Professor Dr Hamdani Saidi
May 27, 2022Elected as Honorary Fellow in 2009
Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid was born in Tapah, Perak on 16 September 1938. He obtained education at Government English School in Tapah and studied up to Master’s degree at Harvard University, the USA, in Public Administration.
His first career began in public administration by joining the Malayan Administrative Service as the Deputy Assistant District Officer of Klang, Selangor, on 10 January 1961. He served as a Rembau District Officer in 1963. In 1964, he was appointed as Port Dickson District Officer, which he served until 1967.
In 1968, Ahmad Sarji was appointed as Assistant Director (Service) of the Public Service Department before being appointed Secretary (Cabinet Division) of the Prime Minister’s Department in 1972. After that, Ahmad Sarji was appointed to lead several government agencies, including the Director-General of the Farmers Organisation Authority (1973-1979) and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) in 1981 and then Deputy Director-General of the Public Service Department (JPA) in 1981 to 1985.
Ahmad Sarji was later appointed Secretary-General of the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 1985 until 31 January 1990. His career in the civil service was at its peak when he was appointed Chief Secretary to the Government from 1 February 1990 until his retirement in 1993. His service as the Chief Secretary to the Government was extended on a contract basis until 15 September 1996.
Tun Ahmad Sarji held several important positions in leading Government-linked companies. Among them were Petronas Board Member (1985-1990), Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) Board Member (1985), Chairman of the Malaysian Institute of Standards and Industrial Research (SIRIM) (1992), and Chairman of Sime Darby Bhd (1998). He also served as the first chairman of the Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (IKIM) in 1992, Pro-Chancellor at Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNITAR) in 2003 and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in 2006, as well as Chancellor of Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK) in 2012. He also contributed as the first Chairman of the Mahathir Science Award Foundation (2010-2013). In 2012, headed the Malaysian Contingent to the Olympic Games in London.
He received various awards, including Tokoh Maal Hijrah 1420 Hijrah, Sports Leadership Award by the National Sports Awards, Tun Sri Lanang National Book Figure Premier Award, 2012 Gold Medal of Honor by the Royal Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur, Queen Victoria Memorial Medal by the European Business Assembly. He was also named as a Sports Icon for National Sports Award 2015. He was awarded the Seri Setia Mahkota Malaysia (SSN), which carries the title of Tun, in June 2008.
Tun Ahmad Sarji passed away at the age of 82, but his legacy as the most respected and revered public service figure remains in the country.