Rais Yatim
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Rais Yatim is the current Malaysian Minister of Culture, Arts, and Heritage. He is also a Member of Parliament from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the leading party in the ruling coalition of Barisan Nasional.
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[edit] Education and legal career
He is a lawyer by profession. In 1964, he graduated from Language Institute, Kuala Lumpur. In 1968, he taught Bahasa Malaysia to the American Peace Corps in the United States. He obtained his honors degree from National University of Singapore. In 1994, he obtained a PhD from the University of London. His doctoral dissertation was eventually published in 1995 as Freedom Under Executive Power in Malaysia: A Study of Executive Supremacy.[1]
[edit] Political career
Rais Yatim has held various positions in the national cabinet and other state government positions. He had been appointed a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan (1978 - 1982), Minister of Land and Regional Development (1982-1984), Minister of Information (1984-1986) and Foreign Minister (1986-1987). When he was out of favour within the UMNO leadership, he resumed his law career. Rais worked with a firm called Raim, Rais & Partner (1987-1999) before being reappointed as cabinet minister in 1999.
[edit] Personal life
Rais Yatim is married to Datin Masnah and have four children. His hobbies are taking photographs and travelling. He is also a writer on the subjects of law, politics, and Malay society.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Yatim, Rais (1995). Freedom Under Executive Power in Malaysia: A Study of Executive Supremacy, p. xii. Endowment Publications. ISBN 983-99984-0-4.
