Syed Hamid Albar

Yang Berhormat Tan Sri Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs
In office 18 March 2008 – 9 April 2009
Preceded by	Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad
Succeeded by	Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 1999 – 17 March 2008
Preceded by	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Succeeded by	Rais Yatim
Personal details
Born	15 January 1944 (1944-01-15) (age 67) 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.

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.

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.

Criticisms and Controversies

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]

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.

References

1. ^ Deadline should be set for its usage in courts, New Straits Times, p. 6
2. ^ Syed Hamid Albar is head of public transport commission
3. ^ The Straits Times, June 1, 2007, Insight–Boosting links, 'software' to rekindle Arab ties, by Jeremy Au Yong
4. ^ The world's successful diasporas
5. ^ Speech by Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar
6. ^ Various reactions to ISA arrests
7. ^ Second post mortem results 'very different'

External links

• Syed Hamid Albar Official Website
• Interview: Syed Hamid Albar
• Malaysia-Today

Persondata
Name	Albar, Syed Hamid
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	15 January 1944
Place of birth	Kampung Melayu Air Hitam, Penang, Malaysia
Date of death
Place of death