Azmin Ali is a prominent Malaysian politician and the current Chief Minister of Selangor, the most populous state in Malaysia. With a strong educational background in Mathematics and Economics, he entered the political arena in 1987 as a Special Officer to Anwar Ibrahim, the then Minister of Education. Azmin’s close association with Anwar led to the co-founding of the PKR political party, where he currently serves as the deputy president. Despite facing obstacles, including a conviction for lying in court during a corruption trial against Anwar, Azmin was later acquitted and went on to win multiple elections.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Mohamed Azmin bin Ali
- Age: 59 Years, 59 Year Old Males
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Shamsida Taharin
- Father: Ustaz Ali
- Mother: Che Tom Yahaya
- Political Leaders
- Malaysian Men
- Political ideology: Political party – PKR – Pakatan Rakyat
- More Facts
- Education: University Of Minnesota
Childhood & Early Life
Azmin Ali was born on August 25, 1964 in Singapore to Ali and Che Tom Yahaya. Although he was born in Singapore, he grew up and received his education in Jalan Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He attended Gurney Road School in Kuala Lumpur and later went on to attend High School Stepak and Technical Institute, also in Kuala Lumpur. In 1982, he traveled to the United States to pursue higher education at the University of Minnesota. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Mathematics from the university and went on to complete his Master in Education and Economics in 1987.
Career
After returning to Malaysia from the U.S., Azmin Ali began his political career around 1987 on the advice of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad. He started as a Special Officer to the Minister of Education, Anwar Ibrahim, and served in this position from October 1, 1987 to April 1989. He was then promoted to Private Secretary to the Minister of Education and held this role for three years. Azmin continued to work as Anwar’s Private Secretary when he became the Minister of Finance and later the Deputy Prime Minister until 1998.
In 1997, Azmin completed an Executive Training Program on Political Administration at Oxford University. Despite Anwar’s sacking and ouster, Azmin remained close to him and together they founded the opposition Keadilan party in 1998, which later became the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). In 1999, the Keadilan party contested the general elections and Azmin was elected Selangor State Assemblyman for the Hulu Kelang district of Selangor. He faced a setback in 2004 when he was barred from participating in the general elections due to a conviction for lying in court, but he was later acquitted. In the 2008 general elections, he won the Gombak parliamentary seat along with the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat.
In 2010, Azmin won an election in the PKR party and became the deputy president of the party, succeeding Syed Husin. He retained both the Gombak parliamentary seat and Bukit Antarabangsa state seat in the 2010 election. On September 23, 2014, he became the Chief Minister of Selangor after the PKR incumbent resigned.
Major Works
Azmin Ali co-founded the Keadilan (‘Justice’) political party with Anwar Ibrahim following Anwar’s dismissal from his position as Deputy Prime Minister. He currently serves as the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Selangor, one of thirteen states of Malaysia. Selangor is the state with the largest economy and population in the country.
Personal Life & Legacy
Azmin Ali is married to Shamshida Taharin, who also graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in finance. They have three sons and three daughters and reside in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Azmin Ali remains an outspoken supporter of Anwar Ibrahim and has lent support to the ‘Free Anwar’ movement. He is also the president of the Football Association of Selangor (FAS), the most successful club in the country in terms of overall title wins.