aide Haziq Abdul Aziz, in a video circulating on social media. Azmin has denied his involvement.[30] Muhammad Haziq Abdul Aziz later confirmed his involvement in the act with the minister and urged authorities to investigate him.[31] Until 16 July 2019, nine people had been arrested by Royal Malaysia Police in the investigation regarding their involvement in making and distribution of the lewd video, including Haziq who had admitted he was the person in the video, and who is PKR Perak state chairman and is also Anwar Ibrahim's political secretary.[32][33] After Farhash was released by the police for investigation, he shouted “Azmin semburit” in a speech, which was repeated by the crowd. Semburit literally means sodomy and homosexual acts between two men.[34] On 18 July 2019, the Inspector General of Police, Abdul Hamid Bador stated that although the video was authentic, the individual in the video is unidentifiable.[35] He also stated that the group of individuals who made the video were paid thousand of Ringgits, and the video circulation was masterminded by a leader of a political party, with the intention to degrade and defame someone's reputation.[36]

10 Gombak voters file suit against Azmin[]

Ten registered voters in the Gombak parliamentary constituency have filed a suit against their parliament member, Mohamed Azmin Ali. The 10, as plaintiffs, filed the lawsuit through Messrs Yohendra Nadarajan at the High Court here on Nov 27, named Mohamad Azmin as the sole defendant. The plaintiffs claim that Mohamed Azmin's representations were false and that he only wanted their votes. The ten also claimed that they had relied on those representations to vote for the defendant's 14th General Election. They seek damages, including aggravated or exemplary damages, interests, costs and other orders deemed fit by the court. "By breaching these representations, the defendant had violated constitutional rights, especially the principles of parliamentary democracy and representative democracy," they said in a statement of claim. The plaintiffs are applying for a declaration that the defendant has breached his fiduciary duties and the duties owed and deceived them.[37]

Views and comments on various issues[]

Loss of faith in Anwar Ibrahim[]

Azmin decided to leave PKR and join Bersatu. Azmin said, 'immoral sexual practices' by Anwar caused him to lose faith in the PKR president.[38] Anwar, however, denies committing any sexual misconduct. Azmin stated the matter in a defence statement regarding the suit filed by 10 Gombak voters against him.  Azmin denies allegations that he failed to fulfil his election promises to voters in the Gombak constituency. He said he doubted the full pardon status granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong against Anwar. Azmin said he was still committed to fighting and eliminating corruption even though he was not with PKR and had joined Bersatu. He also denied that he was responsible for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government's fall in February last year. Instead, he said, the PH government collapsed due to the resignation of the then prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Personal life[]

He is married to Shamshida Tahrin, a finance graduate also from the University of Minnesota. The couple have three sons and three daughters.[39] He lives in Ampang.

In addition to an elder brother, Azman Ali,[40] among his younger brothers are television host and celebrity Azwan Ali,[41] and motivator Arpah Ali, while his younger sister is Ummi Hafilda Ali, a prosecution witness in the sodomy trial of jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.[42][43]

Election results[]

Selangor State Legislative Assembly[44][45][46][47][48][49]
Year Constituency Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1999 N18 Hulu Kelang, P91 Gombak. Mohamed Azmin Ali (KeADILan) 9,185 53.32% Fuad Hassan (UMNO) 8,039 46.67% 17,395 1,146 76.65%
2008 N19 Bukit Antarabangsa, P99 Ampang. Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR) 11,731 52.91% Haslinda Mohd Zerain (UMNO) 10,350 46.68% 22,397 1,381 72.99%
2013 Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR) 16,502 56.81% Mohamad Nadzim Ibrahim (UMNO) 12,458 42.89% 29,352 4,044 85.16%
2018 Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR) 30,892 79.64% Salwa Yunus (UMNO) 5,380 13.87% 39,057 25,512 84.44%
Syarifah Haslizah
Syed Ariffin (PAS)
2,311 5.96%
Ahmad Kamarudin (PRM) 116 0.30%
Mohamed Azwan Ali (IND) 90 0.23%
Parliament of Malaysia[44][45][46][47][48][49]
Year Constituency Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2008 P98 Gombak, Selangor. Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR) 40,334 53.92% Said Anuar Said Ahmad (UMNO) 33,467 44.74% 75,619 6,867 76.26%
2013 Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR) 54,827 51.82% Rahman Ismail (UMNO) 50,093 47.34% 107,162 4,734 86.92%
Said Nazar Abu Baker (IND) 474 0.45%
2018 Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR) 75,113 63.10% Abdul Rahim Pandak Kamaruddin (UMNO) 26,392 22.17% 119,975 48,721 85.43%
Khairil Nizam Khirudin (PAS) 17,537 14.73%

Honours[]

Honours of Malaysia[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 2015-02-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "From critic to Selangor MB, Azmin Ali's climb to the topf". Bernama. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  3. ^ No case against Azmin The Star. 8 January 2009
  4. ^ "Azmin Ali is PKR deputy president, Nurul Izzah is veep". Bernama. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  5. ^ "PKR Election 2018 Tracker". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Pemimpin utama pakatan menang". Nazura Ngah; Fairul Asmaini Mohd Pilus; Nur Lela Zulkipli & Seri Nor Nadiah Koris (in Malay). Berita Harian. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  7. ^ Chong Pooi Koon (23 September 2014). "Anwar's Wife Pipped in Tussle to Run Malaysia's Selangor". Bloomberg. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  8. ^ Mohd Farwan Darwis (9 March 2014). "Wan Azizah to contest Kajang seat, replaces Anwar". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  9. ^ Ng, Eileen (23 September 2014). "With Azmin as MB, the failure of PKR's Kajang Move, say analysts". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 25 September 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  10. ^ Habibu, Sira; Muthiah, Wani (21 September 2014). "Selangor MB crisis: Puzzling if name other than Wan Azizah chosen, says Tian Chua". The Star. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  11. ^ "PKR's Azmin Ali is new Selangor MB: Sultan's secretary". Channel NewsAsia. 22 September 2014. Archived from the original on 26 September 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  12. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ Khairul Azwan Hussin; Ruwaida Md Zain (11 May 2018). "Mohamed Azmin angkat sumpah MB Selangor". Berita Harian (in Malay). Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  14. ^ "PM umum senarai menteri Kabinet". Sinar Harian (in Malay). 18 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Wan Azizah ketuai angkat sumpah menteri kabinet". Berita Harian (in Malay). 21 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  16. ^ "Semua jawatan menteri Kabinet, timbalan menteri dan setiausaha politik dihentikan". Astro Awani (in Malay). 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  17. ^ "Mahathir resigns as Malaysian Prime Minister, PH loses majority after MPs leave". The Straits Times. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  18. ^ Constitution of Malaysia - Article 43: Cabinet  – via Wikisource.
  19. ^ Kasthuri Jeevendran (23 February 2020). "Azmin mesyuarat di hotel, Hamzah Zainuddin dan Baru Bian turut hadir". Malaysia Gazette (in Malay). Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  20. ^ See update at 7:11pm - Istana Negara "New coalition: Anwar in emergency meeting, Azmin vows to continue reform agenda". Malaysia Kini. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  21. ^ Sadho Ram (23 February 2020). "PAS, UMNO, Bersatu, Amanah And 10 PKR MPs Said To Be Forming A New Coalition Govt". SAYS. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  22. ^ Ratcliffe, Rebecca (24 February 2020). "Malaysia's PM Mahathir Mohamad resigns amid political turmoil". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  23. ^ Yiswaree Palansamy (23 February 2020). "Azmin arrives at Sheraton Hotel, first sighting since rumoured new coalition". Malay Mail. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  24. ^ "Azmin, Zuraida sacked from PKR". MSN. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  25. ^ "Azmin, Zuraida sacked from party of Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim". The Jakarta Post. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  26. ^ "Azmin and Zuraida seen entering Dr M's Seri Kembangan house after his resignation as PM". Malay Mail. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  27. ^ "Azmin's gang now in Bersatu? President's aide says yes, but supreme council member says 'no clue'". Malay Mail. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  28. ^ "4 Menteri Kanan ganti TPM". Berita Harian (in Malay). 9 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  29. ^ "Muhyiddin: Kedudukan menteri kanan sama". Bernama (in Malay). 11 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  30. ^ "Malaysian cabinet minister allegedly depicted in gay sex video, accused of corruption". ABC News. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  31. ^ "I was in bed with minister, confesses man claiming to be in viral sex clip". Malaysiakini. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  32. ^ "Pengerusi PKR negeri antara 3 ditahan kes video lucah". Berita Harian. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  33. ^ Rahimah Ibrahim (17 July 2019). "Anwar terkejut setiausaha politiknya ditahan polis". Astro Awani. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  34. ^ Bakar, Adam Abu (24 July 2019). "'Semburit' speech by Farhash warrants disciplinary action, says PKR women's chief". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  35. ^ "Azmin tidak dapat dikaitkan dengan video intim - Ketua Polis Negara". Astro Awani. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  36. ^ Nurul Riduan Nor Ashaha (18 July 2019). "Kos penghasilan video intim cecah ratusan ribu ringgit: KPN". Sinar Harian. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  37. ^ www.astroawani.com https://www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/10-gombak-voters-file-suit-against-azmin-271127. Retrieved 30 January 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  38. ^ "Azmin sebut amalan 'tak bermoral' Anwar punca dia tinggalkan PKR". Malaysiakini (in Malay). 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  39. ^ "Azmin's appointment marks rise through PKR ranks". New Straits Times. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  40. ^ "Azmin Ali jejak kaki ke rumah Azwan selepas 9 tahun". mStar (in Malay). 19 October 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  41. ^ Dennis Chua (14 June 2019). "#Showbiz: 'Min, I seek your forgiveness, I've wronged you a lot all these years' - Azwan Ali". New Straits Times. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  42. ^ Shakira Buang (29 December 2017). "Helo mufti, boleh tak kau..." Malaysia Kini (in Malay). Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  43. ^ "GE13: Ummi Hafilda: I want to take on my brother". The Star (Malaysia). 13 April 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  44. ^ Jump up to: a b "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  45. ^ Jump up to: a b "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  46. ^ Jump up to: a b "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen 13" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  47. ^ Jump up to: a b "14th General Election Result - Selangor". pru14result.bernama.com. BERNAMA. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  48. ^ Jump up to: a b "SEMAKAN KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE - 14" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 17 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  49. ^ Jump up to: a b "The Star Online GE14". The Star. Retrieved 24 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  50. ^ "Azmin Ali is now a Datuk Seri". Bernama. New Straits Times. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2018.

External links[]

Political offices
New ministerial post Senior Minister (Finance and Economics)
since 2020
Incumbent
Preceded by
Darell Leiking
Minister of International Trade and Industry
since 2020
Incumbent
New ministerial post Minister of Economic Affairs
2018 – 2020
Position abolished
Preceded by
Khalid Ibrahim
Menteri Besar of Selangor
2014 – 2018
Succeeded by
Amirudin Shari
Party political offices
Position established Information Chief of PN
since 2020
Incumbent
Position established International Bureau Chairman of BERSATU
since 2020
Incumbent
Preceded by
Deputy President of PKR
2010 – 2020
Vacant


Retrieved from ""