Syed Hamid Albar
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| Yang Berhormat Tan Sri Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar |
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Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs
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| In office 18 March 2008 – 9 April 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad |
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| Succeeded by | Hishammuddin Tun Hussein |
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Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs
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| In office 1999 – 17 March 2008 |
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| Succeeded by | Rais Yatim |
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| Born | 15 January 1944 (age 65) Kampung Melayu Air Hitam, Penang, Malaysia |
| Political party |  United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) part of Barisan Nasional |
| Spouse(s) | Sharifah Aziah binti Syed Zainal Abidin |
| Children | 6 |
| Occupation | Member of Parliament |
| Religion | Islam |
| Website | http://www.syedhamidalbar.com/ |
Tan Sri Datuk Seri Syed Hamid bin Syed Jaafar Albar (born 15 January 1944), is a Malaysian politician and the former Malaysian Home Affairs Minister. He is 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, also a Malaysian politician and a former minister. Syed Hamid's father was of Hadhrami Arab descent, and migrated from Indonesia to Malaysia shortly before World War II.[1][2][3]
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.
[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 new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
[edit] Criticisms and Controversies
[edit] HINDRAF
Hindu Rights Action Force supporters revealed a letter from the United Kingdom immigration stating that it had received a notice of cancellation against the passport because Waythamoorthy was being sought for “criminal charges.” Syed Hamid Albar has denied he lied about Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P. Waythamoorthy’s passport being cancelled.[4] He reiterated that his ministry never gave any instruction to revoke the pasport of Hindraf leader P. Waytha Moorthy, who is now in exile in Britain.[5]
[edit] Crime in Malaysia
Syed Hamid was criticised for failing to act on the rising level of crime, which was blamed for frightening off tourists and investors. Syed Hamid’s response, which was carried by a Chinese daily, stated that the law and order situation in Malaysia had not reached a “red danger alert” level, was unresponsive to the situation. There was no followup by Syed Hamid on the 2005 Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Police Force, to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) for an efficient, professional and world-class police force had not been implemented. He is also well known to mobilised Police Force in great number to deter Malaysians family or friends gathering of more than four.[6]
[edit] ISA Detention of Raja Petra
Syed Hamid was criticised for signing the detention order of Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin under the Internal Security Act. Raja Petra's lawyer contended that it was not in the interest of national security but to silence a vocal critic of the government.[7]
[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.[8]
[edit] Chow Kit Police Beat Base
Syed Hamid was criticised by the opposition by saying that the police beat base located in the Chow Kit area of downtown Kuala Lumpur has been shut down because the presence of criminals could make it unsafe for police officers. He also said that the police faced the possibility of being exposed to contagious diseases.[9] He later retracted his statement by saying the reason the beat base was closed was because the owner of the land wanted it back, and not for security and health reasons.[10]
[edit] Protests against Israel
Syed Hamid was criticised over the arrests of leaders of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia who organised anti-war march against Israel's war against Gaza. Critics pointed out that the police allowed a mammoth protest against Israel's invasion of Gaza, but moved quickly to stop the PSM march.[11]
[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.[12] He was a minister of law before.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ 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
- ^ Syed Hamid denies lying about Hindraf leader’s passport
- ^ Hindraf Leader P. Waytha Moorthy's Passport Was Never Revoked: Syed Hamid
- ^ Syed Hamid faces heat for rising crime
- ^ 'Detention was to silence critic'
- ^ Various reactions to ISA arrests
- ^ Policemen beat a retreat
- ^ Syed Hamid explains again base closure
- ^ It is ok to march against Israel, not Sri Lanka, says Syed Hamid
- ^ Second post mortem results 'very different'
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Syed Hamid Albar |
