Abdul Rahman bin Arshad (27 November 1936 – 16 August 2020) was a Malaysian academic, educator and diplomat. He served as the

Pro-Chancellor A pro-chancellor is an officer of some universities in Commonwealth countries. The pro-chancellor acts as a deputy to the chancellor and as practical chairman of the university council. In this role, a pro-chancellor may fulfil a number of for ...

of the

Universiti Teknologi MARA The MARA Technological University ( Malay: ''Universiti Teknologi MARA''; Jawi: اونيۏرسيتي تيكنولوڬي مارا; abbr. UiTM) is a public university in Malaysia, based primarily in Shah Alam, Selangor. It was established to ...

(UiTM) and has been widely known as the national education icon.

Early life

Abdul Rahman was born in Kampung Air Limau,

Masjid Tanah Masjid Tanah (Jawi: مسجد تانه) is a town and parliamentary constituency in northwestern Malacca, Malaysia, bordering Negeri Sembilan across the Linggi River. History According to local oral folklore, Masjid Tanah was first settled ...

Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...

and received his early education in his home state and later pursued his studies at the

University of Malaya The Universiti Malaya (lit 'University of Malaya'; abbreviated UM) is a public university, public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest Malaysian institution of higher education, and was the only university in ...

(UM). He then went on to study at the

University of Singapore The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. It was officially established in 1980 by the merging of the University of Singapore and Nanyang University. The university offers degree program ...

, the

University of Reading The University of Reading is a public research university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as the University Extension College, Reading, an extension college of Christchurch College, Oxford, and became University College, ...

, the New Zealand College of Administrative Staff,

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...

and completed his

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

at the

University of East London University of East London (UEL) is a public university located in the London Borough of Newham, London, England, based at three campuses in Stratford, London, Stratford and London Docklands, Docklands, following the opening of University Squar ...

Career

Arshad's academic career began as a teacher at the

Malay College Kuala Kangsar The Malay College Kuala Kangsar (abbreviated MCKK; ; ) is a residential school in Malaysia. It is an all-boys and all- Malay school in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar, Perak. It is sometimes dubbed "the Eton College of the East". The Malay Col ...

, and then he was appointed the Deputy Director of Education in

Penang Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...

Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...

and

Kelantan Kelantan (; Kelantan-Pattani Malay, Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate''; ) is a state in Malaysia. The capital, Kota Bharu, includes the royal seat of Kubang Kerian. The honorific, honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' ("The Blissful Abode"). ...

. He went on to hold his last position as Director General of Education before officially retiring in 1991. After his retirement, he was appointed to multiple positions including Education Consultant at

Bank Negara Malaysia The Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM; ; Jawi: ) is the Malaysian central bank. Established on 26 January 1959 as the Central Bank of Malaya (''Bank Negara Tanah Melayu''), its main purpose is to issue currency, act as the banker and advisor to the ...

. He has also served as a diplomat in

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

, the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

and

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

. He was appointed the Pro-Chancellor of UiTM on 15 December 2002 along with other five fellows. From 2014 to 2016, he was appointed by

Muhyiddin Yassin Mahiaddin bin Md Yasin (born 15 May 1947), commonly known as Muhyiddin bin Mohd Yassin (; ), is a Malaysian politician who served as the eighth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2020 to 2021. Appointed as prime minister amid a 2020–2022 Malay ...

when the latter held the position of

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a Minister (government), government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to th ...

to be the Chairman of the National Education Advisory Council (MPPK).

Death

Arshad died on 16 August 2020 at the age of 83 at his residence in Taman Ampang Utama,

Ampang District Ampang District was a district in Malaysia that was split into sections, with Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and the state of Selangor each taking a part. Administration Initially under Selangor jurisdiction, the district was split following ...

Selangor Selangor ( ; ), also known by the Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the e ...

due to

old age Old age is the range of ages for people nearing and surpassing life expectancy. People who are of old age are also referred to as: old people, elderly, elders, senior citizens, seniors or older adults. Old age is not a definite biological sta ...

, exactly three months prior to what would have been his 84th birthday. His remains were laid to rest in his hometown in

. He is survived by his widow, Puan Sri Noor Hayati Mohamed and three children.

Honours

* : **

Companion of the

Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia The Most Esteemed Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia () is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country and awarded by the sovereign. The order was instituted on 15 April 1966 and gazetted on 30 June 1966 ...

(JSM) (1973) ** Companion of the

Order of the Defender of the Realm The Most Esteemed Order of the Defender of the Realm () is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country. The Order Motto are 'Dipeliharakan Allah-Pangkuan Negara' (By the Grace of God-Defender of the Realm). The o ...

(JMN) (1981) ** Order_of_Loyalty_to_the_Crown_of_Malaysia_-_PSM

Commander of the

(PSM) – Tan Sri (1988) * : ** MY-MAL_Exalted_Order_of_Malacca

Knight Commander of the

Exalted Order of Malacca The Exalted Order of Malacca () is the third-highest state order of Malacca which is conferred by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca. The order was constituted in 1978 by Yang di-Pertua Negeri Syed Zahiruddin along with the Premier and Exalted ...

(DCSM) – Datuk Wira (1986) * : ** MY-PAH_Order_of_Sultan_Ahmad_Shah_of_Pahang_-_Knight_Companion_-_DSAP

Knight Companion of the

Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang The Most Illustrious Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang ( Malay: ''Darjah Kebesaran Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang Yang Amat Di Mulia'') is a knighthood order of the Sultanate of Pahang. History The order was founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah on 24 O ...

(DSAP) – Dato' (1986) * : ** MY-SAB_Order_of_Kinabalu_-_SPDK

Grand Commander of the

Order of Kinabalu The Illustrious Order of Kinabalu (Malay: ''Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Kinabalu'') is the only order conferred by the Governor of Sabah, Malaysia. Background The Illustrious Order of Kinabalu is established by virtue of Section 3(a) of State Honou ...

(SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (1990) * : ** MY-PEN_Order_of_the_Defender_of_State_-_Companion_-_DMPN

Companion of the

Order of the Defender of State The Order of the Defender of State () is the sole order of chivalry of the state of Penang which was constituted in 1967 by then Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dato' Seri Utama Raja Uda Raja Muhammad to recognize eminent contributions of individuals t ...

(DMPN) – Dato' (1992) * : ** MY-SEL_Order_of_the_Crown_of_Selangor_-_Knight_Grand_Commander_-_SPMS

Knight Grand Commander of the

Order of the Crown of Selangor The Most Illustrious Order of the Crown of Selangor (Bahasa Melayu: ''Darjah Kebesaran Mahkota Selangor Yang Amat Mulia'') is an order awarded by Sultan of Selangor as a reward for general services to the sultan and state of Selangor. It was foun ...

(SPMS) – Dato' Seri (2010)

References

External links

Official profile
at www.schoolmalaysia.com {{Authority control 1936 births 2020 deaths Malaysian people of Malay descent Malaysian Muslims Academic staff of Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysian diplomats People from Malacca University of Malaya alumni University of Singapore alumni Harvard Business School alumni Alumni of the University of Reading Malaysian expatriates in the United States Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia Companions of the Order of the Defender of the Realm Companions of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor Grand Commanders of the Order of Kinabalu