Wednesday 24 Apr 2024
By
main news image

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 2) The first female director general of government departments, Datuk Zakiah Hanum Abdul Hamid, passed away at the Pantai Hospital here early this morning.

Zakiah was the first National Archives Department director general and the first Malaysian woman to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award.

Her daughter Farha Mohd Nor confirmed her death at 12:30am today.

She said Zakiah's remains would be brought to their home in Jalan Turi and later to the Saidina Abu Bakar mosque in Bangsar for funeral prayers.

Farha said she would have turned 82 next month.

Zakiah is married to Datuk Mohd Nor Ismail and the couple have three children - the eldest Mukhlis Mohd Nor is known to have compose the popular song, "Hijau", sung by singer Zainal Abidin.

The former director general also authored many books including "Sembang Mak Alang", Asal-usul negeri negeri di Malaysia, Kuih-muih Utara and others and once led Pertiwi, the female NGO for civil servants.

She is also known as a Malay cultural figure and helped set up many museums, including P Ramlee Memorial House and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's house where the Prime Minister was born in Alor Setar, Kedah.

      Print
      Text Size
      Share