Wan Azizah Wan Ismail facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yang Berhormat Dato' Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail DPPN MP
وان عزيزة وان إسماعيل‎
Wan Azizah in 2019
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
Incumbent
Assumed role 24 November 2022
Prime Minister	Anwar Ibrahim
Preceded by	Muhaini Zainal Abidin
12th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
In office 21 May 2018 – 24 February 2020
Monarch	Muhammad V (2018–2019) Abdullah (2019–2020)
Prime Minister	Mahathir Mohamad
Preceded by	Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Succeeded by	Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Constituency	Pandan
1st President of the Pakatan Harapan
Incumbent
Assumed office 14 July 2017
Deputy	Lim Guan Eng (2017–2022) Anthony Loke Siew Fook (since 2022) Mohamad Sabu Wilfred Madius Tangau (2021–2023) Ewon Benedick (since 2023)
Chairman	Mahathir Mohamad (2017–2020) Anwar Ibrahim (since 2020)
Preceded by	Position established
1st President of the People's Justice Party
In office 4 April 1999 – 17 November 2018
Deputy	Chandra Muzaffar (1999–2001) Syed Husin Ali (2003–2010) Azmin Ali (2010–2018)
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Anwar Ibrahim
11th and 13th Leader of the Opposition
In office 18 May 2015 – 10 May 2018
Monarch	Abdul Halim (2015–2016) Muhammad V (2016–2019)
Prime Minister	Najib Razak
Preceded by	Anwar Ibrahim
Succeeded by	Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Constituency	Permatang Pauh
In office 9 March 2008 – 28 August 2008
Monarch	Mizan Zainal Abidin
Prime Minister	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Preceded by	Lim Kit Siang (DAP)
Succeeded by	Anwar Ibrahim (PKR)
Constituency	Permatang Pauh
Spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
In role 1 December 1993 – 2 September 1998
Prime Minister	Mahathir Mohamad
Deputy	Anwar Ibrahim
Preceded by	Dayang Heryati Abdul Rahim
Succeeded by	Endon Mahmood
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Bandar Tun Razak
Incumbent
Assumed office 19 November 2022
Preceded by	Kamaruddin Jaafar (PN–BERSATU)
Majority	9,817 (2022)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Pandan
In office 9 May 2018 – 19 November 2022
Preceded by	Rafizi Ramli (PR–PKR)
Succeeded by	Rafizi Ramli (PH–PKR)
Majority	52,543 (2018)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Permatang Pauh
In office 7 May 2015 – 9 May 2018
Preceded by	Anwar Ibrahim (PR–PKR)
Succeeded by	Nurul Izzah Anwar (PH–PKR)
Majority	8,841 (2015)
In office 29 November 1999 – 31 July 2008
Preceded by	Anwar Ibrahim (BN–UMNO)
Succeeded by	Anwar Ibrahim (PR–PKR)
Majority	9,077 (1999) 590 (2004) 13,388 (2008)
Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Kajang
In office 7 April 2014 – 9 May 2018
Preceded by	Lee Chin Cheh (PR–PKR)
Succeeded by	Hee Loy Sian (PH–PKR)
Majority	5,379 (2014)
Personal details
Born	Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail (1952-12-03) 3 December 1952 (age 72) KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Colony of Singapore (now Singapore)
Citizenship	Malaysia
Political party	People's Justice Party (PKR) (1999–present)
Other political affiliations	Barisan Alternatif (BA) (1999–2004) Pakatan Rakyat (PR) (2008–2015) Pakatan Harapan (PH) (2015–present)
Spouse	Anwar Ibrahim ​ (m. 1980)​
Relations	Ibrahim Abdul Rahman (Father-in-law)
Children	6, including Nurul Izzah
Residences	Seri Perdana,  Putrajaya (official) SL3, Bandar Sungai Long,  Selangor (private)
Alma mater	Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Ophthalmologist (retired)

Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail (born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian politician. She is currently the wife of Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia. She is also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bandar Tun Razak since November 2022. She has been the first President of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) group since July 2017.

Wan Azizah served as the 12th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. She was also the Minister for Women, Family, and Community Development from May 2018 to February 2020. She was the first President of the People's Justice Party (PKR) from April 1999 to November 2018. She also served as the Leader of the Opposition twice. She was an MP for Pandan and Permatang Pauh. She was also a Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kajang.

Wan Azizah was the first woman to be Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition in Malaysia. This makes her the highest-ranking woman in Malaysian politics ever. She became involved in politics to help keep her husband's political ideas alive when he was unable to be active in politics himself. She was the first President of PKR and led the party until her husband could take over after he was able to return to politics.

Early Life and Education

Wan Azizah was born in 1952 in Singapore. She has a grandfather with Peranakan heritage and grew up as a Malay Muslim.

She went to school at St. Nicholas Convent School in Alor Setar. Then she studied at Tunku Kurshiah College in Seremban. She later studied medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. There, she won a gold medal for her studies in obstetrics (childbirth) and gynaecology (women's health). She became a qualified ophthalmologist, which is an eye doctor.

Wan Azizah worked as a government doctor for 14 years. After that, she decided to focus on volunteer work. This was when her husband, Anwar Ibrahim, became the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia in 1993. She became a supporter of MAKNA, which is the National Cancer Council.

Political Journey

Starting a Political Party

After her husband was no longer in his political role in 1998, Wan Azizah became a leader of the new Reformasi movement. She first led a group called the Social Justice Movement (ADIL). This was a group that worked for civil rights.

Then, she helped to start the Parti Keadilan Nasional on 4 April 1999. Wan Azizah was chosen as the first president of this new party. She was re-elected as president in 2001. This made her the second woman in Malaysia's history to lead a political party.

On 3 August 2003, Wan Azizah helped her party join with another older party, the Parti Rakyat Malaysia. This led to the creation of the People's Justice Party. She was then chosen as the president of this new, bigger party.

Serving as a Member of Parliament

In the first election her party took part in, in 1999, Wan Azizah led them to win five seats in the Parliament. She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh. This was the same seat her husband had held before. She won with a majority of 9,077 votes.

She won the seat again in the 2004 elections, though with a smaller majority. As a party leader and MP, Wan Azizah has spoken at international events. She also works with groups that support democracy in other countries.

2008 General Election and Changes

Wan Azizah won her parliamentary seat in Permatang Pauh again in the 2008 general election. She had a large majority of 13,388 votes. All the parties in the Pakatan Rakyat group supported her to lead the opposition in Parliament.

Later, her husband, Anwar Ibrahim, wanted to return to active politics. Wan Azizah then said she was ready to step down as party president if he was elected. She also said she would defend her seat in Parliament. However, she resigned from her parliamentary seat on 31 July 2008. This allowed her husband to run for the seat, which he won easily in a special election.

Later Elections

In 2014, Wan Azizah was chosen as a candidate for a special election in Kajang. On 23 March 2014, she was elected as a member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Kajang.

In 2015, she ran for the Permatang Pauh seat again in a special election. She won the seat for her party with a majority of 8,841 votes.

In the 2018 general election, the opposition group Pakatan Harapan announced that Mahathir Mohamad would be their candidate for Prime Minister. Wan Azizah was announced as his Deputy. This was part of a plan for Mahathir to be a temporary Prime Minister. The idea was that he would help her husband, Anwar, return to politics, and then Anwar would take over.

Election Results

Awards and Recognition

Honours from Malaysia

Wan Azizah received a special award on 12 July 2008, on the official birthday of the Governor of Penang. She was given the Darjah Panglima Pangkuan Negeri (Order of the Defender of the State). This is a high award in the state and allows her to use the title Dato' Seri.

•  Penang :
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DPPN) – Dato' Seri (2008)

See also

In Spanish: Wan Azizah Wan Ismail para niños

• Reformasi (Malaysia)
• Members of the Malaysian Parliament who represented multiple states