Azizan Abdul Razak
A steadfast Islamic politician who broke a half-century of single-party rule to lead the state of Kedah.
1944–2013 (age 69)·Malaysian politician·Birthday: October 25·The Silent Generation
Biography
Azizan Abdul Razak became the first person from outside UMNO to lead Kedah as Menteri Besar since Malaysian independence. A lifelong member of PAS, he spent decades building trust in his rural constituency of Sungai Limau. His moment arrived in the 2008 political tsunami, when he was thrust into the state's top office. From 2008 until his death in 2013, he navigated coalition politics while adhering to his party's principles. Azizan was a practical administrator, not a fiery orator. His deep local roots and religious sincerity commanded respect across the political divide, making him a pivotal figure in Kedah's history.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Azizan was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Azizan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Azizan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Died at 69
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Served as the 10th Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Kedah from 2008 to 2013.
- Broke the United Malays National Organisation's (UMNO) 52-year hold on the Kedah state government.
- Held the Sungai Limau state assembly seat continuously from 2004 until his passing.
Did You Know?
He served as the PAS state commissioner for Kedah, making him the party's top official in the state.
Azizan passed away while still in office as the sitting Menteri Besar of Kedah.
He was a member of the PAS central committee, involved in national-level party decision-making.
“The trust of Sungai Limau is the foundation of my service.”
