Mohamed Farid Md Rafik

Datuk Wira Dr. Mohamed Farid bin Md Rafik (Jawi: محمد فريد بن مد رفيق; ‎12 October 1976 – 21 September 2019) was a Malaysian politician who was Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of national unity and social wellbeing in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and former Minister Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy from July 2018 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tanjung Piai from May 2018 to his death in September 2019.[1] He was a member of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), a former component party of the PH opposition coalition.[2]

In this Malay name, there is no family name. The name Rafik is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Mohamed Farid.
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Wira Dr.
Mohamed Farid Md Rafik
DCSM
محمد فريد بن مد رفيق
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
(National Unity and Social Wellbeing)
In office
2 July 2018 – 21 September 2019
MonarchsMuhammad V
(2018–2019)
Abdullah
(2019)
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
MinisterWaytha Moorthy Ponnusamy
Preceded byHalimah Mohamed Sadique
(Deputy Minister of Housing, Local Government and Urban Wellbeing)
Succeeded byTi Lian Ker
(Deputy Minister of National Unity)
ConstituencyTanjung Piai
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Tanjung Piai
In office
9 May 2018 – 21 September 2019
Preceded byWee Jeck Seng (BN–MCA)
Succeeded byWee Jeck Seng (BN–MCA)
Majority524 (2018)
Personal details
Born(1976-10-12)12 October 1976
Serkat, Pontian, Johor, Malaysia
Died21 September 2019(2019-09-21) (aged 42)
Pontian Hospital, Pontian, Johor, Malaysia
Cause of deathHeart complications
Resting placeSheikh Haji Ahmad Waqf Muslim Cemetery, Kampung Chokoh, Serkat, Pontian, Johor, Malaysia
CitizenshipMalaysian
Political partyMalaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) (2017–2019)
Other political
affiliations		Pakatan Harapan (PH) (2017–2019)
Alma materQueen's University of Belfast
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionAnaesthesiologist
Mohamed Farid Md Rafik on Facebook
Mohamed Farid Md Rafik on Parliament of Malaysia

Background

Born in 1976, Farid hailed from Serkat, Pontian, Johor. He had his early education at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Andek Mori, Serkat and secondary school later at Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah, Malacca before pursuing his A-Levels education at Bedford Modern School, United Kingdom (UK). He started his medical career in 2001 after graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine degree from University of Belfast, UK. In 2008, he furthered his studies to earn his anaesthesiology degree from College of Anaesthesia, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) and then continued to work as an anaesthesiologist in UK until 2014 before returning to Malaysia after 10 years in UK.[3]

Politics

Prior to entering politics, he worked as an anaesthesiologist in a private hospital in Malacca.[4] Though he was never prepared for politics, he became interested in it after his mother, Norma Mohamed who was former United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Tanjung Piai Wanita chief, left the party in 2016 for BERSATU. His political career began when he joined BERSATU in 2017.[5]

Farid was first elected as MP winning the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat with a slim majority of 524 votes by defeating the then incumbent Wee Jeck Seng from the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) of Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and also Nordin Othman from the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Front (BERJASA), which contested under the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) banner through the Gagasan Sejahtera in the 2018 general election (GE14).[6] He was then appointed Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for National Unity and Social Harmony.[7]

Election results
Parliament of Malaysia[8][9][10]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2018 P165 Tanjung Piai, Johor Md Farid Md Rafik (BERSATU) 21,255 47.29% Wee Jeck Seng (MCA) 20,731 46.12% 45,858 524 85.67%
Nordin Othman (PAS) 2,962 6.59%

Honours

Death

Farid died at Hospital Pontian in Johor on 21 September 2019 of a heart attack.[12][13] He was laid to rest at the Sheikh Haji Ahmad Waqf Muslim Cemetery in Kampung Chokoh, Serkat, Pontian, Johor at 5.30 pm on the same day.[14] His funeral was attended by more than 1000 people including Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.[15] He leaves behind a wife, Farah Syazwani Hanis Ismail, 32, and three daughters – Sophie Farissya, 8, Eva Ariaana, 4 and Zara Aleena, 2.[16]

His death had paved the way for the 2019 Tanjung Piai by-election in which BERSATU of PH candidate had failed to defend the seat and had lost it back to his predecessor, Wee Jeck Seng of BN in the six-cornered fight for the parliamentary seat.[17]

References
  1. Lu Wei Hoong (4 May 2018). "From 'naive about politics' to general for southern Johor battle". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  2. "New Cabinet all sworn-in before King (Full List)". The Star Online. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  3. "Profil Dr Md Farid Md Rafik". Bernama (in Malay). myMetro. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  4. "Profile of Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik". Bernama. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  5. "Touting Malay wave, doctor poses strongest challenge yet to MCA's last bastion". Malaysiakini. 5 May 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  6. Mohd Farhaan Shah (28 September 2019). "Johor BN to submit only one name". The Star Online. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  7. "Tanjung Piai MP Md Farid Md Rafik dies". The Star Online. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  8. "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2018. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  9. "SEMAKAN KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE – 14" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 17 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  10. "The Star Online GE14". The Star. Retrieved 24 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  11. "Husam kembali bergelar 'datuk', Mujahid Dr Dzul Ahmad Awang 'datuk seri'". MALAYSIADATELINE (in Malay). 13 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  12. "Tanjung Piai MP Md Farid Md Rafik dies". The Star Online. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  13. "Deputy minister Farid Rafik passes away". Malaysiakini. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  14. "Dr Md Farid laid to rest at Serkat, Pontian". Bernama. Malay Mail. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  15. MOHD FARHAAN SHAH, REMAR NORDIN and RAZAK AHMAD (22 September 2019). "Many turn up for Md Farid's funeral". The Star Online. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  16. "King, PM offer condolences to Mohd Farid's family". Bernama. Malaysiakini. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  17. "Barisan Nasional wins Tg Piai by-election with 15,086 vote majority". The Star Online. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
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