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Countries · Southeast Asia

Politics · Business · Athletes · Culture

Malaysia

The founding country collection of Biography Compass: 47 lives connected to independence, federation, enterprise, international sport and culture.

Country archive

Malaysia’s history is read here through individual careers and the institutions, organisations, places and turning points around them. The collection includes Sabah and Sarawak alongside Peninsular Malaysia.

Regional perspectives

Malaysia, place by place

Follow biographies from the states and communities where national history began.

SabahFormation, state leadership and footballSarawakFederation, Indigenous leadership and sport

Across the causeway

Malaysia and Singapore

Continue through the years of merger and separation, regional commerce, film, migration and international sport.

Shared historiesA cross-border collection from 1963 to the presentSingaporeExplore the collection’s second country archive

Across the archipelago

Malaysia and Indonesia

Continue through independence, Konfrontasi, reconciliation, ASEAN, related languages, popular culture and badminton.

Shared historiesA cross-border collection from confrontation to cultural exchangeIndonesiaExplore the collection’s third country archive

All Malaysian biographies

47 lives in the archive

Browse the complete country collection or refine the directory by country, field, name, role, company, sport or achievement.

Portrait of Hussein Onn wearing spectacles and a songkokMalaysia · Politics

1922—1990

Hussein Onn

Third Prime Minister of MalaysiaA soldier, civil servant and lawyer who became Malaysia’s third prime minister and made national unity the defining language of his administration.Read biography
Mahathir Mohamad speaking at Chatham House in 2018Malaysia · Politics

1925—

Mahathir Mohamad

Fourth and seventh Prime Minister of MalaysiaA physician-politician whose two premierships—separated by fifteen years—made him the longest-serving and one of the most consequential leaders in Malaysian history.Read biography
Anwar Ibrahim during a meeting in Kuala Lumpur in 2019Malaysia · Politics

1947—

Anwar Ibrahim

Tenth Prime Minister of MalaysiaA student activist turned government minister, opposition leader and Malaysia’s tenth prime minister after one of the longest routes to national office.Read biography
Lee Chong Wei competing in badmintonMalaysia · Athletes

1982—

Lee Chong Wei

Former professional badminton playerMalaysia’s most decorated Olympian by medal count, a three-time badminton silver medallist and one of the defining men’s singles players of his era.Read biography
Azizulhasni Awang in Malaysia track cycling kitMalaysia · Athletes

1988—

Azizulhasni Awang

Track cyclist and two-time Olympic medallistThe track cyclist who won Olympic bronze and silver, became world keirin champion and delivered Malaysia’s first Olympic medal outside badminton and diving.Read biography
Vincent Tan at a Cardiff City eventMalaysia · Business

1952—

Vincent Tan

Founder and advisor of Berjaya CorporationThe entrepreneur who used acquisitions, franchising and diversification to build Berjaya across consumer, property, hospitality and service businesses.Read biography
Pandelela Rinong with her 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medalMalaysia · Athletes

1993—

Pandelela Rinong

Diver and two-time Olympic medallistThe Sarawak diver whose London bronze and Rio silver made her Malaysia’s first woman Olympic medallist and the country’s first Olympic medallist outside badminton.Read biography
Aaron Chia competing at the 2025 Malaysia OpenMalaysia · Athletes

1997—

Aaron Chia

Badminton player and world championThe men’s doubles player whose rear-court attack helped Malaysia win its first badminton world championship and its first two-medal Olympic doubles career.Read biography
Soh Wooi Yik competing at the 2025 Malaysia OpenMalaysia · Athletes

1998—

Soh Wooi Yik

Badminton player and world championThe quick front-court specialist whose partnership with Aaron Chia produced Malaysia’s first badminton world title and bronze medals at two Olympic Games.Read biography
Malaysia · Politics

1934—

Musa Hitam

Fifth Deputy Prime Minister of MalaysiaA former deputy prime minister whose career moved from UMNO leadership and cabinet government to diplomacy, human-rights work and major corporate boards.Read biography
Portrait of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in 2015Malaysia · Politics

1953—

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional DevelopmentThe UMNO president and Bagan Datuk member of Parliament who returned to the deputy premiership in 2022 after first holding the office from 2015 to 2018.Read biography
Fadillah Yusof delivering a Deepavali address in 2021Malaysia · Politics

1962—

Fadillah Yusof

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water TransformationA Sarawak lawyer and long-serving Petra Jaya member of Parliament who became the first deputy prime minister from East Malaysia in 2022.Read biography
Michelle Yeoh at the 2024 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremonyMalaysia · Culture

1962—

Michelle Yeoh

Actor, producer and UNDP Goodwill AmbassadorThe Ipoh-born actor who moved from Hong Kong action cinema to an Academy Award and a global platform for gender equality and sustainable development.Read biography
P. Ramlee photographed after becoming Radio Malaya Singer Star in 1953Malaysia · Culture

1929—1973

P. Ramlee

Actor, filmmaker, singer and composerThe actor, director, singer and composer whose films and music became a shared cultural vocabulary across Malaysia, Singapore and the wider Malay world.Read biography
Portrait of Jimmy Choo at his London couture studioMalaysia · Culture

1948—

Jimmy Choo

Footwear designer and master shoemakerThe Penang-born shoemaker whose East London atelier became the foundation for an international luxury name while he continued to champion handmade craft.Read biography
Portrait of Malaysian cartoonist Lat in 2010Malaysia · Culture

1951—

Lat

Cartoonist and social commentatorThe cartoonist whose Kampung Boy memoir and newspaper drawings made ordinary Malaysian life legible, funny and recognisable to readers across cultures.Read biography
Mokhtar Dahari training on a football field in the 1970sMalaysia · Athletes

1953—1991

Mokhtar Dahari

Football forward for Malaysia and SelangorThe explosive Malaysia and Selangor forward known as SuperMokh, whose goals, speed and loyalty made him the defining figure of the country’s football golden era.Read biography
Portrait of former Malaysia football captain Soh Chin Aun in 2020Malaysia · Athletes

1950—

Soh Chin Aun

Football defender and Malaysia captainThe commanding centre-back known as Towkay, whose reading of the game, leadership and extraordinary international longevity anchored Malaysia’s golden generation.Read biography
Malaysia · Athletes

1952—

Santokh Singh

Football defender for Malaysia and SelangorThe uncompromising centre-back whose partnership with Soh Chin Aun gave Malaysia’s golden generation its defensive strength and competitive identity.Read biography
Safee Sali at a charity football match in 2024Malaysia · Athletes

1984—

Safee Sali

Football forward and 2010 AFF Championship winnerThe modern-era striker whose five goals drove Malaysia to its first AFF Championship title and opened a prominent club chapter in Indonesia.Read biography
Rafidah Aziz at Malaysia’s fiftieth Merdeka celebrations in 2007Malaysia · Politics

1943—

Rafidah Aziz

Economist and former Minister of International Trade and IndustryThe economist, parliamentarian and trade minister who spent more than two decades representing Malaysia in investment missions and regional trade negotiations.Read biography
Official portrait of Fuad StephensMalaysia · Politics

1920—1976

Fuad Stephens

First Chief Minister of SabahThe journalist and political leader who helped negotiate Sabah’s place in Malaysia, became the state’s first chief minister and later returned to the office in 1976.Read biography
Malaysia · Politics

1914—2000

Ong Kee Hui

Founding president of the Sarawak United Peoples’ PartyThe agriculturalist and politician who co-founded SUPP, led Sarawak’s first political party and later served in Malaysia’s federal cabinet.Read biography
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