Zuraida Kamaruddin

Datuk Zuraida binti Kamaruddin (Jawi: زوريدا بنت قمرالدين; born 14 March 1958) is a Malaysian politician who has twice served as the Minister of Housing and Local Government in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin since March 2020 and served in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from May 2018 to PH's implosion due to the Sheraton Move in February 2020 for only 1 year, 9 months or, 21 months. She has also been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ampang since March 2008. She has been a member of Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), a component party of the ruling PN since February 2020 after her resignation from her previous political party, People's Justice Party (PKR) with her key political ally, then-Deputy President of the PKR and the then-Minister of Economic Affairs Mohamed Azmin Ali and several MPs aligned with Azmin in the same month.

Yang Berhormat Datuk Hajah Zuraida Kamaruddin PMW MP
زوريدا بنت قمرالدين
Minister of Housing and Local Government
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 March 2020
Monarch	Abdullah
Prime Minister	Muhyiddin Yassin
Deputy	Ismail Muttalib
Preceded by	Herself
Constituency	Ampang
In office 21 May 2018 – 24 February 2020
Monarch	Muhammad V Abdullah
Prime Minister	Mahathir Mohamad
Deputy	Raja Kamarul Bahrin
Preceded by	Noh Omar as Minister of Housing, Local Government and Urban Wellbeing
Succeeded by	Herself
Constituency	Ampang
Women's Chief of the People's Justice Party
In office 27 May 2007 – 18 November 2018
President	Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Deputy	Haniza Talha (2007–2010), (2014–2018) Daroyah Alwi (2010–2014)
Preceded by	Fuziah Salleh
Succeeded by	Haniza Talha
Constituency	Ampang
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Ampang
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 March 2008
Preceded by	Rozaidah Talib (UMNO–BN)
Majority	41,956 (2018) 13,278 (2013) 3,676 (2008)
Personal details
Born	Zuraida binti Kamaruddin 14 March 1958 Colony of Singapore
Nationality	Malaysian
Political party	People's Justice Party (PKR) (until 2020) Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) (since 2020)
Other political affiliations	Pakatan Rakyat (PR) (2008-2015) Pakatan Harapan (PH) (2015-2020) Perikatan Nasional (PN) (since 2020) Muafakat Nasional (MN) (since 2020)
Spouse(s)	Faridi Yaakob
Occupation	Politician

Zuraida was elected to Parliament in the 2008 Malaysian general election, gaining the seat of Ampang from the then-ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.[1] She was reelected in the 2013 and in the 2018 Malaysian general election.[2]

Non-political career

She started working in the private sector in 1980 at Frank Small & Associates, Australia. She held the position of Qualitative Study Manager before progressing to Chuo Senko Advertising (Japan) as Marketing Research and Account Planning Manager. In addition, she has worked with American International Assurance (AIA), Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, AVON (M) Berhad and Flaireborne (M) Sdn Bhd.

In 1998, she became a training and motivational consultant to advise organizations such as Petronas, Municipal Council, Oriflame, Nutrimetics, Shinetsu, Texas and marketing, advertising and merchandise research companies.

Other posts include being a member of the Board of Directors of Maahad Tahfiz Az-Zahra, Adviser of ALQAS Education & Charity Home, GEMMA Humanitarian Relief Advisor and Malaysian Student Association in Yemen. She is also a founder and chairwoman of WIRDA having members locally and overseas. WIRDA is a Community Service Center that handles counseling and protection to the needy groups including single mothers, travelers, converts and teens.

Political career

Zuraida won her Ampang seat in the 2008 general election representing PKR, defeating her predecessor Rozaidah Talib with a majority of 3,676 votes. She successfully defended the seat in both the 2013 and 2018 general elections with increased majorities.

She also served as the Women's Chief for PKR before being succeeded by Haniza Talha. She was elected to become vice-president of PKR and concurrently served as Women's Chief for Pakatan Harapan until 24 February 2020 (see Expulsion from PKR)

She is also the Chairwoman of the Selangor Women's Institute of IWB (IWB). The IWB is a Selangor State Government think tank acting as a policy framework to ensure women's development will take priority in the state.

Expulsion from PKR

On 24 February, PKR general-secretary Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced in a press conference that Minister of Economic Affairs Azmin Ali who also served as Deputy President, and Zuraida had been expelled from the party for their actions on 23 October 2019 which went against the party's stance regarding the position of the Prime Minister.[3] In reaction to Azmin and Zuraida's expulsion, eight[note 1] MPs from PKR aligned towards Azmin subsequently left the party to form an "independent bloc".[4] On 28 February 2020, Zuraida along with the rest of the "independent bloc" joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU), a component party of Pakatan Harapan until pulling out of the coalition on 24 February.[5]

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia: P99 Ampang, Selangor[1][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Year	Government		Votes	Pct	Opposition		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
2008		Zuraida Kamaruddin (PKR)	26,995	53.50%		Azman Wahid (UMNO)	23,319	46.21%	51,097	3,676	73.91%
2013		Zuraida Kamaruddin (PKR)	41,969	59.25%		Rozaidah Talib (UMNO)	28,691	40.50%	71,575	13,278	86.09%
2018		Zuraida Kamaruddin (PKR)	54,307	70.94%		Leong Kim Soon (MCA)	12,351	16.13%	76,550	41,956	84.50%
						Nurul Islam Yusoff (PAS)	9,598	12.54%
						Tan Hua Meng (PRM)	294	0.38%

Honour

•  Federal Territory (Malaysia) :
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown (PMW) – Datuk (2021)[13][14]

See also

• Ampang (federal constituency)

Notes

1. Media reports state that nine MPs left the party. However, Ranau MP Jonathan Yasin denied that he had left and is still a PKR member.

References

1. "Malaysia Decides 2008". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
2. "Zuraida kekal Parlimen Ampang untuk PAKATAN". Selangor Kini. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
3. "Azmin, Zuraida sacked from PKR". New Straits Times. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
4. "Azmin, 10 PKR MPs aligned to him leave PKR, to form independent bloc". The Star. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
5. "Azmin and gang are now Bersatu members, claims Muhiyiddin's aide". The Star. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
6. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
7. "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.
8. "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 13". Sistem Pengurusan Maklumat Pilihan Raya Umum (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
9. "my undi : Kawasan & Calon-Calon PRU13 : Keputusan PRU13 (Archived copy)". www.myundi.com.my. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
10. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13". Utusan Malaysia. Archived from the original on 21 March 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
11. "SEMAKAN KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE - 14" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 17 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
12. "The Star Online GE14". The Star. Retrieved 24 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
13. Ibrahim, Mohd Iskandar; Sulaiman, Noor Atiqah (1 February 2021). "Seramai 335 terima darjah kebesaran sempena Hari Wilayah". Berita Harian (in Malay). Retrieved 1 February 2021.
14. Hadir, Shawaliah (1 February 2021). "Tengku Zafrul antara 6 penerima Darjah Kebesaran Pangkat Pertama sempena Hari WP". MalaysiaGazette (in Malay). Retrieved 1 February 2021.