Ghazali Shafie

Who was Ghazali Shafie?

Tun Muhammad Ghazali Shafie was a Malaysian politician. He served as Foreign Minister and Home Minister during his career.

Ghazali was born in 1922 in Kuala Lipis, Pahang. He was part of the clandestine resistance to the Japanese occupation of Malaya in World War II. He then studied at the University of Wales and the London School of Economics.

After a career in the civil service, Ghazali entered politics. He served as Home and Information Minister from 1973 to 1981, and was then appointed as Foreign Minister until 1984. He represented the Parliamentary seat of Lipis from 1974, before which he was a member of the Dewan Negara. As Foreign Minister, he was known for his role in ASEAN's diplomacy in respect of conflict in Cambodia. Described as a "flamboyant politician", his nickname was "King Ghaz".

In 1982, Ghazali survived an aeroplane crash in which he was the pilot. His bodyguard and co-pilot were killed. There had been reports that Ghazali had been killed in the crash. A coroner later blamed the accident on what the coroner found to be Ghazali's negligence.

After leaving politics, he held a range of positions in the corporate sector and with international organisations.