Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
| Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail MP, MLA, D.P.P.N. (Penang) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader of the Opposition of Malaysia | |
|
Assumed office 18 May 2015 | |
| Monarch | Abdul Halim |
| Prime Minister | Najib Razak |
| Preceded by | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Constituency | Permatang Pauh |
|
In office 9 March 2008 – 28 August 2008 | |
| Monarch | Mizan Zainal Abidin |
| Prime Minister | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi |
| Preceded by | Lim Kit Siang |
| Succeeded by | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Constituency | Permatang Pauh |
| Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Permatang Pauh | |
|
Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Majority | 8,841 (2015) |
|
In office 29 November 1999 – 28 August 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Succeeded by | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Majority |
9,077 (1999) 590 (2004) 13,388 (2008) 8,841 (2015) |
| Member of the Selangor State Assembly for Kajang | |
|
Assumed office 7 April 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Lee Chin Cheh (PKR—PR) |
| Majority | 5,379 (2014) |
| President of the People's Justice Party | |
|
Assumed office 4 April 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| General Chief of the People's Pact | |
|
In office 1 April 2008 – 28 August 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail 3 December 1952 Crown Colony of Singapore |
| Citizenship | Malaysian |
| Political party | PKR of Pakatan Harapan |
| Spouse(s) | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Children |
Nurul Izzah Anwar Nurul Nuha Anwar Mohd Ehsan Anwar Nurul Ilham Anwar Nurul Iman Anwar Nurul Hana Anwar |
| Parents |
Wan Ismail Wan Mahmood Mariah Khamis |
| Alma mater | Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland |
| Occupation |
Politician Surgeon |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Website |
wanazizahblog |
Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail (born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian politician. She is currently serving as the Leader of the Opposition in Dewan Rakyat after elected as the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh from 2015. She is also the president of People's Justice Party (Parti KeADILan Rakyat) and elected Selangor state legislative assembly member for Kajang.
She was previously also elected as the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh from 1999 to 2008 and was the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat from March 2008 until 31 July 2008, before she vacated both the positions to expedite her husband Anwar Ibrahim's return to political office.
Early life
Born in 1952 in Singapore,[1] Wan Azizah received her early education in St. Nicholas Convent School, Alor Setar. She continued her education at Tunku Kurshiah College[2] in Seremban before 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 and she later graduated as a qualified ophthalmologist.
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 [3][4] 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 [5]).
Wan Azizah has said that she has a Peranakan (Straits Chinese) grandfather but identifies as a Malay Muslim.[6]
Political career
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 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 Dr. Wan Azizah being elected as the first party president.[7]
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 elections 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 after five recounts with a reduced majority.[8]
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.[9]
March 2008 general elections
Wan Azizah won her parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh in the 12th Malaysian general election with a majority of 13,388.[10] 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,[11] Dr Wan Azizah has indicated her readiness to vacate the position of party president if he was elected.[12] Nonetheless, she has also indicated that she intends to defend her parliamentary seat for Permatang Pauh.[13] 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 with a large majority.
Honorary title
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. The award carries the non-hereditary title of Datuk Seri.[14][15]
2014 Kajang by-election
On 9 March 2014, PKR announced party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as its new candidate for the Kajang by-election.[16] This is following Anwar Ibrahim sentencing to five years in prison after Malaysia's court of appeal overturns sodomy acquittal causing Anwar to be unable to run in the by-election.[17]
On 23 March 2014, Wan Azizah was elected as the Selangor state legislative assembly member for Kajang.[18]
2015 Permatang Pauh by-election
Election results
| Year | Constituency | Opposition | Votes | Pct | Government | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | P044 Permatang Pauh, Penang | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (KeADILan) | 23,820 | 61.77% | Ibrahim Saad (UMNO) | 14,743 | 38.23% | 39,210 | 9,077 | 78.95% | ||
| 2004 | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR) | 21,737 | 50.47% | Pirdaus Ismail (UMNO) | 21,147 | 49.1% | 43,734 | 590 | 80.93% | |||
| 2008 | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR) | 30,338 | 64.1% | Pirdaus Ismail (UMNO) | 16,950 | 35.81% | 47,442 | 13,388 | 81.17% | |||
| 2015 | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR) | 30,316 | 57.09% | Suhaimi Sabudin (UMNO) | 21,475 | 40.44% | 53,102 | 8,841 | 74.53% | |||
| Year | Constituency | Government | Votes | Pct | Opposition | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | N25 Kajang, Selangor | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR) | 16,741 | 59.6% | Chew Mei Fun (MCA) | 11,362 | 40.4% | 28,314 | 5,379 | 72% | ||
See also
References
- ↑ Habibu, Sira; Rahim, Rahimy (3 September 2014). "Party lists PKR president and deputy for Selangor MB post". The Star. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ↑ P Ramakrishnan (8 May 1999). "In Desperate Straits". Aliran.com.
- ↑ Parti Keadilan Rakyat: Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
- ↑ Asiaweek : A Woman of Grace
- ↑ Bernama Library & Infolink Service: Ganga Nayar Profile
- ↑ Healy, Tim; Oorjitham, Santha (30 November 2000). "Readying for Elections?". Asiaweek. Retrieved 26 September 2007.
- ↑ Parti Keadilan Rakyat: Background & History
- ↑ Malaysian General Election 2004 : Results for Permatang Pauh
- ↑ ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus
- ↑ Malaysian General Election 2008 : Results for Permatang Pauh
- ↑ Radio Australia: MALAYSIA: Anwar Ibrahim to make political comeback
- ↑ Daily Express: Wan Azizah agrees to make way for Anwar
- ↑ Malaysiakini : She's ready to make way for hubby
- ↑ "CJ and Dr Wan Azizah top Penang awards list". The Star. Star Publications (M) Bhd. 10 July 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
- ↑ "Darjah Panglima Pangkuan Negeri". Penang State Government Portal. Government of the State of Penang, Malaysia. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
- ↑ Wan Azizah to replace Anwar in Kajang
- ↑ "Anwar Ibrahim sentenced to five years' prison after Malaysia's court of appeal overturns sodomy acquittal". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 March 2014.
- ↑ Eileen Ng (23 March 2014). "Barisan claims to regain Chinese support despite losing Kajang by-election". The Malaysian Insider.
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lim Kit Siang |
Leader of the Opposition of Malaysia 2008 |
Succeeded by Anwar Ibrahim |
| Preceded by Anwar Ibrahim |
Leader of the Opposition of Malaysia 2015 |
Incumbent |
| Parliament of Malaysia | ||
| Preceded by Anwar Ibrahim |
Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh 1999–2008 |
Succeeded by Anwar Ibrahim |
| Preceded by Anwar Ibrahim |
Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh 2015 – present |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Position established |
President of the People's Justice Party 1999 – present |
Incumbent |
| General Chief of the People's Pact 2008 |
Succeeded by Anwar Ibrahim | |