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Azalina Othman Said

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Malaysian politician and lawyer

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Othman Said is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Azalina. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Yang Berhormat Dato' SriAzalina Othman SaidSSAP SPMP DGMK DPMS PGDK MP
أزلينا عثمان سعيد‎
Azalina Othman Said in 2023
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 December 2022
(Law and Institutional Reforms)
MonarchsAbdullah
(2022–2024)
Ibrahim Iskandar
(since 2024)
Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim
DeputyRamkarpal Singh
(2022–2023)
M. Kulasegaran
(since 2023)
Preceded byWan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar
(Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law))
ConstituencyPengerang
In office
29 July 2015 – 9 May 2018
(Parliamentary Affairs: 29 July 2015–9 May 2018)
(Legal Affairs: 27 June 2016–9 May 2018)
MonarchsAbdul Halim
(2015–2016)
Muhammad V
(2016–2018)
Prime MinisterNajib Razak
DeputyRazali Ibrahim
Preceded byNancy Shukri
Succeeded byLiew Vui Keong
ConstituencyPengerang
Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Law and Human Rights
In office
30 September 2021 – 30 August 2022
MonarchAbdullah
Prime MinisterIsmail Sabri Yaakob
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
ConstituencyPengerang
Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat II
In office
13 July 2020 – 23 August 2021Serving with Mohd Rashid Hasnon
MonarchAbdullah
Prime MinisterMuhyiddin Yassin
(2020–2021)
Ismail Sabri Yaakob
(2021)
SpeakerAzhar Azizan Harun
Preceded byNga Kor Ming
Succeeded byAlice Lau Kiong Yieng
ConstituencyPengerang
Minister of Tourism
In office
18 March 2008 – 9 April 2009
MonarchMizan Zainal Abidin
Prime MinisterAbdullah Ahmad Badawi
DeputySulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib
Preceded byTengku Adnan Tengku Mansor
Succeeded byNg Yen Yen
ConstituencyPengerang
Minister of Youth and Sports
In office
27 March 2004 – 18 March 2008
MonarchsSirajuddin
(2004–2006)
Mizan Zainal Abidin
(2006–2008)
Prime MinisterAbdullah Ahmad Badawi
DeputyOng Tee Keat
(2004–2006)
Liow Tiong Lai
(2006–2008)
Preceded byHishammuddin Hussein
Succeeded byIsmail Sabri Yaakob
ConstituencyPengerang
Information Chief of the
United Malays National Organisation
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 March 2023
PresidentAhmad Zahid Hamidi
Preceded byIsham Jalil
1st Women Youth Chief of the
United Malays National Organisation
In office
9 April 2001 – 25 September 2004
PresidentMahathir Mohamad
DeputyNoraini Ahmad
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byNoraini Ahmad
Chairperson of the
National Film Development Corporation
In office
1 June 2015 – 29 July 2015
MinisterAhmad Shabery Cheek
Preceded byMd Afendi Hamdan
Succeeded byMohd Khusairi Abdul Talib
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Pengerang
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 March 2004
Preceded byPosition established
MajorityWalkover (2004)
Walkover (2008)
22,508 (2013)
11,417 (2018)
5,010 (2022)
Faction represented in Dewan Rakyat
2004–Barisan Nasional
Personal details
BornAzalina binti Othman Said
(1963-12-31) 31 December 1963 (age 60)
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Political partyUnited Malays National Organisation (UMNO)
Other political
affiliations		Barisan Nasional (BN)
Alma materUniversity of Malaya
London School of Economics and Political Science
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionLawyer

Azalina binti Othman Said (Jawi: ازلينا بنت عثمان سعيد; born 31 December 1963) is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Najib Razak from July 2015 to the collapse of the BN administration in May 2018 and in the Anwar Ibrahim Cabinet since December 2022 as well as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pengerang since March 2004. She served as the Special Advisor to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Law and Human Rights from September 2021 to her resignation in August 2022, Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat II from July 2020 to her resignation in August 2021, Minister of Tourism from March 2008 to April 2009 and the Minister of Youth and Sports from March 2004 to March 2008 in the BN administration under former Prime Ministers Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak and Chairperson of the National Film Development Corporation from June 2015 to her ministerial appointment in July 2015. She created history by being the first female deputy speaker. She is a Member of the Supreme Council and Division Chief of Pengerang of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the BN coalition. She also served as the Information Chief of UMNO since March 2023 and as the 1st Women Youth Chief of UMNO from April 2001 to September 2004.

Early life

Azalina was born in Johor Bahru on 31 December 1963 to a father of Buginese ancestry and a mother of Arab lineage. She spent her early years in Penang where she received her elementary education at a Catholic school, Convent Green Lane. Azalina started her tertiary education in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) (or Institut Teknologi Mara (ITM) as it was known then) by taking her Diploma in Public Administration (DPA). Upon graduating with ITM, she read laws in Universiti Malaya and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours.) or LL.B Hons. After graduating in 1988, she went on to further her studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom and graduated with a Master of Laws (LLM) in 1990.

She first started her career in Malaysia as a legal assistant at Messr Raja Darryl & Loh law firm (1988–1989, 1991–1994). After gaining experience, she became an associate partner of Azalina Chan & Chia law firm (1994–2001) and with Messrs Skine (2001–2002).

In 2002, she formed a partnership with Messrs Zaid Ibrahim & Co , which is the largest law firm in Malaysia and later on with Zaid Ibrahim & Co. LLP, Singapore in 2003. Coincidentally, Zaid Ibrahim was also her cabinet colleague, having been appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in-charge of Legal Affairs at the same time as her appointment as Tourism Minister.

Before getting involved in politics, she was the host of various television talk shows, mainly discussing about political, economic, and social issues, such as Dateline Malaysia and Lidah Pengarang on ntv7.

Political career

  • Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia (31 March 2004 – 7 March 2008)
  • Minister of Tourism Malaysia (18 March 2008 – 9 April 2009)
  • Minister in the Primer Minister's Department (29 July 2015 – 9 May 2018)

Controversy

On 27 August 2022, Azalina said whoever became prime minister would usually appoint “one of their own” to become the AG, a post which came with wide-ranging powers. Her comments drew criticisms from Bersatu and Pakatan Harapan leaders.

Malaysia-Sulu Case

Azalina has been a leading critic of the claims made by the alleged heirs of the Sulu Sultan in the Malaysia-Sulu Dispute. The Japan Times called her a figure at the "forefront of several large and international headline-grabbing developments — including the scrapping of the country’s mandatory death penalty and a June victory in a protracted legal battle that has come to be known as the “Sulu case". Azalina has called the arbitration case as well the arbitrator in the case, Gonzalo Stampa, a sham. "We knew that the arbitration award was a sham, it's a rogue arbitrator, it's a sham award," the Japan Times reported her as saying.

Azalina also called on the Sulu claimants to take their claims to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) if they had valid proof of their ancestry, saying the case was not commercial in nature but "one of sovereignty".

In June 2023, Azalina demanded the Sulu claimants to pay Malaysia the cost of litigation, in response to a claim made by one of the lawyers of the purported Sulu heirs, Paul Cohen. Cohen had earlier announced that he would file another claim at another European court after the arbitration award by Stampa was struck down.

“The guarantee of this government is that we will fight to the end. But while fighting, I want the costs to be paid first. You talk like a hero but pay the cost first. You tell him (Cohen) if you want to fight, then fight fairly. Don’t jump from jurisdiction to jurisdiction,” she said at a press conference.

On May 17, 2024 the Madrid Court of Appeal upheld the contempt of court conviction and sentence against Stampa, upholding his six-month prison sentence, and a one-year ban from practicing as an arbitrator.

Commenting on the decision, Azalina said, “In its judgment, the Madrid Court of Appeal confirms that Stampa knowingly and wilfully disobeyed the clear rulings and orders of the Madrid High Court of Justice resulting from the nullification of his appointment as arbitrator.”

On November 7, 2024, the French Court of Cassation—the highest court in the French judicial system—annulled a $15 billion arbitration ruling against Malaysia. This decision marked a significant legal victory for Malaysia and reinforced its sovereignty in a dispute with the self-proclaimed Sulu heirs. The ruling highlighted irregularities in the arbitration process led by Gonzalo Stampa and raised concerns about practices such as forum shopping and unregulated litigation funding in European courts.

The French court’s decision was deemed a significant “win” for Malaysia that effectively marked the end of the Sulu case by several publications, including Law.com and Law360.  Keith Ellison, former vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee and Minnesota attorney general, pointed out that the case highlighted the enormous scope for “corruption,” irresponsible profiteering, and foreign influence operations to subvert arbitration proceedings”.

Following Malaysia's legal victory in the French Court, Paul Cohen argued that the ruling allows the Sulu heirs to lease Sabah to other nations, such as China and the Philippines. Cohen also suggested that accepting the French court's decision implies recognition of the Sulu Sultanate descendants' sovereignty over Sabah, which Malaysia disputes. In response, Azalina Said dismissed Cohen's statements as baseless and reaffirmed Sabah’s status as part of Malaysia, citing historical and legal foundations such as the Cobbold Commission and the 1963 referendum.

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2004 P157 Pengerang Azalina Othman Said (UMNO) Walkover
2008 Azalina Othman Said (UMNO) Walkover
2013 Azalina Othman Said (UMNO) 26,992 83.64% Tengku Intan Tengku Abd Hamid (PKR) 4,484 13.89% 33,067 22,508 87.02%
Mohd Azaman Johari (IND) 795 2.46%
2018 Azalina Othman Said (UMNO) 21,829 67.71% Norliza Ngadiran (BERSATU) 10,412 32.29% 33,580 11,417 82.96%
2022 Azalina Othman Said (UMNO) 21,738 51.96% Fairulnizar Rahmat (BERSATU) 16,728 39.98% 41,840 5,010 75.64%
Che Zakaria Mohd Salleh (AMANAH) 3,374 8.06%

Honours

Awards

See also

References

  1. "Asyraf Wajdi is new Umno sec-gen, Azalina appointed info chief". The Star. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. Bernama (1 September 2022). "Azalina resigns as PM's special adviser". Malaysiakini.
  3. An Umno that thinks beyond race, 11 October 2010, Ding-Jo Ann, The Nut Graph
  4. Kumar, B. Nantha (27 August 2022). "Azalina to PM: Why can't AG be replaced with one of your own?". Malaysiakini.
  5. "Radzi: Azalina is proof that Umno unrepentant". Malaysiakini. 28 August 2022.
  6. "DAP, PKR officials slam Azalina for wanting PM to appoint 'own' AG". The Vibes. 29 August 2022.
  7. ^ Beattie, Elizabeth (7 July 2023). "Fresh from 'Sulu case' win, Malaysia's law minister turns to domestic reforms". The Japan Times. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  8. Times, New Straits (9 May 2023). "Make claim at ICJ if you have proof, Azalina tells Sulu claimants | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  9. ^ Said, Azalina Othman (30 June 2023). "Azalina wants Sulu claimant to pay court cost, promised to fight till the end".
  10. ^ BERNAMA. "Sulu Case: Madrid Court of Appeal upholds Stampa's conviction, sentence". thesun.my. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Un Jugement historique inaugure une nouvelle ère de progrès pour les tribunaux européens". La Tribune (in French). 13 November 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  12. "French Supreme Court Rejects Enforcement of Jurisdictional Award". natlawreview.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  13. "Malaysia Wins $15B Arbitration Case Against Sulu Heirs - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  14. "Malaysia Wins $15B Arbitration Case Against Sulu Heirs - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  15. "French High Court Rejects Sultanate 'Heirs' $15 Billion Claim Against Malaysia". Law.com International. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  16. Bensoussan, David (1 October 2024). "L'impasse politique de la France sera le plus grand cadeau pour Poutine à ce jour". 42mag.fr (in French). Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  17. "'Heirs' now free to lease Sabah to China, Philippines, says lawyer". news.nestia.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  18. "Azalina to Sulu 'heirs': Go ahead and try 'leasing' Sabah to other countries". news.nestia.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  19. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 6 June 2010. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  20. "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  21. "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 13". Sistem Pengurusan Maklumat Pilihan Raya Umum (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  22. "my undi : Kawasan & Calon-Calon PRU13 : Keputusan PRU13 (Archived copy)". www.myundi.com.my. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  23. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13". Utusan Malaysia. Archived from the original on 21 March 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  24. "SEMAKAN KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE - 14" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  25. "The Star Online GE14". The Star. Retrieved 24 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  26. NIEZAM ABDULLAH (22 April 2013). "Dayangku Intan Tidak Gentar 'Lawan' Azalina Othman" (in Malay). mStar. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  27. ^ "SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT". Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  28. "Abdullah conferred Kedah's highest award". The Star. 22 January 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  29. "Two ministers made Datuk Seris". Roslina Mohamad. The Star. 24 October 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  30. "Sultan of Perak's Birthday Honours List 2007". The Star. 23 April 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  31. "Khalil heads Sabah awards list". The Star. 16 September 2003. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  32. "Khir: Developed status should spur others on". The Star. 2 December 2005. Retrieved 2 December 2005.
  33. "DPMS 2005". Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  34. "IOC HONOURS FIRST FEMALE AND YOUNGEST SPORTS MINISTER IN MALAYSIA". International Olympic Committee. 8 March 2008.
  35. "Y.B. DATO' SERI AZALINA DATO' OTHMAN SAID-2007". Olympic Council of Malaysia.
Malaysia Current members of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)
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