First woman Education Minister officially begins her duties

Focus

By FARAH SHAZWANI ALI

05 Dec 2022 11:41am

Yusran Shah (second from the left) introducing senior officials of the Education Ministry to Fadhlina (left).

Fadhlina scanning the time recorder card while being watched by Yusran Shah (second from the left) and Pkharuddin (left).

PUTRAJAYA - Newly appointed Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek began her official duties on Monday.

She arrived at 8.55am and was welcomed by Secretary-General Datuk Yusran Shah Mohd Yusof and Director-General Datuk Pkharuddin Ghazali.

Fadhlina donned a blue baju kurung and a pink hijab and thanked the media for covering her first day at the Education Ministry.

She then scanned the time recorder card at 9am before attending a briefing by ministry officials.

The Nibong Tebal MP is among the five women who were appointed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's unity government. The other women cabinet ministers are Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri, Law and Institutional Reform Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman,Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, and Health Minister. Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

Fadhlina's appointment as the Education minister marks the first for the Ministry as she is the the first woman to hold the position.

In the past several former prime ministers had served as the education minister including Tun Abdul Razak Datuk Hussein (1955-1957), Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad (1974-1978), Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (1984-1986), Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (1986-1991), Datuk Seri Najib Razak (1995-1999) and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (2009-2015).

The education portfolio has always been one of the main focus during new Cabinet appointments, as education plays an important role in shaping the future and development of the nation.

Fadhlina, 45 is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Wanita Chief and a former senator 2021 to November 2022.

She holds a Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIA) Bachelor of Laws and Sharia degree as well as a Masters of Laws from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

She served as a Sharia lawyer and owns a law firm Fadhlina Siddiq & Associates, she is also known as one of the most vocal individuals who continues to fight for women and childrens issues including issues pertaining to anti-sexual harassment laws and raising the marriage age limit for Muslim women from age 16 to age 18.