Zaid Ibrahim
Encyclopedia
Dato'
Mohd Zaid Ibrahim (born 10 April 1951) is a prominent Malaysian lawyer turned politician and is a former Minister in the Prime Minister's
Department in charge of legal affairs and judicial reform. He was previously a Senator in the Dewan Negara
, the upper chamber of the Parliament of Malaysia
.
He was a member of the United Malays National Organisation
(UMNO), before being suspended on December 2, 2008. UMNO is 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. He is also the founder of Zaid Ibrahim & Co., the largest private law firm in Malaysia.
, Kelantan
, Zaid started his law studies in Universiti Teknologi Mara
(UiTM), Shah Alam (or Institut Teknologi Mara (ITM) as it was known then) by taking his LL.B (Hons.) External Programme which was conducted by the University of London
. Upon graduating from ITM
, he went to London and was accepted as 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.
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
. However, UMNO dropped him as a candidate in the 2008 general election
. It suffered heavy losses, including the 2/3 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.
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. He was previously dropped from defending his seat as Member of Parliament for Kota Bharu
which he won in 2004.
Zaid succeeded Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul 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. His appointment was greeted by The Economist
as the "most promising" in the new Cabinet.
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 then Prime Minister Tun 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.
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." 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."
The Bar Council welcomed the proposal. Newly-appointed Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk 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?"
MP Teresa Kok
, blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng—under the Internal Security Act
, Zaid resigned from the Cabinet on September 15, 2008.
not to appoint Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
as Prime Minister of Malaysia
, and instead appoint someone else from UMNO. He pointed out Najib has been linked on the internet and by political rivals to the brutal murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu. Zaid also cited the RM400 million in commissions reportedly paid by the Defence Ministry while Najib was minister for the procurement of submarines, and pointed out that Abdul Razak Baginda
, Najib's friend, was an agent in the deal. This was after Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the former Prime Minister also said that Najib did not shine as a deputy prime minister and stated that Najib carried a lot of baggage into the Prime Minister's job.
(PKR). As part of the Pakatan Rakyat
opposition alliance, Zaid was appointed to head the coalition's Common Policy Framework group where he was responsible for formulating a common manifesto and governing policy between the three disparate political parties (PKR
, PAS, DAP
) that made up the loose opposition alliance. He also headed efforts, in his role as Pakatan coordinator and pro-tem committee chairman of Pakatan Rakyat Malaysia, to register Pakatan Rakyat
as an official political coalition party with Malaysia's Registrar of Societies on Nov 3, 2009. During the Hulu Selangor by-election
in April 2010, Zaid was also fielded as the PKR candidate, but was narrowly defeated by P. Kamalanathan
of the Malaysian Indian Congress.
In the 2010 PKR party elections, Zaid Ibrahim contested for the party post of Deputy President after having received over 30 nominations. He confirmed his candidacy in a posting on his blog on the 16th of October 2010. However, in Nov 2010, Zaid Ibrahim withdrew his candidacy as a sign of protest against serious allegations of fraud and electoral misconduct perpetrated in the PKR party elections by his opponent, the PKR establishment candidate Azmin Ali
. He subsequently resigned from the party, citing his loss of confidence in the PKR party leadership for their involvement in the electoral fraud of the 2010 party elections.
), a tiny Kelantan-based opposition party, announced that Zaid Ibrahim has joined its ranks as a party member, with the view of having Zaid lead and revamp AKIM into a viable political party for the coming 13th Malaysian General Elections. The party further explained that Zaid had submitted his membership application to join AKIM in Nov 2010 after his former party, PKR, accepted Zaid's resignation.
During the party's annual general meeting on December 15, 2010, Datuk Mohamad Zaid Ibrahim was elected as the party's new president, taking over from Zakaria Salleh, the outgoing president of AKIM. The party also announced that it will be adopting a new name, the People's Welfare Party or Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (KITA). Zaid Ibrahim also announced that Kita would be a multi-racial democratic party open to all races in Malaysia, and despite its current small size, aims to make an impact in the country's political scene by focusing on goals for the long haul. Zaid also announced that Kita's official party ideology and principles, including its new constitution, manifesto, and logo, will be unveiled in Kuala Lumpur on January 19, 2011.
in its list of generous and interesting philanthropists in Asia, for starting the Kelantan Foundation for the Disabled in 1998. The foundation provides free counseling services, physiotherapy, transportation and home visits to 2,400 disabled individuals from Zaid's home state of Kelantan, who are suffering from Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, blindness and other disabilities.
Malay titles
The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders....
Mohd Zaid Ibrahim (born 10 April 1951) is a prominent Malaysian lawyer turned politician and is a former Minister in the Prime Minister's
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
Department in charge of legal affairs and judicial reform. He was previously a Senator in the Dewan Negara
Dewan Negara
The Dewan Negara is the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia. The Dewan Negara consists of 70 members, of which 26 are indirectly elected by the states, with two senators for every state in the Federation, and the other 44 being appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong .The Dewan Negara...
, the upper chamber of the Parliament of Malaysia
Parliament of Malaysia
The Parliament of Malaysia is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The King as the Head of State is the third component of Parliament....
.
He was a member of the United Malays National Organisation
United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence....
(UMNO), before being suspended on December 2, 2008. UMNO is part of the ruling Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
coalition which he joined in 2000. He was the Member of Parliament for Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...
from 2004 to 2008. He is also the founder of Zaid Ibrahim & Co., the largest private law firm in Malaysia.
Background
Born in Kota BharuKota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...
, Kelantan
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
, Zaid started his law studies in Universiti Teknologi Mara
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Universiti Teknologi MARA is a coeducational public university with its main campus located in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.It is the flagship institution of the Universiti Teknologi MARA...
(UiTM), Shah Alam (or Institut Teknologi Mara (ITM) as it was known then) by taking his LL.B (Hons.) External Programme which was conducted by the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Upon graduating from ITM
ITM
ITM may stand for:*ITM-IFM, Mumbai*Irish traditional music*IATA Airport Code of Osaka International Airport, Japan*IBM Tivoli Monitoring, an IT management tool*In The Morning, a catch phrase from the popular podcast No Agenda...
, he went to London and was accepted as a Barrister-at-Law, Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. In 1987 he founded Zaid Ibrahim & Co., which as of 2008 is the largest law firm in Malaysia with over 140 lawyers.
In 2000, he joined UMNO, becoming Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...
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
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...
in the 2004 general election
Malaysian general election, 2004
General elections were held in Malaysia on March 21, 2004. The incumbent National Front government of Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was re-elected with an increased majority.-Election results:...
. However, UMNO dropped him as a candidate in the 2008 general election
Malaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
. It suffered heavy losses, including the 2/3 majority necessary in the Dewan Rakyat
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
to pass amendments to the Constitution
Constitution of Malaysia
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia, which came into force in 1957, is the supreme law of Malaysia. The Federation was initially called the Federation of Malaya and it adopted its present name, Malaysia, when the States of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined the Federation...
.
Zaid is known for his criticism of the government's handling of legal issues such as the judiciary
Courts of Malaysia
The Judiciary of Malaysia is largely centralized despite Malaysia's federal constitution, heavily influenced by the British Common Law and to a lesser extent Islamic law, and is mostly independent from political interference.-History:...
, human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and Islamic law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
. He supported the establishment of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Video Clip
Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Video Clip
The Royal Commission of Inquiry Into the V.K. Lingam Video Clip was formed in late 2007 to investigate into an allegation of illegal intervention into the judicial appointment process of Malaysian judges purportedly occurred in 2002...
, criticising the government's initial response to the clip, which allegedly revealed fixing of judicial decisions and graft in the judiciary.
Becoming Minister
When the then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad BadawiAbdullah Ahmad Badawi
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
reshuffled his Cabinet
Cabinet of Malaysia
The Cabinet of Malaysia is the executive branch of Malaysia's government. Led by the Prime Minister, the cabinet is a council of ministers who are accountable collectively to the Parliament. According to the Article 43 of the Constitution, members of the Cabinet can only be selected from members...
after the just concluded 2008 general election
Malaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
, he appointed Zaid as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department to oversee legal affairs and judicial reform. He was previously dropped from defending his seat as Member of Parliament for Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...
which he won in 2004.
Zaid succeeded Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul 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
Dewan Negara
The Dewan Negara is the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia. The Dewan Negara consists of 70 members, of which 26 are indirectly elected by the states, with two senators for every state in the Federation, and the other 44 being appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong .The Dewan Negara...
on March 18 so he could take up his Cabinet
Cabinet of Malaysia
The Cabinet of Malaysia is the executive branch of Malaysia's government. Led by the Prime Minister, the cabinet is a council of ministers who are accountable collectively to the Parliament. According to the Article 43 of the Constitution, members of the Cabinet can only be selected from members...
posting. His appointment was greeted by The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
as the "most promising" in the new Cabinet.
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
Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Video Clip
The Royal Commission of Inquiry Into the V.K. Lingam Video Clip was formed in late 2007 to investigate into an allegation of illegal intervention into the judicial appointment process of Malaysian judges purportedly occurred in 2002...
, is seen as an attempt by then Prime Minister Tun 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.
Within days of his appointment as Minister, Zaid stated that the government had to openly apologise for its handling of the 1988 Judicial Crisis
1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis
The 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis was a series of events that began with United Malays National Organisation general election in 1987 and ended with the suspension and the eventual removal of the Lord President of the Supreme Court, Tun Salleh Abas, from his seat...
, which saw the sacking of the then Lord President of the Supreme Court
Lord President of the Federal Court
The title of Lord President of the Supreme Court was formerly the title of the head of the judiciary in Malaysia, until 1994 when the office was renamed "Chief Justice of the Federal Court"....
, Tun
Malay titles
The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders....
Salleh Abas
Salleh Abas
Tun Haji Mohamed Salleh bin Abas is a former Lord President of the Federal Court of Malaysia. He was dismissed from his post during the 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis...
, 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." 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."
The Bar Council welcomed the proposal. Newly-appointed Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad
Shahrir Abdul Samad
Datuk Seri Utama Shahrir Abdul Samad is the former Malaysian Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, a member of Parliament, and the former chairman of the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club . He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation, the largest political party in the...
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?"
Resignation
After criticizing the arrests of three prominent individuals—Democratic Action PartyDemocratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
MP Teresa Kok
Teresa Kok
Teresa Kok Suh Sim is a Malaysian Member of Parliament from the Democratic Action Party .-Background:Born and bred in Kuala Lumpur, Teresa is a second-generation Malaysian of Chinese descent. Kok is a member of the Hakka dialect group and her ancestors were from Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China....
, blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng—under the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
, Zaid resigned from the Cabinet on September 15, 2008.
Post-Resignation
Zaid Ibrahim urged the Yang di-Pertuan AgongYang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
not to appoint Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth, and since 2009, Prime Minister of Malaysia. He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 7 January 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on 3 April 2009. Najib is President of the United...
as Prime Minister of Malaysia
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
, and instead appoint someone else from UMNO. He pointed out Najib has been linked on the internet and by political rivals to the brutal murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu. Zaid also cited the RM400 million in commissions reportedly paid by the Defence Ministry while Najib was minister for the procurement of submarines, and pointed out that Abdul Razak Baginda
Abdul Razak Baginda
Abdul Razak Baginda is a former political analyst from Malaysia, and close associate of the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. He became prominent in 2006 when he was charged with abetting the murder of a Mongolian woman. He was acquitted on October 31, 2008 when the Malaysian High...
, Najib's friend, was an agent in the deal. This was after Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the former Prime Minister also said that Najib did not shine as a deputy prime minister and stated that Najib carried a lot of baggage into the Prime Minister's job.
Politician in Parti Keadilan Rakyat
In June 2009 Zaid joined the opposition Parti Keadilan RakyatParti Keadilan Rakyat
The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party...
(PKR). As part of the Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
opposition alliance, Zaid was appointed to head the coalition's Common Policy Framework group where he was responsible for formulating a common manifesto and governing policy between the three disparate political parties (PKR
Parti Keadilan Rakyat
The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party...
, PAS, DAP
Democratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
) that made up the loose opposition alliance. He also headed efforts, in his role as Pakatan coordinator and pro-tem committee chairman of Pakatan Rakyat Malaysia, to register Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
as an official political coalition party with Malaysia's Registrar of Societies on Nov 3, 2009. During the Hulu Selangor by-election
Hulu Selangor by-election, 2010
The Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election, which has 68,000 registered voters was being held following the death of the representative from the PKR, Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad on March 25 due to brain cancer. Previously Zainal won the Hulu Selangor seat at the 2008 general election with a slim...
in April 2010, Zaid was also fielded as the PKR candidate, but was narrowly defeated by P. Kamalanathan
P. Kamalanathan
Kamalanathan s/o. P. Panchanathan , is the member-elect of the Parliament of Malaysia for the seat of Hulu Selangor in Selangor...
of the Malaysian Indian Congress.
In the 2010 PKR party elections, Zaid Ibrahim contested for the party post of Deputy President after having received over 30 nominations. He confirmed his candidacy in a posting on his blog on the 16th of October 2010. However, in Nov 2010, Zaid Ibrahim withdrew his candidacy as a sign of protest against serious allegations of fraud and electoral misconduct perpetrated in the PKR party elections by his opponent, the PKR establishment candidate Azmin Ali
Mohamed Azmin Ali
Mohamed Azmin bin Ali is a Malaysian politician and currently the Member of Parliament for the Gombak as well as assemblyman for Bukit Antarabangsa in the Selangor State Assembly...
. He subsequently resigned from the party, citing his loss of confidence in the PKR party leadership for their involvement in the electoral fraud of the 2010 party elections.
Founding Kita
On December 13, 2010, the Malaysian People’s Justice Front (AKIMAkim
An akim is the head of a local government in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.- Kazakhstan :In Kazakhstan, an akim is the head of an akimat, a municipal, district, or provincial government , and serves as the Presidential representative.Akims of provinces and cities are appointed to the post by the...
), a tiny Kelantan-based opposition party, announced that Zaid Ibrahim has joined its ranks as a party member, with the view of having Zaid lead and revamp AKIM into a viable political party for the coming 13th Malaysian General Elections. The party further explained that Zaid had submitted his membership application to join AKIM in Nov 2010 after his former party, PKR, accepted Zaid's resignation.
During the party's annual general meeting on December 15, 2010, Datuk Mohamad Zaid Ibrahim was elected as the party's new president, taking over from Zakaria Salleh, the outgoing president of AKIM. The party also announced that it will be adopting a new name, the People's Welfare Party or Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (KITA). Zaid Ibrahim also announced that Kita would be a multi-racial democratic party open to all races in Malaysia, and despite its current small size, aims to make an impact in the country's political scene by focusing on goals for the long haul. Zaid also announced that Kita's official party ideology and principles, including its new constitution, manifesto, and logo, will be unveiled in Kuala Lumpur on January 19, 2011.
Personal life
Zaid is married to Datin Suliana Shamsuddin Alias and the couple is blessed with three children. In 2008, he was one of four Malaysians named by ForbesForbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
in its list of generous and interesting philanthropists in Asia, for starting the Kelantan Foundation for the Disabled in 1998. The foundation provides free counseling services, physiotherapy, transportation and home visits to 2,400 disabled individuals from Zaid's home state of Kelantan, who are suffering from Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, blindness and other disabilities.