Fatimah Hashim
Encyclopedia
Tun Dr. Fatimah Hashim was a Malaysian freedom fighter and who later served as a minister in the Malaysian cabinet. Along with her husband, Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Yusuf
, together they made up the first and only couple to both be ministers in the Malaysian cabinet.
's (UMNO) 315th member, joined the struggle for independence when she was in her 20s. She was head of Kaum Ibu Malaya, later known as Wanita Umno, which is the women's wing of UMNO. She was the movement's leader for 16 years until 1972.
She saw then that there were inadequate facilities and infrastructure for the people under colonial rule, especially for health care and education.
She recalled that during her visits to Kota Bharu
, she had to wait for the water level to subside before she could cross the river to visit villagers because there were no bridges. Fatimah said that working alongside luminaries such as Tunku Abdul Rahman
, Tan Sri Khir Johari
and Tun Abdul Razak was a great experience, and they treated each other like family.
From an interview in the Malaysian newspaper The Star
:
, August 31, 1957, was still fresh in her memory. Fatimah fondly remembered packing her three eldest children in a car and travelling from Ipoh
to Kuala Lumpur
with her husband, the late Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Yusuf, to celebrate Malaya
's emergence from British rule.
Fatimah attended the ceremony at Stadium Merdeka
with her husband. They stayed at the late Tun Sardon Jubir's house in Kuala Lumpur and the couple took the children around the city.
From The Star
interview, she said:
She cried that day in the stadium.
, who was then Attorney-General, was in government service and could not be active in politics. He advised her not to sit at home but to continue fighting and help the poor.
He became her driver and accompanied her to meetings, something that Tun Abdul Razak used to tease the couple about.
Fatimah served as Member of Parliament and later as Welfare Minister in the Malaysian cabinet
. At the same time, her husband became the Law Minister, making them the only couple to serve together in the Cabinet of Malaysia.
Her eldest daughter, Mariam, was the Director-General of the National Library of Malaysia
and is now retired. Her second son, Mohamed Shah, has now retired as Chairman of McDonald's Malaysia (division of McDonald's
), and founder of Ronald McDonald
's Charity Club (RMCC) Malaysia. Her third son, Dato Professor Emeritus Dr Khalid Abdul Kadir was previously the director of Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is now the Head of Clinical School at Monash University Malaysia. Her fourth son Datuk Ali Abdul Kadir is an accomplished accountant who has held such prestigious positions as chairman of Ernst & Young Malaysia, a short stint as chairman of the Securities Commission, and recently retired as Chairman of Dubai Investment Group's Malaysian division. Her fifth son Abdul Karim is in business and adviser to a few public and private companies. Faridah, her youngest daughter is also an adviser to a Denmark
based investment bank.
and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
students. The first recipient was Sharifah Fatimah Syed Omar of Kuala Terengganu
.
in the Masjid Negara
compounds beside her husband, Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Yusuf
's grave. She was the first woman leader laid to rest there.
Abdul Kadir Yusuf
Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Yusuf was a Malaysian politician. He was born in Parit Sakai, Muar, Johor. During his life, he was a member of the United Malays National Organization, the leading party in the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional. A lawyer by profession, Abdul Kadir held the posts of Attorney...
, together they made up the first and only couple to both be ministers in the Malaysian cabinet.
Political involvement
The petite-framed freedom fighter, who was the United Malays National OrganisationUnited 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....
's (UMNO) 315th member, joined the struggle for independence when she was in her 20s. She was head of Kaum Ibu Malaya, later known as Wanita Umno, which is the women's wing of UMNO. She was the movement's leader for 16 years until 1972.
She saw then that there were inadequate facilities and infrastructure for the people under colonial rule, especially for health care and education.
She recalled that during her visits to 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...
, she had to wait for the water level to subside before she could cross the river to visit villagers because there were no bridges. Fatimah said that working alongside luminaries such as Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
, Tan Sri Khir Johari
Khir Johari
Tan Sri Mohd Khir Johari was a Malaysian politician and the former Malaysian Minister of Education.Born on January 29, 1923, in Alor Star, Kedah, Mohd Khir was a Member of Parliament from 1955 to 1982...
and Tun Abdul Razak was a great experience, and they treated each other like family.
From an interview in the Malaysian newspaper The Star
The Star (Malaysia)
The Star is an English-language, tabloid-format newspaper in Malaysia. It is the largest in terms of circulation in Malaysia, according to the . It has a daily circulation of between 290,000 to 300,000...
:
Achieving independence
For Fatimah, Hari Merdeka (Independence Day)Hari Merdeka
Hari Merdeka is a national day of Malaysia commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British colonial rule in 1957, celebrated on August 31 each year. It is not to be confused with the formation of Malaysia...
, August 31, 1957, was still fresh in her memory. Fatimah fondly remembered packing her three eldest children in a car and travelling from Ipoh
Ipoh
Ipoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....
to Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
with her husband, the late Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Yusuf, to celebrate Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
's emergence from British rule.
Fatimah attended the ceremony at Stadium Merdeka
Stadium Merdeka
Stadium Merdeka is a sports stadium, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was initially erected for Malaysia's declaration of independence on 31 August 1957....
with her husband. They stayed at the late Tun Sardon Jubir's house in Kuala Lumpur and the couple took the children around the city.
From The Star
The Star (Malaysia)
The Star is an English-language, tabloid-format newspaper in Malaysia. It is the largest in terms of circulation in Malaysia, according to the . It has a daily circulation of between 290,000 to 300,000...
interview, she said:
She cried that day in the stadium.
Post-independence
After independence, her husband continued to encourage her to be involved in politics. Abdul Kadir YusufAbdul Kadir Yusuf
Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Yusuf was a Malaysian politician. He was born in Parit Sakai, Muar, Johor. During his life, he was a member of the United Malays National Organization, the leading party in the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional. A lawyer by profession, Abdul Kadir held the posts of Attorney...
, who was then Attorney-General, was in government service and could not be active in politics. He advised her not to sit at home but to continue fighting and help the poor.
He became her driver and accompanied her to meetings, something that Tun Abdul Razak used to tease the couple about.
Fatimah served as Member of Parliament and later as Welfare Minister in the Malaysian 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...
. At the same time, her husband became the Law Minister, making them the only couple to serve together in the Cabinet of Malaysia.
Social contributions
Fatimah was the founder and former president of the Malaysia's National Council of Women's Organisations, where she headed the organisation for 24 years.Family
The former Welfare Services minister had six children, 19 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.Her eldest daughter, Mariam, was the Director-General of the National Library of Malaysia
National Library of Malaysia
The Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia is the legal deposit and copyright for Malaysia. It was established in 1956 in Penang, the national capital....
and is now retired. Her second son, Mohamed Shah, has now retired as Chairman of McDonald's Malaysia (division of McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
), and founder of Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. In television commercials, the clown inhabits a fantasy world called McDonaldland, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and...
's Charity Club (RMCC) Malaysia. Her third son, Dato Professor Emeritus Dr Khalid Abdul Kadir was previously the director of Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is now the Head of Clinical School at Monash University Malaysia. Her fourth son Datuk Ali Abdul Kadir is an accomplished accountant who has held such prestigious positions as chairman of Ernst & Young Malaysia, a short stint as chairman of the Securities Commission, and recently retired as Chairman of Dubai Investment Group's Malaysian division. Her fifth son Abdul Karim is in business and adviser to a few public and private companies. Faridah, her youngest daughter is also an adviser to a Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
based investment bank.
Foundation and tribute
The Kadir and Fatimah Foundation recently started conferring the Tun Fatimah Award medal for the best female student active in community work for the first time in September 2007 and will be awarded annually to Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi MaraUniversiti 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...
and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia is the oldest public engineering and technological university in Malaysia. The university specialises in technical studies, with separate faculties for Education, Pure Sciences, Management, and Human Resources Development. It is the country's major source of graduate...
students. The first recipient was Sharifah Fatimah Syed Omar of Kuala Terengganu
Kuala Terengganu
-Transport:The city is connected to other towns via a good network of roads and also some ferries that ply the Terengganu River. The Sultan Mahmud Bridge, a bridge over the Terengganu River, provides a road link to both banks of the river...
.
Death
Tun Fatimah Hashim died from old age on January 9, 2010. Her body was laid to rest at Makam PahlawanMakam Pahlawan
The Makam Pahlawan is the burial ground of several Malaysian leaders and politicians. It is located near the Malaysian national mosque, Masjid Negara in the national capital, Kuala Lumpur...
in the Masjid Negara
Masjid Negara
The National Mosque of Malaysia is located in Kuala Lumpur. It has a capacity of 15,000 people and is situated among of beautiful gardens. The original structure was designed by a three-person team from the Public Works Department - UK architect Howard Ashley, and Malaysians Hisham Albakri and...
compounds beside her husband, Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Yusuf
Abdul Kadir Yusuf
Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Yusuf was a Malaysian politician. He was born in Parit Sakai, Muar, Johor. During his life, he was a member of the United Malays National Organization, the leading party in the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional. A lawyer by profession, Abdul Kadir held the posts of Attorney...
's grave. She was the first woman leader laid to rest there.