KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who has been appointed Senior Minister (Security Cluster) while retaining his portfolio of Foreign Minister, is a leader known in both the domestic and foreign circles.
Hishammuddin, who had his own legal practice between 1989 and 1993, is known as someone who is calm in the face of crises and wise in his diplomatic engagements with various countries.
He proved his mettle when he handled the search mission for Malaysia Airlines MH370 which went missing while flying to Beijing from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 8, 2014.
The four-term Sembrong Member of Parliament began his political career at the age of 28 soon after graduation by joining the Sungai Mati UMNO branch in Johor in 1989.
He first served in the federal government administration in 1995 as parliamentary secretary to the International Trade and Industry Ministry.
The former vice-president and former Youth chief of UMNO was then appointed Primary Industries Deputy Minister in 1997, Youth and Sports Minister (1999), Education Minister (2004-2009) and Home Minister in 2009.
In 2013, he was appointed Defence Minister and acting Transport Minister and in 2014, he became Minister with Special Duties responsible for maintaining the security of Sabah and the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM).
In 2020, he was appointed Foreign Minister in the Perikatan Nasional government led by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Hishammuddin, who was born on Aug 5, 1961 in Kuala Lumpur, married Tengku Datin Seri Marsilla Tengku Abdullah in 1986 and has four children – Nasha Alyssa, Farris Hussein, Kyra Arianna and Fahd Hussein.
The son of Tun Hussein Onn, Malaysia’s third prime minister, and grandson of UMNO founder Datuk Onn Jaafar was educated at Sekolah St John’s Kuala Lumpur, Kolej Melayu Kuala Kangsar and Cheltenham Boys College in the United Kingdom.
After completing his law studies at the University of Wales and London School of Economics, both in the United Kingdom, he started his career as a lawyer.
