85 Notable alumni of University of Malaya

Ahmad bin Lebai Sudin is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Bukit Lada (N9) assemblyman in the Kedah State Legislative Assembly. Ahmad is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. He holds degree with Honors in Sociology and Anthropology from University Malaya (class of 1982). Immediately after attending UM, Ahmad...

Malini Olivo is the Distinguished A*STAR Fellow and Distinguished Principal Scientist of A*STAR Skin Research Labs where she leads the Translational Biophotonics Laboratory. Concurrently, she is also an adjunct professor at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, National University Health System, NUS, Singapore; LKC School of Medicine, NTU, Singapore; and Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. In 2015, she...

Lee Poh Ping was a Malaysian professor and political scientist. He is known for his work in international relations, contributions to the development of Japanese studies in Malaysia, and fostering networks of scholars in the country.

Dinsman is a Malaysian poet, playwright and theatre practitioner. Dinsman is his penname, his real name being Che Shamsudin Osman.

Muhammad Irfan bin Shamsuddin is a Malaysian discus thrower who won a silver medal at the 2017 Asian Championships. He placed 12th and 5th at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, respectively.

Shahlan bin Ismail was the political secretary of Dato' Seri Najib Razak the former prime minister of Malaysia.

Swee Lay Thein is a Malaysian haematologist and physician-scientist who is Senior Investigator at the National Institutes of Health. She works on the pathophysiology of haemoglobin disorders including sickle cell disease and thalassemia.

Daniel Dorall is a Malaysian Australian sculptor who specialises in miniature works. He completed a Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Melbourne in 2005, having previously earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture with honours from the University of Malaya in 2002. He has recently completed a Master of Fine Art in sculpture at Monash University. Dorall has exhibited...

Fauziah Binti Mohamad Taib is a Malaysian diplomat and author who served as the Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 13 August 2008 until her retirement in 2015. During this period, she was also the Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Annuar bin Rapaee is a Malaysian cardiologist and politician who has served as State Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development in the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state administration under Premier Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg since January 2022, Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Nangka since April 2011 and Chairman of the Board of...

Awang bin Hassan was a Malaysian politician and doctor who served as the 5th Governor of Penang from 1981 until his retirement in 1989. He had previously served as the 7th Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia from 1973 to 1980.

Sivakumar s/o Varatharaju Naidu, better known as V. Sivakumar, is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Batu Gajah since May 2013. He served as the Minister of Human Resources in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim from December 2022 to December 2023 and Member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly...

Daroyah binti Alwi is a Malaysian politician who served as Deputy Speaker of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly from March 2019 to June 2020, Member of the Selangor State Executive Council from May 2013 to May 2018 and Member of the Assembly (MLA) for Sementa from May 2013 to August 2023. She is a member of the Parti Bangsa Malaysia...

Kong Cho Ha is a Malaysian politician. He served as the Minister of Transport from 4 June 2010 to 5 May 2013. He was the Member of Parliament of Malaysia for the Lumut constituency in Perak from 29 November 1999 to 5 May 2013. He is a member of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and had served as its secretary-general...

Hasan bin Mohamed Ali is a Malaysian politician and formerly the State Assemblyman for Gombak Setia in Selangor. He was a member of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and the Selangor State EXCO until his dismissal in January 2012.

Bryan Nickson Lomas is a former Malaysian diver. Lomas was the youngest Malaysian athlete to qualify for 2004 Summer Olympics when he was 14. He became the country's first world junior diving champion after winning gold at the 3 m springboard event in the World Junior Championships held at Belém, Brazil in 2004. He trained under the coaching of Yang...

Chan Kong Choy is a businessman leading two publicly listed companies in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) as Executive Chairman. Further to that, he is also an adjunct professor at the University of Malaya and more than 15 years ago, he was a Malaysian politician who has never lost a general election in his two decade political career. He...

Siti Zainon Ismail is a Malaysian novelist, short story writer, poet, and academic. She is best known for her multi-genre novel, Pulau Renik Ungu (The Island of Purple Crocus, 1995).

Shirley Geok-lin Lim is an American writer of poetry, fiction, and criticism. She was both the first woman and the first Asian person to be awarded Commonwealth Poetry Prize for her first poetry collection, Crossing The Peninsula, which she published in 1980. In 1997, she received the American Book Award for her memoir, Among the White Moon Faces.

Jamil Khir bin Baharom is a Malaysian politician and former military officer who has served as Chairman of Ex-Serviceman Affairs Corporation since February 2021. He served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Religious Affairs from April 2009 to the collapse of the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration in May 2018 the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jerai...

Kem Ley was a Cambodian activist, physician, and political commentator. He was known for his political commentary, including trenchant criticisms of the current government led by Cambodian People's Party (CPP). This made him popular with many Cambodian people and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party. He was assassinated in what has been claimed to have been a politically motivated attack...

Khalidah Adibah binti Amin SMJ, known professionally as Adibah Amin, is a Malaysian writer, columnist, teacher, translator and actress.

Razali bin Ismail is a Malaysian diplomat. He is formerly the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) from 2016 to 2019. He was also the 51st President of the United Nations General Assembly from 1996 until 1997.

Mohd Faizal Musa, also known under the pen name Faisal Tehrani, is a Malaysian author and playwright. Due to the frequent writing and ideas he was known as a controversial person. He is the author of many books and literary works of various lengths, including stage plays. National Laureate Anwar Ridwan praises of Faisal's writing "conscious of high literature and...

Douglas Uggah Embas is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Deputy Premier of Sarawak since 2016. He has been the Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Bukit Saban since 2016, and previously served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Betong from 1986 to 2018. He is currently part of the state cabinet under Premier...

Mohamad Khir bin Toyo is a Malaysian politician who served as the 13th Menteri Besar of Selangor from 2000 to 2008.

Steven Sim Chee Keong is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since December 2025 as well as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Mertajam since May 2013. He served as the Minister of Human Resources in the Unity Government administration under...

Ali bin Hamsa was a Malaysian civil servant who served as the 13th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia from 24 June 2012 to 28 August 2018.

Faiz bin Khaleed is a Malaysian military dentist with the Malaysian Armed Forces. In September 2006, he was selected as one of two final candidates to undergo astronaut training in Star City as part of the Angkasawan program. The other candidate was Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor.

Ahmad Husni bin Mohamad Hanadzlah is a former Second Minister of Finance of Malaysia. He was appointed on 10 April 2009 when Najib Razak became Prime Minister. He was also the Member of Parliament for Tambun for five terms from April 1995 to May 2018. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a major component party...

Professor Dr. P. Ramasamy s/o Palanisamy is a Malaysian politician who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Penang II and Member of the Penang State Executive Council (EXCO) in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) state administrations under Chief Ministers Lim Guan Eng and Chow Kon Yeow and Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for...

Ngeh Koo Ham, also known as James Ngeh, is a Malaysian politician, advocate and solicitor who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Beruas since March 2008. He served as Speaker of the Perak State Legislative Assembly from July 2018 to May 2020, Member of the Perak State Executive Council (EXCO) in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration under...

Ahmad Fuzi bin Abdul Razak is a Malaysian diplomat who served as the 8th Governor of Penang from May 2021 to April 2025.

Datuk Husam bin Musa is a Malaysian politician who served as a senator in the Dewan Negara from 2018 to 2021. He held the position of vice-president in the National Trust Party (AMANAH), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, until September 2020.

Muhammad bin Muhammad Taib, also fondly known as Mat Taib and also Mat Tyson, is a Malaysian politician who currently is a member of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a major component of Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. He was the former Menteri Besar of Selangor and the former Rural and Regional Development Minister. Muhammad was also the former UMNO vice-president.

Mohd Khalil bin Yaakob is a Malaysian politician who served as the 6th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca from June 2004 to June 2020, 12th Menteri Besar of Pahang from August 1986 to May 1999, Minister of Information in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from December 1999 to March 2004 and Member of Parliament...

Shahrizat binti Abdul Jalil is a Malaysian politician who served in the Cabinet of Malaysia as Minister of Women, Family and Community Development from 2009 to 2012. She was the Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai from 1995 to 2008 and subsequently served as a Senator in the Dewan Negara.

Mujahid bin Yusof Rawa, commonly known as Mujahid Yusof Rawa, is a Malaysian politician who has served as Senator since May 2023. He served as the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Religious Affairs in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from July 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in...

Ong Tee Keat is a Malaysian politician who served as the Minister of Transport in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Ministers Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak from March 2008 to June 2010, Deputy Minister of Higher Education in the BN administration under former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad and former Minister Mustapa Mohamed from February 2006 to...

Abdul Rahman bin Abbas is a Malaysian politician and teacher who had served as the 7th Governor of Penang from 1 May 2001 to 30 April 2021. He is a former politician from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). Abdul Rahman was first appointed to the governorship by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in May 2001 and was reappointed six times,...

Lim Wee Chai is a Malaysian businessman. He is the Executive Chairman and Founder of Top Glove Corporation Bhd, a glove manufacturing company, which was founded in 1991 and is listed on Bursa Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange) and the main board of the Singapore Exchange (SGX). Lim was listed by Forbes as Malaysia's 8th richest person in 2021.

Rafidah binti Aziz is a Malaysian politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for the Selayang from 1978 to 1982 and Kuala Kangsar constituency from 1982 to 2013. Born in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Rafidah was Minister of International Trade and Industry from 1987 to 2008. As minister, she was the chairman of MATRADE beginning in 1991. She was a veteran...

Rynn Lim Yu Zhong is a Malaysian singer and actor. He acted various roles in dramas from Malaysia, Singapore, China and Taiwan. He also once in a first collaboration drama of Malaysia Media Prima Berhad and Singapore MediaCorp Studios Pte Ltd.

Takiyuddin bin Hassan is a Malaysian politician and lawyer from the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), a component party of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kota Bharu since May 2013. He served as the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Ismail...

Tommy Koh Thong Bee DUNU DUBC PJG BBM is a Singaporean diplomat, lawyer, professor and author who served as Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations between 1968 and 1971.

Khoo Kay Kim was a Malaysian historian and academic of Chinese descent.

Azalina binti Othman Said is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as the Member of Parliament for Pengerang since 2004 and as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department since 2022.

Saifuddin bin Abdullah is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Indera Mahkota since May 2018. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs for the second term in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob from August 2021 to the collapse of the BN administration in November 2022 and...

Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat is a Malaysian lawyer who served as the Chief Justice of Malaysia from 2019 until her retirement in 2025. She was the second-longest serving Chief Justice of Malaysia and the first woman to be appointed to the office.

Dato' Seri Haji Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister of Defence since December 2023 and previously served as the Minister of Higher Education prior to the 2023 cabinet reshuffle for the second term from December 2022 to December 2023 in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He had previously...

Aznil bin Nawawi, better known as Aznil Nawawi (sometimes he credited as Aznil Haji Nawawi, Aznil or Pak Nil), is a Malaysian TV host, singer and actor.

Ungku Abdul Aziz bin Ungku Abdul Hamid was a Malaysian economist and university professor. He was the 3rd Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya from 1968 to 1988 and the 1st General Director of the Council on Language and Literature of Malaysia from 1956 until 1957. He was the first to be awarded the title of Royal Professor (Profesor Diraja)...

Mohamad bin Hasan, familiarly known as Tok Mat or Mat Hasan, is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since 2023, and was previously the Minister of Defence.

Nur Ernie Shahirah binti Zakri is a Malaysian singer, an actress and a vocal teacher. She rose to fame after winning national singing competition, Bintang RTM in 2009. She won the Best Vocals award at the Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL 32) in 2018 alongside her duet partner, Syamel Fodzly. In addition to singing, she spent two years teaching music at...

Chua Soi Lek, also known as Chua Kin Seng, is a Chinese Malaysian politician from the state of Johor. He is the 9th President of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a major component party in Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition from 2010 until 2013. He held the post of Minister of Health from 2004 until 2008. He has also been a...

Tajuddin bin Abdul Rahman is a Malaysian politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Pasir Salak from March 2008 to November 2022, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Najib Razak and former Ministers Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Ahmad Shabery Cheek from May 2013 to the collapse of...

Hasmah binti Mohamad Ali, commonly known as Siti Hasmah, is a Malaysian physician and civil servant who was the spouse of the prime minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020, as the wife of Mahathir Mohamad. In Malaysia, Siti Hasmah is respectfully known as Ibu Negara (Mother of the Nation). At the age of...

Ungku Zeti Akhtar binti Ungku Abdul Aziz is a Malaysian economist who served as the seventh governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia from 2000 to 2016, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

Nga Kor Ming, also known as David Nga Kor Ming, is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as the Minister of Housing and Local Government in the unity government of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since December 2022. He has also been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Teluk Intan since May 2018, and Member of the Perak State...

Dato' Sudirman bin Haji Arshad, known mononymously as Sudirman, was a Malaysian singer, songwriter and actor. His singing career kicked off after winning the Bintang RTM singing competition on 11 August, 1976. His career defining moment came after he was awarded winner of the "1989 Asia's No. 1 Performer" title during the ‘'Asian Popular Music Awards'’ competition held at the...

Fadillah bin Yusof is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia since 2022, Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation since 2023 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Petra Jaya since March 2004. He is the first deputy prime minister from Sarawak, one of the Borneo states in Malaysia and the...

Dato Pandelela Rinong anak Pamg is a Malaysian diver. She has won two Olympic medals and seven World Championships medals.

Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi, also known as Pak Lah, was a Malaysian politician and civil servant who served as the fifth prime minister of Malaysia from 2003 to 2009. A member of UMNO, he was the party's president from 2004 to 2009 and led the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition during his premiership.

Abdul Razak bin Hussein was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who served as the second prime minister of Malaysia from 1970 until his death in 1976. He also served as the first deputy prime minister of Malaysia from 1957 to 1970. He is referred to as the "Father of Development" ("Bapa Pembangunan") of Malaysia.

Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi is a Malaysian politician who is the deputy prime minister since 2022. A president of UMNO since 2018, he represented Bagan Datuk in Dewan Rakyat since 1995. Zahid is also the rural and regional development minister since 2022, as well as the leader and the chairman of the coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) since May 2018. He...

Sellapan Ramanathan DUT PJG, often known as S. R. Nathan, was a Singaporean civil servant, diplomat and politician who served as the sixth president of Singapore between 1999 and 2011. He was the longest-serving president in the country's history, holding office for two full terms. Prior to his presidency, Nathan held various key positions in the public service, including roles...

Mahathir bin Mohamad is a Malaysian politician, author and doctor who served as the fourth and seventh prime minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020. He was the country's longest-serving prime minister, serving for a cumulative total of 24 years. His political career has spanned more than 75 years, from joining protests opposing citizenship...

Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 10th prime minister of Malaysia since 2022. A president of the People's Justice Party since 2018, he represented Tambun in the Parliament of Malaysia since 2022. Since assuming office as prime minister, Anwar appointed himself as Minister of Finance. Anwar is also the chairman of Pakatan Harapan coalition...

Mahiaddin bin Md Yasin, commonly known as Muhyiddin Yassin, is a Malaysian politician and civil servant who served as the eighth prime minister of Malaysia from 2020 until his resignation in 2021 after losing parliamentary support amid the 2020–2022 political crisis. A president of BERSATU, he represented Pagoh in Dewan Rakyat since 1995 and previously served as the Menteri Besar...

Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who was the ninth prime minister of Malaysia from 2021 to 2022, the shortest premiership in the country with a tenure of 15 months. A member of UMNO, he was the only prime minister without a leadership role in the governing party, and the first who was born after the...

Lee Boon Chye is a Malaysian politician who served as the Deputy Minister of Health in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and former Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad from July 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gopeng from March 2008 to November 2022. He...

Wong Hon Wai is a Malaysian politician who has served as Member of the Penang State Executive Council (EXCO) in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state administration under former Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng from March 2008 to May 2013 as well as in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) state administration under Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Member of the Penang...

Anthony Loke Siew Fook is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister of Transport for the second term in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since December 2022 and previously in the Pakatan Harapan administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from May 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020, the...

Liow Tiong Lai is a Malaysian politician and nutritionist who served as minister of transport, minister of health, deputy minister of youth and sports in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former prime ministers Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak as well as former minister Azalina Othman Said from February 2006 to May 2018. He also served as the Member...

Teresa Kok Suh Sim is a Malaysian politician who has served as Deputy Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) since July 2024 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Seputeh since November 1999. She served as the Minister of Primary Industries in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from July 2018 to the collapse...

Saldi Isra is an Indonesian jurist and law professor. In April 2017, he became a Justice of the Indonesian Constitutional Court, one of the nation's two top courts. Prior to becoming Constitutional Court Justice, he was a professor of constitutional law at the Andalas University in his native West Sumatra. Throughout his academic career, he received awards in connection to...

Rosmah binti Mansor is the second wife of former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak. Like her husband, she was implicated in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal (1MDB). On 1 September 2022, she was found guilty of corruption in relation to a school electricity project, fined $303m and sentenced to ten years imprisonment. On 19 December 2024, a Malaysian high...

Yang Berbahagia Dato' Sri Ahmad Shabery bin Cheek is a Malaysian politician who has served as Chairman of the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) since July 2023. He served as Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Minister of Youth and Sports and Parliamentary Secretary of Foreign Affairs in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former...

Maszlee bin Malik is a Malaysian politician who has served as Chairman of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) since March 2023.

Siti Aisyah Binti Haji Alias is a Malaysian marine polar researcher and lecturer. As of August 2016, she is Associate Professor and Director of the National Antarctic Research Centre (NARC) in the Malaysian Antarctic Research Programme (MARP), at the University of Malaya. Her work focuses on the physiology of marine and polar microbes and fungi.

Tan Yee Kew is a Malaysian politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wangsa Maju from May 2018 to November 2022, for Klang from April 1995 to March 2008 and Parliamentary Secretary of International Trade and Industry from March 2004 to March 2008. She is a member and Chairperson of the Disciplinary Board of the People's Justice...

Abdul Khalid bin Ibrahim was a Malaysian politician who served as the 14th Menteri Besar of Selangor from 2008 to 2014. He was the Member of the Selangor State Assembly (MLA) for Ijok from 2008 to 2013, and MLA for Pelabuhan Klang from 2013 to 2018. At the same time, he served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bandar Tun...

Susan Lim Mey Lee is a Singaporean surgeon who in 1990 performed the first successful liver transplant in Singapore.

Yang Berhormat Tuan Liew Chin Tong is a Malaysian politician and author who has served as the deputy minister of investment, trade and industry in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz since April 2023, Member of Parliament (MP) for Iskandar Puteri since November 2022 and Member of the Johor State Legislative Assembly...