Career
Born in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Rafidah was Minister of International Trade and Industry from 1987 to 2008. As minister, she was the chairman of MATRADE beginning in 1991. She was also the head of United Malays National Organisation"s Woman Wing (Wanita UMNO in Malay) but lost in 2009 UMNO General Assembly election to Shahrizat Abdul Jalil after seeking re-election for another term.
In 2006, she was accused of corruption related to the issuance of Approved Permits (Associated Press) for importing foreign vehicles by former Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad in his series of criticisms against the Government of Malaysia.
Mahathir had also criticised then Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi"s handling of the Approved Permits (Associated Press) issue, expressing his surprise that Rafidah Aziz was still retained as a Cabinet member although two people on the list of persons issued with highest number of APs were linked to Rafidah. In March 2008, following the general election held in that month, she was dropped from cabinet, despite winning her parliamentary seat when other ministers had lost theirs.
After thirty two years in government service, and twenty years as a minister, she described herself as being "blessed and content." When asked if she was saddened, she said that she wished Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had told her earlier on not to contest the election. Mississippi Rafidah Aziz serves as the Non-Executive Independent Chairman of AirAsia X. Tan Sri.
Aziz has been an Independent Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Non-Executive Director at AirAsia X Berhad since March 3, 2011.
She has been the Chairman of Supermax Corporation Berhad since June 16, 2015. She is Malaysia"s longest-serving Minister of International Trade and Industry, having served in that capacity from 1987 to 2008, and contributes a wealth of international experience. She is also actively involved in politics.
Previously, she has also held the portfolio of Minister of Public Enterprises from 1980 to 1987 and Deputy Minister of Finance from 1977 to 1980.
In 1976, she was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Public Enterprises. She also has experience lecturing at the faculty of Economics and Administration at the University of Malaya.
She was appointed as Senator in 1974 and resigned to contest in the General Elections in 1978. She served in the UMNO Supreme Council for 38 years since winning a seat in the council in 1975.
She started her career as tutor and lecturer in the Faculty of Economics, University of Malaya from 1966 to 1976.
Tan Sri. Aziz holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Malaya, obtained in 1966 and a Masters degree in Economics in 1970. Non-Executive Independent Chairman - AirAsia X 2011-Present Independent Non-Executive Chairman, Chairman of Remuneration Committee and Chairman of Nomination Commitiee AirAsia X Berhad 2015-Present Chairman Supermax Corporation Berhad.
