Tunku Abdul Aziz
تونکو عبدالعزيز‎
Senator from Pulau Pinang
In office
7 July 2009 – 30 May 2012
Vice-Chairman of the Democratic Action Party
In office
24 August 2008 – 14 May 2012
Personal details
Born
Tunku Abdul Aziz bin Tunku Ibrahim

(1934-01-22)22 January 1934
Alor Setar, Kedah, British Malaya
Died7 February 2023(2023-02-07) (aged 89)
NationalityMalaysian
Political partyDAP (2009–2012)

Tunku Abdul Aziz bin Tunku Ibrahim (Jawi: تونکو عبدالعزيز‎; 22 January 1934[1] – 7 February 2023) was a Malaysian corporate figure, activist and politician. He held numerous roles in the worldwide anti-corruption movement, most prominently as vice-chairman of the board of directors of Transparency International.

Biography

Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim was born in Alor Setar, Kedah in 1934. He was a distant member of the Kedah royal family. His father was an officer in the Kedah state police.[2]

Tunku Aziz helped found Transparency International-Malaysia, the local chapter of Transparency International (TI) in 1998.[2] In March that year, he was elected vice-chairman of TI's board of directors, a position he held until October 2002.[3]

Tunku Aziz played a wide role in fighting corruption and promoting good governance in Asia (including corporate governance).[4] He served as a member of the World Bank High Level Advisory Group on Anti-Corruption in the East Asia and Pacific Region, the Asia Pacific Advisory Panel on Good Urban Governance, the Board of the International Institute of Public Ethics and the United Nations Development Programme Advisory Panel for the 2002 Human Development Report.[3]

From February 2006 to January 2007, he served as special advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan in New York.[5] During his tenure, he set up the UN Ethics Office.[3]

Tunku Aziz joined the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in August 2008, citing shared "values and ideals" with the party.[6] He was immediately appointed national vice-chairman of the party.[7] In July 2009, he was appointed a senator in the Dewan Negara, representing the state of Penang. He is the first senator ever from the DAP.[8]

In May 2012, Tunku Aziz spoke out against the Bersih 3.0 rally which was largely supported by Pakatan Rakyat. He said the event encouraged Malaysians to "break the law."[9] He also criticised rally organisers for allowing the opposition coalition to "hijack" its agenda and failing to curb violence among their own protestors.[10] On 9 May, DAP declined to extend Tunku Aziz's senate term ending on 30 May.[9] Less than a week later, he indicated his desire to resign from the party, citing irreconcilable differences.[11][12]

Tunku Aziz died on 7 February 2023, aged 89.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Yusof, Teh Athira (7 February 2023). "Tunku Abdul Aziz remembered as a jovial intellectual". New Straits Times.
  2. 1 2 Koh, Lay Chin (1 July 2010). "Hindus first, before becoming Muslim". The Nut Graph. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "Biodata of Tunku Abdul Aziz". Democratic Action Party. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  4. ↑ Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim: "Prospects for Serious Reform of Corporate Governance in Asia", in: Frank-Jürgen Richter and Pamela Mar: Recreating Asia, New York: John Wiley, 2002.
  5. ↑ "Secretary General Appoints Tunku Abdul Aziz of Malaysia as Special Adviser on Establishment of Ethics Office". United Nations. 11 February 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  6. ↑ Leonard, Tim (24 August 2008). "Tunku Abdul Aziz: Why I joined DAP". The Sun (Malaysia). Malaysian Bar. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  7. ↑ "Tunku Abdul Aziz joins DAP". The Star (Malaysia). 24 August 2008. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  8. ↑ "Tunku Aziz appointed as first DAP senator". The Star (Malaysia). 7 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 July 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  9. 1 2 Sta Maria, Stephanie; Lee, Patrick (9 May 2012). "Tunku Aziz to be dropped as senator". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  10. ↑ "Bersih organisers not completely blameless, says Tunku Abdul Aziz". The Star. 5 May 2012. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  11. ↑ "Tunku Aziz resigns from DAP". The Malaysian Insider. 14 May 2012. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "DAP asks Tunku Aziz to rethink quit move". The Malaysian Insider. 15 May 2012. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Former senator Tunku Abdul Aziz dies at 89". Malay Mail. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
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