Zaid Ibrahim

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This is a Malay name; the name "Ibrahim" is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by his or her given name, "Mohd Zaid". The Arabic word bin (b.) or binti/binte (bt./bte.), if used, means "son of" or "daughter of" respectively.
Yang Berhormat Menteri Datuk
 Mohd Zaid Ibrahim
Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
Incumbent
Assumed office 
March 18, 2008
Political party Flag of Malaysia UMNO part of Barisan Nasional
Occupation Flag of Malaysia Lawyer
Senator in the Dewan Negara
Religion Islam

Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim is a prominent Malaysian lawyer turned politician and is currently the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of legal affairs and judicial reform. He is also a Senator in the Dewan Negara, the upper chamber of the Parliament of Malaysia.

He is a member of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), part of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, which he joined in 2000. He was the Member of Parliament for Kota Bharu from 2004 to 2008.

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[edit] Background

Born in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Zaid has a law degree from the University of London and a Barrister-at-Law, Inner Temple. In 1987 he founded Zaid Ibrahim & Co., which as of 2008 is the largest law firm in Malaysia with over 140 lawyers.[1]

In 2000, he joined UMNO, becoming Kota Bharu UMNO division chief a year later. He was later suspended but became Kelantan Umno deputy liaison chief two years later. Zaid contested and won the Parliamentary seat of Kota Bharu in the 2004 general election.[2] However, UMNO dropped him as a candidate in the 2008 general election. It suffered heavy losses, including the 2/3rds majority necessary in the Dewan Rakyat to pass amendments to the Constitution.

Zaid is known for his criticism of the government's handling of legal issues such as the judiciary, human rights and Islamic law. He supported the establishment of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Video Clip, criticising the government's initial response to the clip, which allegedly revealed fixing of judicial decisions and graft in the judiciary.[3]

[edit] Becoming Minister

When Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi reshuffled his Cabinet after the just concluded 2008 general election, he appointed Zaid as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department to oversee legal affairs and judicial reform.[4]

Zaid succeeded Nazri Aziz, who had previously held the portfolio, but as of 2008 continues to be a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department tasked with parliamentary affairs. Zaid was also appointed as senator to the Dewan Negara on March 18 so he could take up his Cabinet posting.[5] His appointment was greeted by The Economist as the "most promising" in the new Cabinet.[3]

His appointment as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of reforming the judiciary, which has been riddled with scandals, especially following the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Video Clip, is seen as an attempt by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to weed out corruption and instill public respect and confidence in the judiciary.

Following his appointment as a Minister, Zaid resigned from all his posts in Zaid Ibrahim & Co., and relinquished his shares in the company. He was replaced as chairman by Nik Norzul Thani, who said the firm was implementing a succession plan they drew up after Zaid's election in 2004.[1]

Within days of his appointment as Minister, Zaid stated that the government had to openly apologise for its handling of the 1988 Judicial Crisis, which saw the sacking of the then Lord President of the Supreme Court, Tun Salleh Abas, from his seat. Zaid called it one of his three main goals: "In the eyes of the world, the judicial crisis has weakened our judiciary system."[6] However, he rejected the idea of reviewing the decision: "I am not suggesting that we re-open the case. I am saying that it’s clear to everyone, to the world, that serious transgressions had been committed by the previous administration. And I believe that the prime minister is big enough and man enough to say that we had done wrong to these people and we are sorry."[7]

The Bar Council welcomed the proposal. Newly-appointed Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Abdul Samad also voiced support: "The Government has apologised for so many other things to the people, such as the untimely destruction of temples and other issues. So, why not an apology to a former Lord President?"[8]

[edit] Family

Zaid is married to Datin Suliana Shamsuddin Alias; the couple have three children. In 2008, he was one of four Malaysians named by Forbes in its list of generous and interesting philanthropists in Asia.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Zaid quits his law firm", The Star, 2008-03-24. Retrieved on 2008-03-24. 
  2. ^ a b "New ministers and deputy ministers", The Star, 2008-03-19. Retrieved on 2008-03-23. 
  3. ^ a b "Shuffling deckchairs", The Economist, 2008-03-19. Retrieved on 2008-03-20. 
  4. ^ "Big surprises as Umno stalwarts dropped…and return", New Straits Times, 2008-03-18. Retrieved on 2008-03-18. 
  5. ^ Loh, Deborah. "'It's going to be one hell of a Parliament'", New Straits Times, 2008-03-18. Retrieved on 2008-03-18. 
  6. ^ McIntyre, Ian. "Zaid: Govt has to apologise to victims of 1988 judicial crisis", The Star, 2008-03-23. Retrieved on 2008-03-23. 
  7. ^ "Healing the judiciary - first serious move in 20 years welcomed by Bar Council", The Malaysian Insider, 2008-03-23. Retrieved on 2008-03-23. 
  8. ^ "Bar Council backs Salleh apology move", The Star, 2008-03-24. Retrieved on 2008-03-24. 

[edit] External links

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