Abdul Hamid Pawanteh

Malaysian politician (1944–2022)

عبدالحميد ڤاونتيه‎14th President of the Dewan NegaraIn office
7 July 2003 – 6 July 2009MonarchsSyed Sirajuddin
(2003–2006)
Mizan Zainal Abidin
(2006–2009)DeputyGapar Gurrohu
(2003)
Wong Foon Meng
(2004–2009)Preceded byMichael Chen Wing SumSucceeded byWong Foon Meng6th Menteri Besar of PerlisIn office
14 August 1986 – 5 May 1995MonarchSyed PutraPreceded byAli Ahmad
(BN–UMNO)Succeeded byShahidan Kassim
(BN–UMNO)Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for KangarIn office
29 November 1999 – 7 July 2003Preceded byMd Isa Sabu
(BN–UMNO)Succeeded byMohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad
(BN–UMNO)Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for ArauIn office
1982–1986Preceded bySyed Hassan Syed Mohamed
(BN–UMNO)Succeeded byShahidan Kassim
(BN–UMNO) Personal detailsBorn

Abdul Hamid bin Pawanteh

(1944-07-27)27 July 1944
Penang, Japanese-occupied MalayaDied1 December 2022(2022-12-01) (aged 78)
Arau, Perlis, MalaysiaCitizenshipMalaysianPolitical partyUnited Malay National Organisation (UMNO) (–2022)Other political
affiliationsBarisan Nasional (BN) (–2022)Spouse(s)Elham Hamid Abdullah
(née Elsie Sarstedt McCarthy)
(died 2024)Children5Alma mater Dow Medical CollegeOccupationPoliticianProfessionPhysician

Abdul Hamid bin Pawanteh (27 July 1944 – 1 December 2022) was a Malaysian politician.^[1] He was the President of the Dewan Negara from 2003 to 2009,^[2] Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat from 1984 to 1986,^[3] and was the Menteri Besar of Perlis from 1986 to 1995.^[4] He held these offices as a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the leading party in Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition during those periods.

Abdul Hamid was born on 27 July 1944 in Penang^[1] and received secondary education at Penang Free School. He received his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) degree in 1973 from Dow Medical College. He was elected to the Malaysian House of Representatives in the 1982 election for the seat of Arau in Perlis. In 1986, he moved to the Perlis State Assembly and became the State's Menteri Besar.^[1] In 1995, he was replaced as Menteri Besar by fellow UMNO member Shahidan Kassim,^[5] and returned to the House of Representatives in 1999 for the seat of Kangar in Perlis.^[1] In July 2003, Abdul Hamid stepped down as the Member of Parliament for Kangar to be appointed as the President of the Senate,^[6] where he served until 2009.^[1]

Abdul Hamid died in Arau on 1 December 2022, at the age of 78.^[7]

Election results

**Parliament of Malaysia**^[8]
Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballot cast	Majority	Turnout
1982	P002 Arau		Abdul Hamid Pawanteh (UMNO)	17,464	63.60%		Mahamood Mohamad Noor (PAS)	9,994	36.40%	28,462	7,470	76.85%
1999	P002 Kangar		Abdul Hamid Pawanteh (UMNO)	16,529	56.98%		Zainul Abidin Yahaya (PAS)	12,480	43.02%	29,564	4,049	79.42%

**Perlis State Legislative Assembly**^[8]
Year	Constituency		Votes	Pct		Votes	Pct	Ballot cast	Majority	Turnout
1986	N11 Kota Raja	Abdul Hamid Pawanteh (UMNO)	3,176	68.71%	Bahari Ali (PAS)	1,195	25.85%	4,823	1,981	71.05%
1986		Abdul Hamid Pawanteh (UMNO)	3,176	68.71%	Chong Teik Tee (IND)	251	5.43%	4,823	1,981	71.05%
1990		Abdul Hamid Pawanteh (UMNO)	3,794	67.16%	Syed Darus Syed Hashim (S46)	1,855	32.84%	5,853	1,939	75.79%

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

Malaysia :
- Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (1994)^[9]
Perlis :
- Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Perlis (SPMP) – Dato' Seri (1994)^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Abdul Hamid Pawanteh Reappointed Dewan Negara President". Bernama. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
^ "President". Parliament of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
^ "Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives". Parlimen Malaysia. Archived from the original on 15 November 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
^ "Mantan Menteri Besar". Government of Perlis. Archived from the original on 3 March 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
^ Tan, Joceline (6 January 2008). "Too many Umno 'tigers' on a hillock". The Star (Malaysia). Star Publications (Malaysia). Retrieved 2 March 2010.
^ "Be fair, impartial and responsible, says new Senate President". Bernama. 7 July 2003.
^ "Former Perlis MB Abdul Hamid Pawanteh dies aged 78". Malay Mail. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri". Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2010. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
^ ^a ^b "SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT". Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2020.