Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar |
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Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Kota Tinggi, Johor |
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In office 1990–2013 |
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Preceded by | Musa Hitam |
Succeeded by | Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid |
Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs | |
In office 18 March 2008 – 9 April 2009 |
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Preceded by | Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad |
Succeeded by | Hishammuddin Hussein |
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia | |
In office 1999 – 17 March 2008 |
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Preceded by | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi |
Succeeded by | Rais Yatim |
Personal details | |
Born |
Kampung Melayu Air Hitam, Penang, Malaysia |
15 January 1944
Political party | United Malays National Organisation |
Spouse(s) | Sharifah Aziah Syed Zainal Abidin |
Children | 6 |
Occupation | Politician |
Profession | Lawyer |
Religion | Sunni Islam |
Website | syedhamidalbar44 |
Tan Sri Datuk Seri Syed Hamid bin Syed Jaafar Albar (Arabic: سيد حامد بن سيد جعفر البار Sayyid Ḥāmid bin Sayyid Ja'far al-bār; born 15 January 1944) was a senior Malaysian government minister in the 1990s and 2000s. He was the Minister for Home Affairs (2008–2009), Minister for Foreign Affairs (1999–2008), Minister for Defence (1995–1999) and Minister for Justice (1990–1995). He was a member of the Parliament of Malaysia from 1990 to 2013, representing the seat of Kota Tinggi, Johor, for the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). He is currently the chairman of the Land Public Transport Commission.
Syed Hamid was born in Kampung Melayu Air Hitam, Penang, Malaysia, to Syed Jaafar Albar, an UMNO politician and former cabinet minister. Syed Hamid's father was of Hadhrami Arab descent, and migrated from Indonesia to Malaysia shortly before World War II.
He had his secondary education at Maxwell School before going to Methodist Boys' School (Kuala Lumpur) for his Form Six education. For his tertiary education, he read law in the Inns of Court, London and was called to the Degree of an Utter Barrister by the Honourable Society of Middle Temple in 1970. As a student in London, he set up a club for Malaysian expatriates and students.
He is married with 6 children.
Syed Hamid has been active in UMNO in his student days, including while studying in the United Kingdom. After returning to Malaysia he became a magistrate, and then president of the Sessions Court, before entering the corporate world. In 1986 he won election to UMNO's Supreme Council and entered Parliament in 1990, as the member for Kota Tinggi. He was immediately appointed as Minister for Justice, and in 1995 became the Defence Minister.