Malaysia's first female Education director-general Asiah Abu Samah dies at 89

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Asiah Abu Samah, the country's first female Education director-general, died at KPJ Damansara Hospital at 5am today. She was 89.

Her death was confirmed by her niece, Shafinaz Shamsudin.

Shafinaz said the funeral arrangements, including the bathing and shrouding of the body, were scheduled to take place at 10am at Masjid At-Taqwa in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

The funeral prayers will be held after the Zohor prayers before the deceased is laid to rest.

"The deceased will then be buried at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery," she said when contacted.

Asiah made history when she became the first woman appointed Education director-general on Nov 27, 1991.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Diploma in Education from the University of Malaya, Singapore, in 1961, before beginning her career as a teacher at Penang Free School in Penang.

Throughout her career, she held various key positions, including at the Language Institute in Lembah Pantai, Tunku Kurshiah College in Seremban, and several divisions within the Education Ministry.

She was appointed Deputy Education director-general II before being promoted to Deputy Education director-general I in mid-1990.

She retired from the civil service as Education director-general in 1992.