Syed Hamid Albar
| Yang Berhormat Tan Sri Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar |
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|---|---|
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| Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs | |
| In office 18 March 2008 – 9 April 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad |
| Succeeded by | Hishammuddin Tun Hussein |
| Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 1999 – 17 March 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi |
| Succeeded by | Rais Yatim |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 January 1944 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.
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[edit] Early life
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.
[edit] Political career
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.
[edit] Criticisms and Controversies
[edit] ISA Detention of Reporter
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]
[edit] Death of A. Kugan during police custody
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.
[edit] References
- ^ Deadline should be set for its usage in courts, New Straits Times, p. 6
- ^ Syed Hamid Albar is head of public transport commission
- ^ The Straits Times, June 1, 2007, Insight–Boosting links, 'software' to rekindle Arab ties, by Jeremy Au Yong
- ^ The world's successful diasporas
- ^ Speech by Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar
- ^ Various reactions to ISA arrests
- ^ Second post mortem results 'very different'
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Syed Hamid Albar |
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