KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Although faced with negative perception of his leadership in government, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein managed to overcome this in the party elections yesterday by retaining his Umno deputy president post.

He had to endure this perception and criticisms against him, especially of late ahead of the Umno elections but many of the delegates, however, were not influenced, hence his victory in the vice-presidential contest.

Hishammuddin’s journey in politics began when he joined the Sungai Mati Umno branch in Johor in 1989 soon after completing his studies.

From an ordinary party member, he rose to become Ledang Umno division Youth head in 1993, Tenggara Youth head in 1995 and Umno Youth central committee member for the 1993-1996 term,.

Hishammuddin, who is also Sembrong member of parliament, had also been Johor Umno Youth chief from 1995 to 1996 and Umno Malaysia Youth vice-chief for the 1996-1998 term before becoming acting Umno Youth head in 1998.

In the 2004 party elections, Hishammuddin won the Umno Youth No. 1 post unopposed and the party vice-president post in the 2009 elections.

His career in federal government administration began in 1995 when he was appointed as parliamentary secretary to the Trade and Industry Ministry.

He was appointed as Primary Industries Deputy Minister in 1997, as Youth and Sports Minister in 1999, was Education Minister (2004-2009) and made Home Minister in 2009 until his appointment as Defence Minister and Acting Transport Minister after the 13th General Election this year.

Hishammuddin was born on Aug 5, 1961 in Kuala Lumpur. He married Datin Seri Tengku Marsilla Tengku Abdullah in 1996 and they have four children, Nasha Alyssa, Farris Hussein, Kyra Arianna and Fahd Hussein.

The son of Malaysia’s third prime minister Tun Hussein Onn and a grandson of Umno founder Datuk Onn Jaafar, Hishammuddin had his schooling at St John’s Institution Kuala Lumpur and Malay College Kuala Kangsar before joining the Cheltenham Boys College in the United Kingdom.

He then studied for his law degree at the University of Wales before obtaining his master’s degree in the same field from the London School of Economics.

After completing his studies, he started his career as a lawyer. – Bernama