Adham’s wife not appointed education DG, ministry clarifies

KUALA LUMPUR – The wife of Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba has not, in fact, been appointed education director-general, contrary to claims online.

The matter was confirmed by the Education Ministry’s corporate communications unit, which said no appointment has been made to fill the vacancy.

It is learnt that Datin Seri Nor Zamani Abdol Hamid, who was recently promoted as deputy education director-general (policy and curriculum), is performing the duties of director-general only on an interim basis.

A ministry spokesman told The Vibes today that the claims circulating online of Nor Zamani’s promotion are false.

“There has been no decision from the ministry. If there is, we will certainly call the press to announce. As of this moment, there has yet to be an appointment.”

A poster congratulating Nor Zamani on being made director-general, supposedly published by the ministry’s Education Planning and Research Division, made the rounds on social media yesterday.

It is understood that the poster was also shared on the ministry’s Teachers’ Training Institute Facebook page, but later taken down. 

An aide to Nor Zamani confirmed that she is still deputy director-general, and that the top post has yet to be filled. 

Asked who is temporarily assuming the role of director-general, she said: “It is Datin Seri Nor Zamani.” 

The previous director-general, Datuk Habibah Abdul Rahim, retired in April after taking up the position in January last year.

Nor Zamani was made deputy director-general last November. Her appointment was met with criticism, with many alleging that she got the job simply because she is the wife of a cabinet member.

If appointed education director-general, Nor Zamani would be the 18th person in the post, and only the third woman after Habibah and Tan Sri Asiah Abu Samah (early 1990s). 

The ministry has two other deputy directors-general, namely Datuk Adzman Talib and Ahmad Rafee Che Kassim, who are in charge of school operations and teachers’ professional development, respectively. – The Vibes, July 1, 2021