Zaliha binti Mustafa (Jawi: زاليحة بنت مصطفى; born 28 June 1964) is a Malaysian politician and physician who has served as the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Federal Territories since December 2023 and previously served as the Minister of Health from December 2022 to December 2023 in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. She has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sekijang since November 2022. She is a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH and formerly Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalitions. She is also the Chairperson of the Party Elections Committee (JPP) of PKR.[1] She is also the first female Minister of Health in the history of Malaysia and presently the only Cabinet minister serving without a deputy.

Zaliha Mustafa
زاليحة مصطفى
Zaliha in 2023
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
(Federal Territories)
Assumed office
12 December 2023
MonarchsAbdullah
(2023–2024)
Ibrahim Iskandar
(since 2024)
Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim
Preceded byShahidan Kassim
(Minister of Federal Territories)
ConstituencySekijang
Minister of Health
In office
3 December 2022 – 12 December 2023
MonarchAbdullah
Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim
DeputyLukanisman Awang Sauni
Preceded byKhairy Jamaluddin
Succeeded byDzulkefly Ahmad
ConstituencySekijang
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Sekijang
Assumed office
19 November 2022
Preceded byNatrah Ismail
(PHPKR)
Majority1,734 (2022)
Personal details
Born
Zaliha binti Mustafa

(1964-06-28) 28 June 1964 (age 60)
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Political partyPeople's Justice Party (PKR)
Other political
affiliations
Pakatan Rakyat (PR)
(2008–2015)
Pakatan Harapan (PH)
(since 2015)
SpouseAhmad Azlan
Children4
EducationMD (UKM)
Alma materNational University of Malaysia
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionPhysician

Political career

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Minister of Health (2022–2023)

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On 2 December 2022, Zaliha was announced as the new Minister of Health by Prime Minister Anwar to serve in his cabinet. She created history as the first female Minister of Health.[2] Her predecessor Khairy Jamaluddin openly congratulated her on her appointment to the position.[3] The following day on 3 December 2022, she officially took office after being sworn in.[4]

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) (since 2023)

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In a cabinet reshuffle on 12 December 2023, Zaliha was retained as a Cabinet minister but was moved from the Ministry of Health to the Prime Minister's Department and assigned to the Federal Territories portfolio that was returned to the Cabinet.

Election results

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Parliament of Malaysia
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2008 P162 Gelang Patah Zaliha Mustafa (PKR) 24,779 42.42% Tan Ah Eng (MCA) 33,630 57.58% 58,407 8,851 77.19%
2022 P141 Sekijang Zaliha Mustafa (PKR) 18,941 39.27% Md Salleheen Mohamad (UMNO) 17,207 35.67% 48,237 1,734 75.39%
Uzzair Ismail (BERSATU) 11,612 24.07%
Mohd Zohar Ahmad (WARISAN) 339 0.70%
Mohd Saiful Faizal Abdul Halim (PEJUANG) 138 0.29%

References

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  1. ^ "Senarai penuh Kabinet Kerajaan Perpaduan". Berita Harian (in Malay). 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Dr. Zaliha jadi Menteri Kesihatan". Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 2 December 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Khairy congratulates newly-appointed successor, hopes she will uphold excellent public health system". The Star. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Health Minister to oversee public health issues, healthcare services and facilities". The Star. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.