Halimahton Abdul Majid

Che Halimahton binti Abdul Majid (1920–1980s) was a Malaysian politician. She was the first woman elected to the Federal Legislative Council, serving from 1955 to 1959.

Halimahton Abdul Majid
Member of the Federal Legislative Council
In office
1955–1959
Succeeded byOng Yoke Lin
ConstituencyUlu Selangor
Personal details
Born1920
Kampung Baru, Selangor
Died1980s

Biography

Halimahton was born in the Kampung Baru area of Kuala Lumpur in 1920.[1] She was educated at the Methodist Girls' School and later studied domestic science in Cambridge.[1] She married Mohamad Baba, while her sister Ton Puan married Ghazali Shafie, who later served as a minister.[2] A keen sportswoman, she played hockey and badminton.[3][4]

Entering political activism, Halimahton organised a women's protest against the proposed Malayan Union during a visit by British officials in 1946.[5] The following year she joined the committee of the new Malay Girl's School in Kuala Lumpur.[6] She became head of the Negri Sembilan branch of the United Malays National Organisation (UNMO) in 1949.[7]

In the 1955 general elections, Halimahton was nominated as the UNMO candidate for Ulu Selangor. The only female candidate in the election,[8] she defeated her Parti Negara opponent to become the first woman MP.[9] She did not contest the seat in the 1959 elections.

Having formerly been chairman of Keretapi Tanah Melayu, her husband was appointed High Commissioners Malaysia to Pakistan in 1962, with the couple relocating to Karachi.[10] In 1966 he was appointed to the same role in Australia.[11]

She died in the 1980s.[12]

References
  1. John Victor Morais (1973) Who's who Malaysia & Guide to Singapore, p102
  2. Secret of success of an envoy's wife The Straits Times, 19 August 1963
  3. Onn Defends Malay Women The Straits Times, 28 January 1949
  4. Malay women make history The Straits Times, 27 April 1949
  5. Independance [sic] & Inter-Dependence ICYM
  6. Girl's college to open in K.L. The Straits Times, 3 August 1947
  7. Mothers of substance The Star, 20 August 2007
  8. A spirit princess in polls campaign The Straits Times, 20 July 1955
  9. Assorted measures needed to empower women Penang Monthly, February 2015
  10. New envoy is off... The Straits Times, 27 September 1962
  11. Ex-Karachi envoy for Canberra The Straits Times, 20 May 1966
  12. They dared take up public office The Star, 20 August 2007
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