Aishah Ghani

Aishah binti Haji Ghani (15 December 1923 – 19 April 2013) was the Minister of Social Welfare Malaysia between 1973 and 1984, and Head of Wanita UMNO women's Malaysia between 1972 until 1984.

Born in Kampung Sungai Serai, Hulu Langat, Selangor, Aishah was a Minangkabau descent from Sijunjung, West Sumatra. She acquired education early in Bukit Raya Malay School, Cheras, Selangor and joined secondary school in Diniyah Putri, Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, from 1936 to 1939. In the year 1940 until 1943, she joined the College of Islamic Universities in Padang, West Sumatra, and then went to London in April 1955 and graduated journalism from Regent Street Polytechnic in London in December 1958.

Aishah's involvement in politics began as soon as the Malay Nationalist Party (PKMM) was founded in 1945, and she became a member of the women's wing and thus led the so-called Angkatan Wanita Sedar (AWAS). At that time, she also worked as a journalist Pelita Malaya, PKMM official tongue. Aisha out of AWAS in 1946 (AWAS then banned by the government in 1948) and joined the rally which demanded independence at the Sultan Sulaiman Club, Kuala Lumpur, in March the same year. She joined Umno New Village in 1949 and was appointed as Secretary.

Aishah on her return from her studies in London in 1959, worked as a journalist again, this time for the Berita Harian, as well as the editor in Group Releases New Straits Times. She put both her office in 1963 when he became a member of the UMNO Supreme Council and Vice-Chairman of Wanita Umno. On 13 September 1962, she appointed a Senator and assented to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. She is the first woman in Malaysia to be senators and Malaysia's first woman representative to the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation (UN). From 1967 to 1972, Aisha Malaysia's representative to the United Nations Conference on the Status of Women Commission. She also served as Secretary of State Wanita Umno Selangor between 1960 and 1972.

In 1972, Aishah was appointed the Chief of UMNO Wanita Malaysia, an organisation which she headed for 12 years until 1984. On 1 March 1973, she was appointed as Minister of Social Welfare after the retirement of Tun Tan Sri Dr. Fatimah and hold this position for 11 years before ending service in 1984. During the former Minister of Social Welfare, she launched the Yayasan Kebajikan Negara (National Welfare Foundation) (YKN), an organisation that is still functioning today. Aishah was Permanent Chairman of UMNO Wanita Malaysia since 1986 until 2013.

After her political career, Aishah became as a chairman of the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation (Kraftangan Malaysia) from 1985 until 1997. She was a member of the Tun Abdul Razak Foundation, and Chairman of the Centre for Protection of Women Darsaadah. Also, she is Chairman of the Koperasi Wanita Jaya Murni Berhad since its inception in 1975. As if this were not enough, Aishah also devoted her time in the field of business, and is the chairman and / or director for at least seven private limited companies.

Aishah died on 19 April 2013 at the age of 90. She was buried at Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur.

Honours of Malaysia

•  Malaysia:

  

•  Selangor:

  

Honours

• 1966 : Johan Mangku Negara (J.M.N.) by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
• 1978 : Standard Dato 'Paduka Mahkota Selangor Second Class (DPMS) which carries the title' Datin Paduka by the Sultan of Selangor
• 1985 : Panglima Mangku Negara (P.M.N.) which carries the title Tan Sri by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
• 1986 : Honorary Doctorate of Law by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
• 1999 : Primary Seri Paduka Mahkota Selangor First Class (SIMS) which carries the title 'Datin Seri' by the Sultan of Selangor
• 2002 : Honorary Doctorate in Political Science by the National University of Malaysia (UKM).

Places named after her

Several places were named after her, including:

• Kolej Tan Sri Aishah Ghani, a residential college at Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Bintong, Perlis