List of University of Malaya people explained
The following is a list of notable alumni and faculty of University of Malaya.
Notable alumni
Royalty
Government and politics
Heads of state and government
Deputy prime ministers, senior ministers and leaders of the opposition
Governors, chief ministers, and mayors
Federal ministers
Speakers and deputy speakers
Elected representatives
International politicians
International and public service
International relations and foreign affairs
Military, police and security
Civil service
Law
Academia
- Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas – Islamic scholar and philosopher
- Kassim Ahmad – Islamic philosopher, writer, and educator
- Shamsul Amri Baharuddin – anthropologist, Distinguished Professor of Social Anthropology, National University of Malaysia
- Harith Ahmad – physicist, Distinguished Professor of Physics, University of Malaya
- Khoo Kay Kim – historian, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Malaya
- S. Singaravelu – lawyer, Emeritus Professor of Indian Studies, University of Malaya
- Dame Margaret Clark – political scientist, Emeritus Professor of Politics, Victoria University of Wellington
- Lee Poh Ping – political scientist, Professor of Politics, University of Malaya and a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun
- Wong Chin Huat - political scientist, Professor of Governance Studies, Sunway University
- Niyaz Ahmed - molecular epidemiologist, Professor of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad
- Werry Darta Taifur – economist, Rector of Andalas University
- Mohd Kamal Hassan – Islamic scholar, 3rd Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia
- Syed Arabi Idid – journalist, 4th Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia
- Zaleha Kamarudin – lawyer, 5th Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia
- Ungku Aziz – economist, 3rd Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
- Mohd Taib Osman – author, 9th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
- Abdullah Sanusi Ahmad - economist, 10th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
- Anuar Zaini Md. Zain – endocrinologist, 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
- Mohd. Amin Jalaludin – otologist, 15th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
- Ariffin Ngah Marzuki - surgeon, 2nd Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Malaysia
- Awang Had Salleh - sociologist, 5th Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Malaysia
- Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin - surgeon, 10th Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Malaysia
- Noor Azlan Ghazali - economist, 11th Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Malaysia
- Rayson Huang – chemist, 10th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong
- Wang Gungwu – historian, 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong
- Chuah Hean Teik – President of the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP), Former President and CEO of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)
- Mak Joon Wah – physician, Professor of Pathology and Vice President of International Medical University
- Megat Burhainuddin – physician, former Vice-Chancellor of Nilai University
- Tengku Rethwan – politician, Chairman of President College
- Khasnor Johan – author and historian
- Mohd Fadzilah Kamsah – lecturer and motivational speaker
- Atta ur Rehman Khan – computer scientist
- Yoke Khin Yap - physicist, materials scientist and academic
Business, corporate and economics
Literature and the arts
- Muhammad Haji Salleh – writer and critic, 6th Sasterawan Negara
- Zurinah Hassan – writer, 13th and first female Sasterawan Negara
- Siti Zainon Ismail – novelist, 14th Sasterawan Negara
- Faisal Tehrani – author and playwright, Anugerah Seni Negara winner
- Ayman Rashdan Wong – writer and geopolitical analyst, Anugerah Buku Negara winner
- Edwin Thumboo – poet and academician, 1979 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
- Adibah Amin – columnist, 1983 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
- Gopal Baratham – author and neurosurgeon, 1991 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
- Catherine Lim – author, 1999 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
- Rex Shelley – author and engineer, 2007 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
- Malim Ghozali PK – novelist, 2013 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
- Shirley Geok-lin Lim – poet, 1980 Commonwealth Poetry Prize winner
- Chuah Guat Eng – novelist, Malaysia's first English-language woman novelist
- Matussin Omar – novelist, 2012 Mastera Literary Award winner
- Dinsman – poet
- Hilary Tham – poet
- Anis Sabirin – writer
- Uthaya Sankar SB – writer
- Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof – writer
- Daniel Dorall – sculptor
Science and medicine
- Faiz Khaleed – dentist, Malaysian astronaut candidate
- Siti Aisyah Alias – marine polar researcher, Deputy Director of the National Antarctic Research Centre (NARC)
- Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud – epidemiologist, first Malaysian doctor to be awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Informatics
- Salma Ismail – physician, first Malaysian Malay woman to qualify as a doctor
- Chen Su Lan – physician, one of the first medical school graduates in Singapore
- Mak Joon Wah – physician, director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Lymphatic Filariasis
- Swee Lay Thein – hematologist
- Susan Lim – parasitologist
- Gloria Lim – mycologist, former director of Singapore's National Institute of Education
- Victor Lim – microbiologist, Pro Vice-Chancellor of International Medical University
- Chua Kaw Bing – pediatrician, discoverer of Nipah virus
- Mahaletchumy Arujanan – scientist, Global Director of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)
Sports
- Djohar Arifin Husin – Indonesian footballer, 16th Chair of the Football Association of Indonesia
- Shalin Zulkifli – Malaysian ten pin bowler, former World champion and ranked number one in Asia
- Tan Aik Mong – Malaysian badminton player, former Asian single's champion
- Yeoh Li Tian – Malaysian chess master and highest national rated player, Southeast Asian Games medalist
- Irfan Shamsuddin – Malaysian discus thrower, Southeast Asian Games medalist
- Jasmine Lai Pui Yee – Malaysian diver, Southeast Asian Games medalist
- Ooi Tze Liang – Malaysian diver, Asian Games medalist
- Bryan Nickson Lomas – Malaysian diver, Asian Games medalist
- Woon Khe Wei – Malaysian badminton player, Asian Games medalist
- Vivian Hoo Kah Mun – Malaysian badminton player, Asian Games medalist
- Haziq Kamaruddin – Malaysian sport archer, Asian Games medalist
- Pandelela Rinong – Malaysian diver, two-time Olympic Games medalist
- M. Magendran – Malaysian mountain climber, first Malaysian to conquer Mount Everest
Media and entertainment
Religion and activism
Notable faculty
- Pendeta Za'aba – Father of the Modern Malay Language
- Ch'ien Mu – One of the "Four Greatest Historians" of Modern China
- C. Northcote Parkinson – Founder of Parkinson's Law
- Malcolm MacDonald – 1st Governor-General of Kenya, Chancellor of the University of Malaya
- Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak – Chancellor of the University of Malaya
- Yeoh Ghim Seng – 5th Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore, Professor of Surgery, University of Malaya
- Ahmad Mohamed Ibrahim – 1st Attorney General of Singapore, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya
- Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof – 9th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat
- Ramli Ngah Talib – 8th Menteri Besar of Perak, 7th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat
- Abdul Ghani Othman – 14th Menteri Besar of Johor, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, University of Malaya
- Fong Chan Onn – 2nd Minister of Human Resource, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, University of Malaya
- Syed Hussein Alatas – 1st President of the Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, 4th Vice-Chancellor of University of Malaya
- Md Hashim Yahaya – 4th Mufti of the Federal Territories, Director of the Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya
- Cheong Choong Kong – Chairman of OCBC Bank and Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Airlines, Head of the Mathematics Department, University of Malaya
- Robert Holzmann – Governor of the Austrian Central Bank, Distinguished Research Fellow, University of Malaya
- Jeffrey Sachs – Royal Professor Ungku Aziz Chair in Poverty Studies at the Centre for Poverty and Development Studies, University of Malaya
- Jomo Kwame Sundaram – Ranking Member of the Council of Eminent Persons, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Malaya
- Chin Fung Kee – Emeritus Professor of Engineering, University of Malaya
- Asmah Haji Omar – Emeritus Professor of Malay Studies, University of Malaya
- Khairuddin Mohamed Yusof – Emeritus Professor of Medicine, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of University of Malaya
- Lam Sai Kit – Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Malaya, prominent researcher of the Nipah virus
- Shad Saleem Faruqi – Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Malaya
- Muthucumaraswamy Sornarajah – Emeritus Professor of Law, National University of Singapore
- Paul Wheatley – Emeritus Professor of History and Geography, University of Chicago
- Anthony Reid Stanhope Reid – Emeritus Professor of History, Australian National University, Fukuoka Prize winner
- Michael Northcott – Emeritus Professor of Ethics, University of Edinburgh
- S. Arasaratnam – Emeritus Professor of History, University of New England (UNE)
- Klaus Rohde – Emeritus Professor of Zoology, University of New England (UNE), Clarke Medalist
- Amitav Acharya – Distinguished Professor of International Relations, American University
- Swapan Kumar Chakravorty – Distinguished Professor of Humanities, Presidency University, Kolkata
- Rajah Rasiah – Distinguished Professor of Economics, University of Malaya
- Farish A. Noor – Professor of History, University of Malaya
- Lloyd Fernando – Professor of English, University of Malaya
- Sutan Takdir Alisyahbana – Professor and Director of the Academy of Malay Studies, University of Malaya
- Leonard Andaya – Professor of Southeast Asian History, University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Lee Ellis – Professor of Sociology, Minot State University
- Syed Farid al-Attas – Professor of Sociology, National University of Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock – Professor of Statistics, National University of Singapore
- Kenelm Burridge – Professor of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
- James Danandjaja – Professor of Anthropology, University of Indonesia
- Hans Ras – Professor of Javanese Language and Literature, Leiden University
- Hans Köchler – Professor of Philosophy, University of Innsbruck, President of the International Progress Organization
- Sid Gray – Professor of International Business, University of Sydney Business School
- Keith Lewin – Professor of International Education and Development, University of Sussex
- Leonard Swidler – Professor of Catholic Thought and Interreligious Dialogue, Temple University
- Stanley Kalpage – Professor of Soil Science, University of Malaya, Ceylonese Senator
- Phang Siew Moi – Professor of Biological Science, University of Malaya
- Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof – Professor of Theatre Studies, University of Malaya
- Arifin Bey – Visiting Professor of Japanese History, University of Malaya
- Hector Kinloch – Fulbright Professor of US History, University of Malaya
- Andrew Sheng – Adjunct Professor of Economics, University of Malaya, Chairman of Securities and Futures Commission
- Wolfgang Drechsler – Honorary Professor at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP), University College London
- Benjamin Clemens Stone – Honorary Professor of Botany, University of Malaya
- Azmi Sharom – Associate Professor of Law, University of Malaya, Deputy Chairman of the Election Commission
- Rustam Sani – Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Malaya
- Hans H. Indorf – Associate Professor of Political Science, East Carolina University
- The Reverend Xavier Thaninayagam – Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science and Head of the Tamil Studies Department, University of Malaya
- Nik Safiah Karim – Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science, University of Malaya
- Sheikh Zaki Badawi – Director of the Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) and Chief Imam of the London Central Mosque
- François Pachet – Director of the Spotify Creator Technology Research Lab
- Mahadev Shankar – Judge of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia
- K. P. Ratnam – Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Kilinochchi and Kayts
Honorary graduates
- Queen Rania Al Abdullah – the Queen of Jordan, Honorary Doctorate in International Relations
- Sultanah Hajah Bahiyah binti Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman – the Queen of Malaysia and Sultanah of Kedah, Honorary Doctorate in Education
- Irina Bokova – Director General of UNESCO and Minister of Foreign Affairs for Bulgaria, Honorary Doctorate in Humanities
- Mohamed Suffian Mohamed Hashim – Lord President of the Federal Court, Honorary Doctorate of Letters
- Jeffrey Cheah – Chairman and Founder of the Sunway Group, Honorary Doctorate of Education
- Lee Boon Chim – Chairman of the Malaysia Derivatives Exchange and Malaysian Senator, Honorary Doctorate of Law
- Lee Kong Chian – Philanthropist and Founder of the Lee Foundation, Honorary Doctorate of Law
- Harussani Zakaria – Mufti of Perak, Honorary Doctorate in Shariah
- Richard Olaf Winstedt – President of Raffles College, Honorary Doctorate of Law
- Just Faaland – Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute and formulator of the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP), Honorary Doctorate of Economics
- Philip Manson-Bahr – Director of the Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Honorary Doctorate in Medicine
- Rafael M. Salas – Head of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Honorary Doctorate
Notes and References
- Book: Mohamad Yusop Damit . Brunei Darussalam 1944-1962: Constitutional and Political Development in a Malay-Muslim Sultanate . 1995 . University of London 1995. . 412 . en.
- Web site: Ismail Bakar appointed new Chief Secretary. 28 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180828095947/https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/08/28/ismail-bakar-appointed-new-chief-secretary/. 2018-08-28. dead. 30 August 2018.
