Tuan Yang Terutama
&
toh puan

TYT Tun Fuzi's Journey

His Excellency Tun Dato' Seri Utama Ahmad Fuzi bin Haji Abdul Razak was born on January 8, 1949, in Sungai Bakap, Seberang Perai Selatan, Penang. He is the eldest son of Tuan Haji Abdul Razak bin Yahya and Puan Siti Aminah binti Abdullah. Tuan Haji Abdul Razak bin Yahya was a madrasah religious teacher who later served in the Information Department. His Excellency Tun established a household with the YAB Toh Puan Dato' Seri Utama Khadijah binti Mohd Nor and are blessed with two children.

His Excellency Tun received his early education at SK King Edward VII in Taiping, Perak, and SK Stowell in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. He continued his education at High School Bukit Mertajam, Penang, and SMK Anderson, Perak. TYT Tun then continued his studies at the University of Malaya and obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 1972. He also attended the UK Foreign Service Programme at the University of Oxford and obtained a Diplomacy Certificate in 1974.

His Excellency Tun built a 37-year career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs starting in 1972 as an administrative and diplomatic officer with the following positions:

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• Assistant Secretary, Chief Assistant Secretary, Divisional Secretary, Deputy Chief Secretary 1, and Chief Secretary.

• Malaysia's representative abroad as Second Secretary in Moscow, Russia; Counsellor in The Hague, Netherlands; Deputy High Commissioner in Canberra, Australia; Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington, U.S.A.; and High Commissioner in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

• Director General of the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR) and Special Duties Ambassador to represent Malaysia to the High Level Task Force on the Drafting of the ASEAN Charter and the High Level Panel on the Drafting of the Terms of Reference of the ASEAN Human Rights Body.

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His Excellency Tun served as the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2001 to 2006. During his tenure, His Excellency Tun was responsible for formulating and managing Malaysia's foreign policy and diplomatic relations at bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels. His duties included participating in bilateral negotiations on the Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries between Malaysia and Brunei and representing Malaysia in the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) regarding land reclamation by Singapore in and around Johor.

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Furthermore, His Excellency Tun played a significant role in organising the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit in 2003, and the ASEAN, East Asia, and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur in 2005.

His Excellency Tun has also been actively involved with the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) since its inception in 2003. He has served as Co-Chairman/International Advisory Panel, Member of the Board of Trustees, and Secretary General of the WIEF Foundation from 2007 to 2021.

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Leveraging his extensive experience in diplomacy and administration, His Excellency Tun ventured into the corporate world by holding positions as Chairman and Board Member of several public and private listed companies, including PROTON Berhad, Amanahraya Real Estate Investment Trust, Takaful Malaysia, Puncak Niaga Holdings Berhad, Maybank Islamic Berhad, Seremban Engineering Berhad, PKT Logistics Sdn. Bhd., and Ranhill Energy Resources Sdn. Bhd.

His Excellency Tun is also actively involved with various think tanks and foundations. Such as:

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• Honorary Fellow, Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) and Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR)

• Chairman, IMAN Research & Consultancy

• Deputy Chairman, Committee Member from Malaysia to the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP)

• Member, Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS)

• Board Member, Malaysian Maritime Institute (MIMA)

• Member of Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Authority (MTJA)

• Board Members / Trustees of MERCY Malaysia, Perdana Global Peace Foundation, Yayasan Sarana Pendidikan Malaysia, Yayasan Lejadi, Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) and University Meritus.
   

On April 30, 2021, a historic moment took place when His Excellency Tun received the Certificate of Appointment as the 8th Head Of State of Penang from His Majesty the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Negara.

Subsequently, on July 1, 2021, His Excellency Tun was officially appointed as the Chancellor of Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) in accordance with the constitution and governance structure of UNITEN. 

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His Excellency Tun also serves as the patron of various organisations, including:

• Penang State Sports Council

• Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital

• Penang Swimming Club

• Penang Crime Awareness and Public Safety Organization (CCPSS)

• Penang Club

• Penang State Dato'-Dato' Council

• Malaysian Scout Federation of Penang State

• Penang Shooting Club

• Tun Sardon Foundation

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His Excellency Tun has received several prestigious awards in recognition of his contributions to the country, including:

• ​Ahli Mangku Negara (A.M.N.) in 1979 

• Johan Setia Mahkota (J.S.M.) in 1999

• Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (D.S.P.N.) in 1999

• Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negeri (D.M.P.N.) in 2002

• Darjah Panglima Setia Mahkota (P.S.M.) in 2003

• Darjah Dato Seri Laila Jasa (D.S.L.J.) from the Sultan of Brunei in 2014

• Anugerah Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara (S.M.N.) and Darjah Utama Pangkuan Negeri (D.U.P.N.) in conjunction with the Oath-of-Office Ceremony as the 8th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of The State of Penang on 30 April 2021

• Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (S.P.D.K.) by His Excellency the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah on 17 December 2021

• Bintang Semangat Padi Kelas Pertama (Emas) by the Malaysian Scout Federation on 2 December 2021

• Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership by Binary University of Management and Entrepreneurship on January 14, 2023

• ​Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Management by SEGi University on 29 June, 2024