First Woman To Head Federal Department Dies

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Zakiah Hanum was an administrator, historian, culture expert and nationalist. (Bernama pic.)
KUALA LUMPUR: Zakiah Hanum Abdul Hamid, the first woman to head a federal department and recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, died of pneumonia today. She was 81
Her niece, Nasyriah Ariffin, told Bernama that the former director-general of the National Archives of Malaysia died at 12.45am at a private hospital here
She leaves husband Mohamed Nor Ismail, 84, two sons and a daughter
She was laid to rest at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery here at 3pm
Zakiah Hanum, who was from Alor Setar, was an administrator, historian, culture expert and nationalist
She began her career in the civil service in 1961 as assistant keeper of archives at the National Archives before being promoted to head of the Archives Division the same year and deputy director-general in 1970. She was director-general from 1980 to 1995
She was conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1989 for helming the department using the most sophisticated technology in Southeast Asia
The award presented by the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation of the Philippines is internationally recognised as Asia’s Nobel Prize
Zakiah Hanum also set up the Tunku Abdul Rahman Memorial, Tun Razak Memorial and P Ramlee Memorial
Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, in sharing his sorrow over the death of his aunt whom he fondly called Mak Anum, said she had taught him much about the history of Malaysia since he was young
“I was very close to Mak Anum. As the DG of the National Archives, she always reminded me of the importance of memories and to keep letters received because one day they could have immense value,” he said at the funeral. - FMT

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