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Wan Azizah Wan Ismail

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In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Wan Ismail is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Wan Azizah. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Yang Berhormat Dato' Seri
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
DPPN MP
وان عزيزة وان إسماعيل
Wan Azizah in 2019
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
Incumbent
In role
24 November 2022
Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim
Preceded byMuhaini Zainal Abidin
12th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia[a]
In office
21 May 2018 – 25 February 2020
MonarchsMuhammad V
(2018–2019)
Abdullah
(2019–2020)
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
Preceded byAhmad Zahid Hamidi
Succeeded byIsmail Sabri Yaakob
11th and 13th Leader of the Opposition
In office
18 May 2015 – 10 May 2018
MonarchsAbdul Halim
(2015–2016)
Muhammad V
(2016–2019)
Prime MinisterNajib Razak
Preceded byAnwar Ibrahim
Succeeded byAhmad Zahid Hamidi
ConstituencyPermatang Pauh
In office
9 March 2008 – 28 August 2008
MonarchMizan Zainal Abidin
Prime MinisterAbdullah Ahmad Badawi
Preceded byLim Kit Siang
Succeeded byAnwar Ibrahim
ConstituencyPermatang Pauh
Spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
In role
1 December 1993 – 2 September 1998
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
DeputyAnwar Ibrahim
Preceded byDayang Heryati Abdul Rahim
Succeeded byEndon Mahmood
Party leadership
1st President of the Pakatan Harapan
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 July 2017
DeputyLim Guan Eng
(2017–2022)
Anthony Loke Siew Fook
(since 2022)
Mohamad Sabu
Wilfred Madius Tangau
(2021–2023)
Ewon Benedick
(since 2023)
ChairmanMahathir Mohamad
(2017–2020)
Anwar Ibrahim
(since 2020)
Preceded byPosition established
1st President of the People's Justice Party
In office
4 April 1999 – 17 November 2018
DeputyChandra Muzaffar
(1999–2001)
Syed Husin Ali
(2003–2010)
Azmin Ali
(2010–2018)
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byAnwar Ibrahim
Parliamentary offices
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Bandar Tun Razak
Incumbent
Assumed office
19 November 2022
Preceded byKamaruddin Jaafar
Majority9,817 (2022)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Pandan
In office
9 May 2018 – 19 November 2022
Preceded byRafizi Ramli
Succeeded byRafizi Ramli
Majority52,543 (2018)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Permatang Pauh
In office
7 May 2015 – 9 May 2018
Preceded byAnwar Ibrahim
Succeeded byNurul Izzah Anwar
Majority8,841 (2015)
In office
29 November 1999 – 31 July 2008
Preceded byAnwar Ibrahim
Succeeded byAnwar Ibrahim
Majority9,077 (1999)
590 (2004)
13,388 (2008)
Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly
for Kajang
In office
7 April 2014 – 9 May 2018
Preceded byLee Chin Cheh
Succeeded byHee Loy Sian
Majority5,379 (2014)
Personal details
Born (1952-12-03) 3 December 1952 (age 72)
KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Colony of Singapore
(now Singapore)
Political partyNational Justice Party (keADILan) (1999–2003)
People's Justice Party (PKR) (2003–present)
Spouse
​
(m. 1980)​
RelationsIbrahim Abdul Rahman [ms] (Father-in-law)
Children6, including Nurul Izzah
Alma materRoyal College of Surgeons in Ireland
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionOphthalmologist

Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail[b] (born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian politician who served as the deputy prime minister of Malaysia from 2018 to 2020, becoming the first woman to hold the position.[1] Since 2022, she has also held the role of spouse of the prime minister as the wife of Anwar Ibrahim.

Wan Azizah was the second woman to lead a political party in Malaysia after Ganga Nayar, when she helped form National Justice Party in 1999, later renamed the People's Justice Party (PKR), and became its president.[2] She was Malaysia's female opposition leader in 2008, however she resigned to make room for her husband.[3] In 2018, she went on to become Malaysia's first female deputy prime minister after PKR's efforts to develop women leaders.[4]

Early life and education

[edit]

Wan Azizah was born on 3 December 1952 at KK Women's and Children's Hospital in Singapore.[5] Her mother, who only had a basic education, raised her.[6] Her grandfather was of Peranakan descent, and she was raised as a Malay Muslim.[7] She began her education at St. Nicholas Convent School before continuing her secondary studies at Tunku Kurshiah College.[8][9] She then pursued a degree in medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland,[10] where she was awarded a gold medal in obstetrics and gynaecology.[11] She later qualified as an ophthalmologist.[12][13]

Wan Azizah served as a government doctor for 14 years before deciding to resign, when her husband, Anwar Ibrahim was appointed the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia in 1993.[6][10] As part of her voluntary pursuits, she became a patron of National Cancer Council in that period.[14]

Early political career

[edit]

Following the dismissal and arrest of her husband on 20 September 1998,[15] Wan Azizah became the leader of the Reformasi movement. She founded the Social Justice Movement,[16] later named the National Justice Party (PKN) in April 1999.[10] She was the first woman in Malaysia to lead a political party and the first to do so with parliamentary representation after winning the Permatang Pauh seat with a 9,077-vote majority that year.[16][17]

She promoted reform and attempted to unite opposition forces to confront Mahathir's government, albeit unsuccessfully in preventing his party from retaining a supermajority in the 1999 general election.[18] Wan Azizah rejected the idea of Malay unity as the central political issue following the election. Instead, she argued that Malay support had shifted to the opposition due to disillusionment with leadership, abuses of power, corruption, police brutality, mismanagement of the economy, and a judiciary that was seen to lack independence. Her position underscored fissures in the electorate and the limits of traditional appeals to ethnic solidarity.[19]

In August 2003, PKN merged with the Malaysian People's Party (PRM) to become the People's Justice Party (PKR),[10] with Wan Azizah as president.[20] Although PKR had not yet been registered by the Registrar of Societies at that time, she contested the 2004 general election on the ticket of the new party and retained the Permatang Pauh seat by a margin of 590 votes and became PKR's sole representative in Parliament.[21][10][22] With the public announcement by Anwar regarding his intention to return to active politics despite being legally barred from doing so,[23] Wan Azizah indicated her readiness to vacate the position of party president if he was elected.[24] Anwar, running as a PKR candidate, won the by-election after Wan Azizah relinquished the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.[10][25] Under her continued leadership, PKR won 31 seats in the 2008 general election,[20] which she won with a majority of 13,388 votes.[26] The party also performed well at the state level by forming governments in Perak and Selangor and part of ruling coalitions in Penang and Kedah.[10]

Leader of the Opposition

[edit]
Wan Azizah in 2008

On 30 April 2008, Wan Azizah became the leader of the Opposition.[27] Her position was acknowledged during coalition negotiations by the Malaysian United Indigenous Party, led by Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, even though the party remained noncommittal about Anwar's release or future as prime minister. This recognition helped sustain PKR's leadership role within the opposition despite internal divisions and uncertainty over succession.[28] That same year, Wan Azizah sent a letter to Myanmar's ambassador expressing concern over the military junta's decision to proceed with a constitutional referendum despite the ongoing Cyclone Nargis crisis. She submitted a motion urging Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia to call for a postponement of the vote to prioritise relief efforts and to press the regime to grant greater access to aid workers. She also called on the Malaysian government to use its influence to advocate for a delay, though the motion was rejected on the grounds of Malaysia's policy of neutrality and noninterference.[29] Her tenure as opposition leader ended on 28 August 2008.[30]

On 9 March 2014, PKR named Wan Azizah as its candidate for the Kajang by-election after Anwar was disqualified from running due to a five-year prison sentence following the overturning of his sodomy acquittal.[31][32] She won the Kajang seat on 23 March 2014 with a majority of 5,379 votes.[33][34] After Anwar was disqualified from holding the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in 2015 due to the same conviction,[35] a by-election was held on 7 May.[36] Wan Azizah contested and retained the seat for PKR,[37] winning with a majority of 8,841 votes.[38]

Wan Azizah was sworn in as opposition leader on 18 May 2015 after winning the Permatang Pauh by-election, reclaiming the seat vacated by her husband Anwar Ibrahim following his imprisonment in February that year.[39] In 2016, she led the opposition coalition in forging an alliance with Mahathir Mohamad’s Malaysian United Indigenous Party. By January 2018, the coalition, known as the Alliance of Hope, named Mahathir as its prime ministerial candidate and Wan Azizah as his prospective deputy. This alliance brought together diverse factions, including Malay critics of UMNO and reform-minded groups, ultimately contributing to the defeat of Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 2018 general election.[40]

Deputy Prime Minister

[edit]

Wan Azizah won the Pandan seat in the 2018 general election with a majority of 52,543 votes.[41] Following the general election, she was appointed as deputy prime minister and took office on 21 May 2018 after securing 64,733 votes in a five-cornered contest. She was sworn in before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negara, alongside 13 other cabinet ministers, and concurrently served as minister of women, family and community development.[1]

During her time in office, Wan Azizah made several diplomatic visits. On 26 February 2019, she held a meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah during her first official visit to Brunei.[42] Later that year, on 9 July, she met with Vice President Wang Qishan at Zhongnanhai.[43] On 12 February 2020, she publicly honoured three women whistle-blowers from the Auditor General's Office for exposing tampering in the 1MDB audit report, praising their courage and calling for greater female involvement in anti-corruption efforts.[44]

According to former attorney-general Tommy Thomas, Wan Azizah was the Sultan Abdullah's preferred candidate for interim prime minister following Mahathir's resignation in February 2020.[45] However, she officially left office on 25 February 2020.[46][47] Her successor, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, was only appointed by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in July 2021.[48][49]

Later life

[edit]
Yoshiko Ishiba and Wan Azizah in 2025

In the 2022 general election on 19 November, Wan Azizah won the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary seat with a majority of 9,817 votes, defeating candidates from Perikatan Nasional and BN.[50]

Personal life

[edit]

Wan Azizah married Anwar Ibrahim on 28 February 1980. The couple have six children together,[51] the eldest of whom is Nurul Izzah, a member of parliament.[52]

Awards and honours

[edit]

Awards

[edit]

Wan Azizah received the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award in Ophthalmology from the Malaysian Ophthalmology Scientific Congress.[13] She was also honoured with the Eminent Educator Award by the College of Physicians Malaysia.[53]

Honours

[edit]

On 7 July 2023, Wan Azizah was awarded an honorary fellowship by the Academy of Medicine Malaysia.[54] She later received an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Political and Social Sciences from the University of Selangor on 9 September 2023.[55] On 14 December 2023, a new orchid hybrid was named after her during the launch of Orkid Putrajaya 2023.[56]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Serving simultaneously as the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development.[1]
  2. ^ Jawi: وان عزيزة وان إسماعيل

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Ummu Atiyah Ahmad Zakuan (2019). Women in the house: leadership in the Malaysian parliament. IIUM Press. pp. 142–143. ISBN 978-967-491-122-5.
  2. ^ Zaireeni Azmi; Noraida Endut; Nor Hafizah Selamat; Muhammad Rahimi Hasan (2024). Men as allies in shaping a gender equitable society: perspectives from Malaysia (PDF). Align Platform. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 February 2025.
  3. ^ Bennett, Clinton (2010). Muslim Women of Power: Gender, Politics and Culture in Islam. Continuum. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-8264-0087-1.
  4. ^ Karupiah, Premalatha; Fernandez, Jacqueline Liza, eds. (2022). A Kaleidoscope of Malaysian Indian Women’s Lived Experiences: Gender‐Ethnic Intersectionality and Cultural Socialisation. Springer Nature. p. 79. doi:10.1007/978-981-19-5876-2. ISBN 978-981-19-5876-2.
  5. ^ Sira Habibu; Rahimy Rahim (3 September 2014). "Party lists PKR president and deputy for Selangor MB post". The Star. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Deputy PM Wan Azizah a champion for 'invisible' women". Free Malaysia Today. 9 August 2018. Archived from the original on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  7. ^ Healy, Tim; Oorjitham, Santha (30 November 2000). "Readying for Elections?". Asiaweek. Archived from the original on 31 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  8. ^ Ramakrishnan, P. (8 May 1999). "In Desperate Straits". Aliran.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  9. ^ Wong, Kayla; Lay, Belmont (21 May 2018). "Wan Azizah: Genial eye doctor, veteran opposition figure & M'sia deputy prime minister". Mothership. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Ooi, Keat Gin (2009). The A to Z of Malaysia. Scarecrow Press. pp. 322–323. ISBN 978-1-4616-7199-2.
  11. ^ Bissme S. (14 May 2017). "Wan Azizah – a pillar of strength". The Sun Daily. Archived from the original on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  12. ^ Norazalina (16 July 2021). "Doktor Mata Fasih Bahasa Inggeris & Hantar Anak-Anak Ke Sekolah Kebangsaan, Kesederhanaan DS Dr Wan Azizah Cukup Menawan!". Nona (in Malay). Archived from the original on 14 November 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  13. ^ a b A’qilah Riduan Jaafar; Noor Hafizah Ahmad (26 April 2025). "Dr Wan Azizah awarded Lifetime Achievement Award in Ophthalmology". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 5 May 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  14. ^ "A Woman of Grace". Asiaweek. 7 January 2000. Archived from the original on 15 January 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Apology ends Anwar's suit over beating". The New York Times. 4 August 2005. Archived from the original on 27 November 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  16. ^ a b Nurul Izzah Anwar (4 March 2024). "Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail: Dignity & Courage Under Fire". Voice of ASIA. Archived from the original on 18 February 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  17. ^ "BN retains two-thirds majority". Malaysiakini. 4 April 2001. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  18. ^ Aspinall, Edward (2005). Opposing Suharto: Compromise, Resistance, and Regime Change in Indonesia. Stanford University Press. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-8047-4844-5.
  19. ^ Nathan, K. S. (2002). "Malaysia: 11 September and the Politics of Incumbency". Southeast Asian Affairs 2002. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies: 162. ISBN 978-981-230-160-4.
  20. ^ a b Bertrand, Jacques (2013). Political Change in Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press. p. 105. ISBN 978-0-521-88377-1.
  21. ^ Administrator. "Background". People's Justice Party of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 24 February 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  22. ^ "#GE13* Wan Azizah warns of electoral fraud on polling day". The Edge. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Malaysia: Anwar Ibrahim to make political comeback". Radio Australia. 14 March 2007. Archived from the original on 20 September 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  24. ^ "Wan Azizah agrees to make way for Anwar". Daily Express. 4 March 2007. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  25. ^ "Website says Anwar wins Malaysia vote with big majority". Reuters. 26 August 2008. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  26. ^ "PKR playing musical chairs in Permatang Pauh". The Malaysian Reserve. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  27. ^ "PKR president poised to make history as first woman Opposition Leader". The Star. 20 March 2008. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  28. ^ Chai, James (2024). Party of Hardship: The Evolution of Malaysia's Parti Keadilan Rakyat. ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. p. 26. ISBN 978-981-5203-62-2.
  29. ^ Rüland, Anchalee (2022). Norms in Conflict: Southeast Asia's Response to Human Rights Violations in Myanmar. University Press of Kentucky. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-8131-8372-5.
  30. ^ "Anwar Ibrahim: a timeline of political turmoil". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 February 2015. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  31. ^ Aw, Nigel (9 March 2014). "Wan Azizah to replace Anwar in Kajang". Malaysiakini. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  32. ^ "Anwar Ibrahim sentenced to five years' prison after Malaysia's court of appeal overturns sodomy acquittal". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 March 2014. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  33. ^ Ng, Eileen (23 March 2014). "Barisan claims to regain Chinese support despite losing Kajang by-election". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
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  37. ^ "Election Commission expects Permatang Pauh by-election results by 9pm polling day". The Malaysian Insider. 25 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  38. ^ "Official: PKR retains Pmtg Pauh, smaller majority". Malaysiakini. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  39. ^ Domínguez, Gabriel (19 May 2015). "The binding task". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  40. ^ Schäfer, Saskia (2022). Aljunied, Khairudin (ed.). "Islamization in Malaysia and Its Discontents". Routledge Handbook of Islam in Southeast Asia. Routledge: 416. ISBN 978-1-000-54504-3.
  41. ^ Tan, Rex (5 August 2022). "Rafizi set to contest Pandan seat in GE15, replacing Dr Wan Azizah". Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  42. ^ Ain Bandial (27 February 2019). "Dr Wan Azizah: New Malaysian gov't keen to expand cooperation with Brunei". The Scoop. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  43. ^ "Wang Qishan Meets with Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail of Malaysia". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  44. ^ Babulal, Veena (12 February 2020). "Wan Azizah pays tribute to women whistle-blowers". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  45. ^ "King wanted Dr Wan Azizah as interim PM but Dr M nominated himself, says ex-AG". Free Malaysia Today. 31 January 2021. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  46. ^ Sarah Rahim (25 February 2020). "Dr Wan Azizah makes an emotional, tearful exit [NSTTV]". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  47. ^ "Dr Wan Azizah bids farewell to ministry staff". Malay Mail. 25 February 2020. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  48. ^ "Ismail Sabri appointed DPM, Hishammuddin now senior minister". Malaysiakini. 7 July 2021. Archived from the original on 3 March 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  49. ^ Tho Xin Yi (7 July 2021). "Muhyiddin reshuffles Malaysian Cabinet, promoting Ismail Sabri to deputy prime minister". Channel News Asia. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  50. ^ "GE15: Wan Azizah wins Bandar Tun Razak seat". Awani International. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  51. ^ "Malaysia PM Anwar pays tribute to wife Wan Azizah on her birthday". Channel News Asia. Archived from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  52. ^ "Nurul Izzah is most 'manja', Wan Azizah says in gameshow video". Malaysiakini. 1 January 2018. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  53. ^ "Dr Wan Azizah conferred Eminent Educator Award from College of Physicians Malaysia". The Malaysian Reserve. 14 June 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  54. ^ "Dr Wan Azizah Conferred Amm Honourary Fellowship". Bernama. 7 August 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  55. ^ "Unisel confers honorary doctorate on Dr Wan Azizah". The Star. 9 September 2023. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  56. ^ "New orchid hybrid named after Dr Wan Azizah". The Star. 14 December 2023. Archived from the original on 23 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  57. ^ "CJ and Dr Wan Azizah top Penang awards list". The Star. 10 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
  58. ^ "Darjah Panglima Pangkuan Negeri". Penang State Government Portal. Government of Penang. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
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Party political offices
Preceded by
Position established
 President of the People's Justice Party
1999–2018 		Succeeded by
Leader of the People's Pact
2008
Parliament of Malaysia
Preceded by
Anwar Ibrahim
 Member of the Dewan Rakyat
for Permatang Pauh
1999–2008 		Succeeded by
Anwar Ibrahim
Member of the Dewan Rakyat
for Permatang Pauh
2015–2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Dewan Rakyat
for Pandan
2018–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Opposition
2008, 2015–2018 		Succeeded by
Anwar Ibrahim
Preceded by
Anwar Ibrahim
 Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
2018–2020 		Succeeded by
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