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Ramli Ngah Talib

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Ngah Talib is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Ramli. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Ramli bin Ngah Talib (Jawi: رملي بن ڠه طالب; born 16 March 1941) is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as the 9th Governor of Penang since 1 May 2025.[1][2] He served as the 8th Menteri Besar of Perak from March 1982 until December 1999 and Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat from November 2004 until February 2008.[3] He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation, a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

Early life and education

Born in Pasir Salak, Perak, Malaysia, Ramli Ngah Talib was raised in a rural village environment. His ancestors, including his great-grandfather Tok Anjang Pelita and great-great-grandfather Dato' Sagor, were among several individuals involved in the 1875 incident that resulted in the death of J. W. W. Birch, the first British Resident of Perak.

Ramli was admitted to the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) based on his academic qualifications. He later pursued legal studies at Queen's University Belfast, where he earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), followed by a Barrister-at-Law qualification from Lincoln's Inn, London. During the 1960s in the United Kingdom, he was active in student organisations, serving as political secretary and magazine editor for the Kesatuan Melayu United Kingdom (United Kingdom Malay Students Association) based in London.

Law career

Upon returning to Malaysia, Ramli served as a law lecturer at Institut Teknologi MARA (now Universiti Teknologi MARA) and as a part-time lecturer at the University of Malaya in the early 1970s. In 1971, he became the first in-house legal advisor for Lembaga Letrik Negara (now Tenaga Nasional Berhad) and was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya. He began practising law at Kadir, Tan & Ramli, a firm he co-founded in 1977. During this period, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Utusan Melayu and also served on the Board of Directors of Lembaga Letrik Negara (now Tenaga Nasional Berhad).

Political career

Ramli held several political and public service positions throughout his career. He served as the Chairman of the Perak UMNO Liaison Committee from 1984 to 2000 and was a member of the UMNO Supreme Council between 1980 and 2006. In 2014, he was appointed Pro-Chancellor of the University of Malaya. He is also a permanent member of the Dewan Negara Perak (Privy Council Perak) and holds the hereditary title Orang Kaya-Kaya Seri Agar Diraja (Dato' Sagor), which originates from his ancestor, Dato' Sagor.

Ramli was first elected to the Perak State Assembly for Kampung Gajah in 1978. He later joined the Perak State Executive Council and, during his second term, was appointed as the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Perak. He held this position for over 17 years, making him the longest-serving Menteri Besar in the state’s history. In 1999, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (Malaysia) for the Pasir Salak (federal constituency) constituency. During his first term in Parliament, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Transport (Malaysia) and later served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. In 2004, he was elected Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat.

During his tenure as Menteri Besar, several development initiatives were launched. The Pasir Salak Historical Complex was constructed in the early 1990s, comprising 42 wooden dioramas depicting events in Malaysian history. He supported the establishment of higher education institutions in Perak, including efforts to bring Institut Teknologi MARA (now Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM) to the state. This included providing rent-free shop lots initially and later allocating land for a permanent campus in Seri Iskandar. Other projects during his tenure included the development of Proton City in Tanjung Malim, Lumut Port, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), and the establishment of Universiti Sains Malaysia facilities (later taken over by PETRONAS University of Technology). His administration also supported rural and industrial development initiatives.

In 1986, a panel of Aceh’s customary chiefs awarded him the title Dato' Seri Maharaja Lela Mangkubumi in recognition of efforts to foster relations between Aceh and Perak. In 1996, the University of Sheffield conferred upon him an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree for facilitating cooperation between the university and the Perak Medical College in Ipoh.

Other activities

Ramli obtained licenses to fly both types of aircraft in 2002. He is the President of the Perak Aero Club and has held the position of President of the Malaysia Chess Federation since 2007. He was also President of the Perak Football Association, during which the association won its first Malaysia Cup. In 2007, while serving as Speaker of the Parliament of Malaysia, he took time off to climb Gunung Tahan, the highest mountain in Peninsular Malaysia. Additionally, he has engaged in mountain trekking in Norway, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia, and Oman.

In his literary pursuits, Ramli wrote a book entitled "Pasir Salak: Sehamparan Sejarah Perjuangan" during his time as Menteri Besar of Perak. The book focuses on the Malay rebellion against British rule in Perak in 1875. He also produced various pamphlets and booklets promoting tourism in Pasir Salak and the wider Perak region. In 2010, he published "Meniti Zaman" (Going Through Eras), a reflection on rural life in Malaysia during and after the Japanese occupation of Malaya. His book "Mr. Speaker, Sir; From Kampung Boy to the Helm of Parliament" was released in 2012, providing an account of his experiences and observations in the Malaysian Parliament. His most recent publication, "The Malays, Pathfinders and Trailblazers", is a 530-page work that details the historical achievements of the Malays and took four years to complete. He has also contributed articles to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association magazine.

Personal life

Ramli is married to Toh Puan Raja Dato’ Datin Seri Noora Ashikin binti Raja Abdullah and they have four children.

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia[4]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1999 P070 Pasir Salak Ramli Ngah Talib (UMNO) 16,792 58.84% Osman Abdul Rahman (KeADILan) 11,747 41.16% 29,649 5,045 68.58%
2004 P073 Pasir Salak Ramli Ngah Talib (UMNO) 19,422 64.11% Muhaimin Sulam (PAS) 10,875 35.89% 31,310 8,547 72.88%
Perak State Legislative Assembly[4]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1978 N35 Kampong Gajah Ramli Ngah Talib (UMNO)
1982 Ramli Ngah Talib (UMNO)
1986 N38 Kampong Gajah Ramli Ngah Talib (UMNO) 9,538 78.44% Mokhtar Ngah Ibrahim (PAS) 1,950 16.04% 12,159 7,588 66.27%
1990 Ramli Ngah Talib (UMNO) 11,579 82.28% Arifen Esa (S46) 1,792 12.73% 14,073 9,787 70.87%
1995 N43 Kampong Gajah Ramli Ngah Talib (UMNO) 11,718 84.03% Ahmad Mustafa Abdullah (S46) 1,598 11.46% 13,945 10,120 64.62%

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

References

  1. ^ "Ramli Ngah to be next Penang Governor". The Star. 24 April 2025. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Ramli Ngah sworn in as Penang governor on Labour Day". The Star. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  3. ^ Muhammad, Amir (16 September 2007). Malaysian politicians say the darndest things. MATAHARI BOOKS. p. 112. ISBN 978-983-43596-0-7. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  4. ^ a b "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE-12". semak.spr.gov.my. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  5. ^ Times, New Straits (24 April 2025). "[UPDATED] Ex-Perak MB appointed new Penang Governor effective May 1". NST Online. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1989" (PDF).
  7. ^ "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang Dan Pingat" (PDF). Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Ramli Ngah Talib sworn in as the ninth Yang Dipertua Negeri of Penang". Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  9. ^ "SPSA 2000". pingat.perak.gov.my. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  10. ^ "SPCM 1984". pingat.perak.gov.my. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  11. ^ "PCM 1982". pingat.perak.gov.my. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  12. ^ "JP 1986". pingat.perak.gov.my. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
Parliament of Malaysia
Preceded by Member of the Dewan Rakyat
for Pasir Salak
29 November 1999 - 7 March 2008 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Chief Minister of Perak
1 March 1983– 3 December 1999 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Minister of Transport
15 December 1999 - 26 March 2004
From 2001 Serving with Douglas Uggah Embas 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee
24 May 2004 - 21 November 2004
11th Malaysian Parliament 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat
22 November 2004 - 13 February 2008 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang
1 May 2025 - Present 		Succeeded by