Mohamed Farid Md Rafik Explained

Honorific Prefix:Yang Berbahagia Datuk Wira Dr.
Mohamed Farid Md Rafik
Native Name:محمد فريد بن مد رفيق
Office1:Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
Term Start1:2 July 2018
Term End1:21 September 2019
Monarch1:Muhammad V

Abdullah
Primeminister1:Mahathir Mohamad
Constituency1:Tanjung Piai
Predecessor1:Halimah Mohamed Sadique
Successor1:Ti Lian Ker
Parliament2:Malaysian
Constituency Mp2:Tanjung Piai
Term Start2:9 May 2018
Term End2:21 September 2019
Majority2:524 (2018)
Predecessor2:Wee Jeck Seng (BNMCA)
Successor2:Wee Jeck Seng (BNMCA)
Birth Date:1976 10, df=yes
Birth Place:Serkat, Pontian, Johor, Malaysia
Death Place:Pontian Hospital, Pontian, Johor, Malaysia
Death Cause:Heart complications
Resting Place:Sheikh Haji Ahmad Waqf Muslim Cemetery, Kampung Chokoh, Serkat, Pontian, Johor, Malaysia
Citizenship:Malaysian
Nationality:Malaysian
Party:Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) (2017–2019)
Otherparty:Pakatan Harapan (PH) (2017–2019)
Alma Mater:Queen's University of Belfast
Occupation:Politician
Profession:Anaesthesiologist
Mawards:is not set -->
Awards:is not set -->
Footnotes:

Datuk Wira Dr. Mohamed Farid bin Md Rafik (Jawi: محمد فريد بن مد رفيق; ‎12 October 1976 – 21 September 2019) was a Malaysian politician who was Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of national unity and social wellbeing in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and former Minister Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy from July 2018 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tanjung Piai from May 2018 to his death in September 2019.[1] He was a member of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), a former component party of the PH coalition.[2]

Background

Born in 1976, Farid hailed from Serkat, Pontian, Johor. He had his early education at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Andek Mori, Serkat and secondary school later at Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah, Malacca before pursuing his A-Levels education at Bedford Modern School, United Kingdom (UK). He started his medical career in 2001 after graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine degree from University of Belfast, UK. In 2008, he furthered his studies to earn his anaesthesiology degree from College of Anaesthesia, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) and then continued to work as an anaesthesiologist in UK until 2014 before returning to Malaysia after 10 years in UK.[3]

Politics

Prior to entering politics, he worked as an anaesthesiologist in a private hospital in Malacca.[4] Though he was never prepared for politics, he became interested in it after his mother, Norma Mohamed who was former United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Tanjung Piai Wanita chief, left the party in 2016 for BERSATU. His political career began when he joined BERSATU in 2017.[5]

Farid was first elected as MP winning the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat with a slim majority of 524 votes by defeating the then incumbent Wee Jeck Seng from the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) of Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and also Nordin Othman from the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Front (BERJASA), which contested under the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) banner through the Gagasan Sejahtera in the 2018 general election (GE14).[6] He was then appointed Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for National Unity and Social Harmony.[7]

Election results

Year!
ConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout
2018P165 Tanjung Piai, Johor (BERSATU)21,25547.29%Wee Jeck Seng (MCA)20,731 46.12%45,858 524 85.67%
Nordin Othman (PAS)2,9626.59%

Honours

Death

Farid died at Hospital Pontian in Johor on 21 September 2019 of a heart attack.[9] [10] He was laid to rest at the Sheikh Haji Ahmad Waqf Muslim Cemetery in Kampung Chokoh, Serkat, Pontian, Johor at 5.30 pm on the same day.[11] His funeral was attended by more than 1000 people including Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.[12] He leaves behind a wife, Farah Syazwani Hanis Ismail, 32, and three daughters – Sophie Farissya, 8, Eva Ariaana, 4 and Zara Aleena, 2.[13]

His death had paved the way for the 2019 Tanjung Piai by-election in which BERSATU of PH candidate had failed to defend the seat and had lost it back to his predecessor, Wee Jeck Seng of BN in the six-cornered fight for the parliamentary seat.[14]

Notes and References

  1. News: From 'naive about politics' to general for southern Johor battle. 4 May 2018. Lu Wei Hoong . Malaysiakini. 14 August 2018.
  2. Web site: New Cabinet all sworn-in before King (Full List). The Star Online. 22 July 2018.
  3. News: Profil Dr Md Farid Md Rafik. 21 September 2019. ms. Bernama. myMetro. 21 September 2019.
  4. News: Profile of Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik. 21 September 2019. en. Bernama. 21 September 2019.
  5. News: Touting Malay wave, doctor poses strongest challenge yet to MCA's last bastion. 5 May 2018. . 22 July 2018. en-GB.
  6. News: Johor BN to submit only one name. The Star Online. Mohd Farhaan Shah. 28 September 2019. 28 September 2019.
  7. News: Tanjung Piai MP Md Farid Md Rafik dies. The Star Online. 21 September 2019 . 21 September 2019.
  8. Web site: Husam kembali bergelar 'datuk', Mujahid Dr Dzul Ahmad Awang 'datuk seri'. ms. MALAYSIADATELINE. 13 October 2018. 13 October 2018.
  9. Web site: Tanjung Piai MP Md Farid Md Rafik dies. 21 September 2019. The Star Online. en. 21 September 2019.
  10. News: Deputy minister Farid Rafik passes away. 21 September 2019. Malaysiakini. 21 September 2019.
  11. News: Dr Md Farid laid to rest at Serkat, Pontian. 21 September 2019. Bernama. Malay Mail. 21 September 2019.
  12. Web site: Many turn up for Md Farid's funeral. 22 September 2019. MOHD FARHAAN SHAH, REMAR NORDIN and RAZAK AHMAD. The Star Online. en. 22 September 2019.
  13. News: King, PM offer condolences to Mohd Farid's family. 21 September 2019. Bernama. Malaysiakini. 22 September 2019.
  14. News: Barisan Nasional wins Tg Piai by-election with 15,086 vote majority. The Star Online. 16 November 2019. 18 November 2019.