Sivarasa Rasiah

Malaysian politician

In this Indian name, the name Rasiah is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Sivarasa.

Sivarasa Rasiah

சிவராசா ராசையா
Deputy Minister of Rural Development
In office
2 July 2018 – 24 February 2020
Monarchs| Muhammad V
(2018–2019)
Abdullah
(2019–2020)
Prime Minister| Mahathir Mohamad
Minister| Rina Harun
Preceded by| Alexander Nanta Linggi
(Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development I)
Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub
(Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development II)
Succeeded by| Abdul Rahman Mohamad
(Deputy Minister of Rural Development I)
Henry Sum Agong
(Deputy Minister of Rural Development II)
Constituency| Sungai Buloh
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Sungai Buloh
In office
9 May 2018 – 19 November 2022
Preceded by| Position established
Succeeded by| Ramanan Ramakrishnan
(PH–PKR)
Majority| 26,634 (2018)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Subang
In office
8 March 2008 – 9 May 2018
Preceded by| K. S. Nijhar
(BN–MIC)
Succeeded by| Wong Chen
(PH–PKR)
Majority| 6,709 (2008)
26,719 (2013)
Personal details
Born|

Sivarasa a/l K. Rasiah

(1956-12-08) 8 December 1956 (age 67)
Selangor, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Political party| People's Justice Party (PKR)
Other political
affiliations| Pakatan Harapan (PH)
Pakatan Rakyat (PR)
Barisan Alternatif (BA)
Spouse| Anne James
Alma mater| University of Malaya
University of Oxford
Occupation| Politician, lawyer

Sivarasa a/l K. Rasiah (Tamil: சிவராசா ராசையா, romanized: Civarācā rācaiyā; born 8 December 1956), or also known as R. Sivarasa is a Malaysian politician, lawyer and human rights activist of Ceylonese and Sri Lankan descent who served as the Deputy Minister of Rural Development in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and former Minister Rina Harun from July 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020. He served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sungai Buloh from May 2018 to November 2022 and for Subang from March 2008 to May 2018. He is a member and former Vice-President of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH opposition coalition. He is co-founder of the Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), a human rights non-governmental organisation (NGO).[1][2]

## Early life[edit]

Though today he may be one of the top and prominent lawyers in Kuala Lumpur, however, his first degree was actually in genetics. Reminiscing on his early days in an interview with the New Straits Times, Siva said, "I was trying to get into medicine after high school in Victoria Institution but didn't make the grade. Form Five was great but I guess in Form Six, there were many distractions. So instead I went into genetics in Universiti Malaya and graduated with first class honours. Six months into my Master's I realised that this was not my cup of tea and was already looking at other options.” He then applied for a Rhodes scholarship to pursue law at Oxford University. After completing his law degree and the Bar in Britain, Siva took a year off and went to Germany where he spent most of his time in libraries there reading. He worked for a bit after that in London before returning to Malaysia on his 30th birthday.

## Activism and politics[edit]

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|

Sivarasa Rasiah Community Service Center at Section 8 of Kota Damansara.

It was while he was in the United Kingdom that he got interested in human rights and "became involved with union workers and stuff like that there".

His first involvement with an NGO was in 1997 when he got involved with a women's group called Citizens Against Rape. Siva got arrested twice during the 1998 Reformasi period but shrugs it off as part and parcel of the job. He later joined PKR.

In the 2008 general election, Sivarasa was elected as the Member of Parliament for Subang, defeating his opponent by a 6,000 vote majority;[3] he went on to keep the seat in the 2013 general election.

In the 2018 general election, Sivarasa was reelected for his parliamentary seat which was renamed as Sungai Buloh in an earlier redelineation exercise.

Sivarasa was appointed Deputy Minister of Rural Development of Malaysia and sworn in on 2 July 2018 in the presence of His Majesty the Yang di Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.[4]

## Personal life[edit]

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|

He is married to Ann James, a personality in the Malaysian theatre scene. He met his wife at a demonstration as well. "It was during Operasi Lalang and she was there too. We were kind of thrown together and that's when it all happened. After a long courtship, we finally got married in 1993", he revealed in the NST interview.

Although Sivarasa has had brushes with the police, both his father and his older brother were members of the force; his father was the registrar of the police force and his older brother was a senior police officer.

He is also a cancer survivor who lost his voice for almost a year due to thyroid cancer which damaged a nerve on his vocal cords. He had to speak with a little boom box and a speaker for a while due to this. He has regained his voice but he says, "I can't sing or shout, but at least I still can talk.”

He is also an avid guitar player.

## Election results[edit]

Parliament of Malaysia[5][6][7] Year  | Constituency  | Candidate  | Votes  | Pct  | Opponent(s)  | Votes  | Pct  | Ballots cast  | Majority  | Turnout

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1999 | P092 Ampang Jaya, Selangor |  | Sivarasa K. Rasiah (keADILan)  | 32,902  | 44.72%  |  | Ong Tee Keat (MCA)  | 40,669 | 55.28% | 74,869  | 7,767  | 75.98%
2004 | P105 Petaling Jaya Selatan, Selangor |  | Sivarasa K. Rasiah (PKR)  | 13,638  | 27.42%  |  | Donald Lim Siang Chai (MCA)  | 35,054 | 70.48% | 49,738  | 21,416  | 67.67%
2008 | P107 Subang, Selangor |  | Sivarasa K. Rasiah (PKR)  | 35,024 | 53.18% |  | Murugesan Sinnandavar (MIC)  | 28,315  | 42.99%  | 65,861  | 6,709  | 78.02%
2013 |  | Sivarasa K. Rasiah (PKR)  | 66,268 | 58.65% |  | Pakas Rao Applanaidoo (MIC)  | 39,549  | 35.00%  | 112,937  | 26,719  | 87.86%
| Mohamad Ismail (BERJASA)  | 4,454  | 3.94%
| Nazaruddin Mohd Ferdoos (IND)  | 460  | 0.41%
| Edros Abdullah (IND)  | 218  | 0.19%
2018 | P107 Sungai Buloh, Selangor |  | Sivarasa K. Rasiah (PKR)  | 43,631 | 55.97% |  | Pakas Rao Applanaidoo (MIC)  | 16,681  | 21.40%  | 77,951  | 26,634  | 85.93%
| Nuridah Mohd Salleh (PAS)  | 16,997  | 21.80%
| Zainurizzaman Moharam (PRM)  | 642  | 0.82%

## See all[edit]

* Subang (federal constituency)
* Sungai Buloh (federal constituency)

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Sivarasa Rasiah is a prominent Malaysian politician, lawyer and human rights activist. He is currently the Member of Parliament for Subang". Rahul SK. Malaysian Representatives Alpha. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
2. ^ "ACA questions PKR's Sivarasa on damning video clip". The Sun Daily. 28 September 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
3. ^ "Sivarasa Wins!". Archived from the original on 12 March 2008. Retrieved 8 March 2008.
4. ^ "Malaysia swears in 13 ministers and 23 deputy ministers". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
5. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
6. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen 2013" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 6 May 2013.[permanent dead link]
7. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum 13 Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri 2013". Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 8 May 2016.

Parliament of Malaysia

New creation |  Member of Parliament for Sungai Buloh
10 May 2018–present  | Incumbent
Preceded by

Karnail Singh Nijhar

|  Member of Parliament for Subang
8 March 2008–9 May 2018  | Succeeded by

Wong Chen

* v
* t
* e

Current Cabinet of Malaysia

Prime Minister: Anwar Ibrahim
Deputy Prime Minister I: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Deputy Prime Minister II: Fadillah Yusof

* v
* t
* e

Federal Ministers

| Agriculture and Food Security|

Mohamad Sabu

|

Defence|

Mohamad Hasan

Digital Communication|

Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil

Domestic Trade and Living Costs|

Salahuddin Ayub

Economy|

Mohd Rafizi Ramli

Education|

Fadhlina Sidek

Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative|

Ewon Benedick

Finance|

Anwar Ibrahim

Foreign Affairs|

Zambry Abdul Kadir

Health|

Zaliha Mustafa

Higher Education|

Mohamed Khaled Nordin

Home Affairs|

Saifuddin Nasution Ismail

Human Resources|

Sivakumar Varatharaju Naidu

| International Trade and Industry|

Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz

|

Local Government Development|

Nga Kor Ming

National Unity|

Aaron Ago Dagang

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change|

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad

Plantation Industries and Commodities|

Fadillah Yusof

Prime Minister's Department|

Azalina Othman Said (Laws and Institutional Reform)
Mohd Na'im Mokhtar (Religious Affairs)
Armizan Mohd Ali (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs)

Rural and Regional Development|

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Science and Technology|

Chang Lih Kang

Tourism|

Tiong King Sing

Transport|

Anthony Loke Siew Fook

Women, Family and Community Development|

Nancy Shukri

Works|

Alexander Nanta Linggi

Youth and Sports|

Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan

* v
* t
* e

Federal Deputy Ministers

| Agriculture and Food Security|

Chan Foong Hin

|

Defence|

Adly Zahari

Digital Communication|

Teo Nie Ching

Domestic Trade and Living Costs|

Fuziah Salleh

Economy|

Hanifah Hajar Taib

Education|

Lim Hui Ying

Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative|

Saraswathy Kandasami

Finance|

Ahmad Maslan
Steven Sim Chee Keong

Foreign Affairs|

Mohamad Alamin

Health|

Lukanisman Awang Sauni

Higher Education|

Yusof Apdal

Home Affairs|

Shamsul Anuar Nasarah

Human Resources|

Mustapha Sakmud

| International Trade and Industry|

Liew Chin Tong

|

Local Government Development|

Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir

National Unity|

TBA

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change|

Huang Tiong Sii

Plantation Industries and Commodities|

Siti Aminah Aching

Prime Minister's Department|

Ramkarpal Singh (Laws and Institutional Reform)
TBA (Religious Affairs)
Wilson Ugak Kumbong (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs)

Rural and Regional Development|

Rubiah Wang

Science and Technology|

Arthur Joseph Kurup

Tourism|

Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan

Transport|

Hasbi Habibollah

Women, Family and Community Development|

Aiman Athirah Sabu

Works|

Abdul Rahman Mohamad

Youth and Sports|

Adam Adli

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Dewan Rakyat, 14th Malaysian Parliament (House of Representatives)

Perlis|

* Padang Besar: Zahidi Zainul Abidin
* Kangar: Noor Amin Ahmad
* Arau: Shahidan Kassim

Kedah|

* Langkawi: Mahathir Mohamad
* Jerlun: Mukhriz Mahathir
* Kubang Pasu: Amiruddin Hamzah
* Padang Terap: Mahdzir Khalid
* Pokok Sena: Mahfuz Omar
* Alor Setar: Chan Ming Kai
* Kuala Kedah: Azman Ismail
* Pendang: Awang Solahudin Hashim
* Jerai: Sabri Azit
* Sik: Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman
* Merbok: Nor Azrina Surip
* Sungai Petani: Johari Abdul
* Baling: Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim
* Padang Serai: Karuppaiya Muthusamy
* Kulim-Bandar Baharu: Saifuddin Nasution Ismail

Kelantan|

* Tumpat: Che Abdullah Mat Nawi
* Pengkalan Chepa: Ahmad Marzuk Shaary
* Kota Bharu: Takiyuddin Hassan
* Pasir Mas: Ahmad Fadhli Shaari
* Rantau Panjang: Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff
* Kubang Kerian: Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man
* Bachok: Nik Mohamed Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz
* Ketereh: Annuar Musa
* Tanah Merah: Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz
* Pasir Puteh: Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh
* Machang: Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub
* Jeli: Mustapa Mohamed
* Kuala Krai: Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman
* Gua Musang: Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

Terengganu|

* Besut: Idris Jusoh
* Setiu: Shaharizukirnain Abd. Kadir
* Kuala Nerus: Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali
* Kuala Terengganu: Ahmad Amzad Mohamed Hashim
* Marang: Abdul Hadi Awang
* Hulu Terengganu: Rosol Wahid
* Dungun: Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli
* Kemaman: Che Alias Hamid

Penang|

* Kepala Batas: Reezal Merican Naina Merican
* Tasek Gelugor: Shabudin Yahaya
* Bagan: Lim Guan Eng
* Permatang Pauh: Nurul Izzah Anwar
* Bukit Mertajam: Steven Sim Chee Keong
* Batu Kawan: Kasthuriraani Patto
* Nibong Tebal: Mansor Othman
* Bukit Bendera: Wong Hon Wai
* Tanjong: Chow Kon Yeow
* Jelutong: Sanisvara Nethaji Rayer Rajaji Rayer
* Bukit Gelugor: Ramkarpal Singh
* Bayan Baru: Sim Tze Tzin
* Balik Pulau: Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik

Perak|

* Gerik: Vacant
* Lenggong: Shamsul Anuar Nasarah
* Larut: Hamzah Zainudin
* Parit Buntar: Mujahid Yusof Rawa
* Bagan Serai: Noor Azmi Ghazali
* Bukit Gantang: Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal
* Taiping: Teh Kok Lim
* Padang Rengas: Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz
* Sungai Siput: Kesavan Subramaniam
* Tambun: Ahmad Faizal Azumu
* Ipoh Timor: Wong Kah Woh
* Ipoh Barat: Kulasegaran Murugeson
* Batu Gajah: Sivakumar Varatharaju Naidu
* Kuala Kangsar: Mastura Mohd Yazid
* Beruas: Ngeh Koo Ham
* Parit: Mohd Nizar Zakaria
* Kampar: Su Keong Siong
* Gopeng: Lee Boon Chye
* Tapah: Saravanan Murugan
* Pasir Salak: Tajuddin Abdul Rahman
* Lumut: Mohd Hatta Ramli
* Bagan Datuk: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
* Teluk Intan: Nga Kor Ming
* Tanjong Malim: Chang Lih Kang

Pahang|

* Cameron Highlands: Ramli Mohd Nor
* Lipis: Abdul Rahman Mohamad
* Raub: Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji
* Jerantut: Ahmad Nazlan Idris
* Indera Mahkota: Saifuddin Abdullah
* Kuantan: Fuziah Salleh
* Paya Besar: Mohd. Shahar Abdullah
* Pekan: Vacant
* Maran: Ismail Muttalib
* Kuala Krau: Ismail Mohamed Said
* Temerloh: Mohd Anuar Mohd Tahir
* Bentong: Wong Tack
* Bera: Ismail Sabri Yaakob
* Rompin: Hasan Arifin

Selangor|

* Sabak Bernam: Fasiah Fakeh
* Sungai Besar: Muslimin Yahaya
* Hulu Selangor: June Leow
* Tanjong Karang: Noh Omar
* Kuala Selangor: Dzulkefly Ahmad
* Selayang: William Leong Jee Keen
* Gombak: Mohamed Azmin Ali
* Ampang: Zuraida Kamaruddin
* Pandan: Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
* Hulu Langat: Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus
* Bangi: Ong Kian Ming
* Puchong: Gobind Singh Deo
* Subang: Wong Chen
* Petaling Jaya: Maria Chin Abdullah
* Damansara: Tony Pua Kiam Wee
* Sungai Buloh: Sivarasa Rasiah
* Shah Alam: Khalid Abdul Samad
* Kapar: Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid
* Klang: Charles Anthony Santiago
* Kota Raja: Mohamad Sabu
* Kuala Langat: Xavier Jayakumar Arulanandam
* Sepang: Mohamed Hanipa Maidin

F.T. Kuala Lumpur|

* Kepong: Lim Lip Eng
* Batu: Prabakaran Parameswaran
* Wangsa Maju: Tan Yee Kew
* Segambut: Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan
* Setiawangsa: Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
* Titiwangsa: Rina Harun
* Bukit Bintang: Fong Kui Lun
* Lembah Pantai: Fahmi Fadzil
* Seputeh: Teresa Kok Suh Sim
* Cheras: Tan Kok Wai
* Bandar Tun Razak: Kamarudin Jaffar

F.T. Putrajaya|

* Putrajaya: Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor

Negeri Sembilan|

* Jelebu: Jalaluddin Alias
* Jempol: Mohd Salim Shariff
* Seremban: Loke Siew Fook
* Kuala Pilah: Eddin Syazlee Shith
* Rasah: Cha Kee Chin
* Rembau: Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar
* Port Dickson: Anwar Ibrahim
* Tampin: Hasan Bahrom

Malacca|

* Masjid Tanah: Mas Ermieyati Samsudin
* Alor Gajah: Mohd. Redzuan Md. Yusof
* Tangga Batu: Rusnah Aluai
* Hang Tuah Jaya: Shamsul Iskandar Md. Akin
* Kota Melaka: Khoo Poay Tiong
* Jasin: Ahmad Hamzah

Johor|

* Segamat: Edmund Santhara Kumar Ramanaidu
* Sekijang: Natrah Ismail
* Labis: Pang Hok Liong
* Pagoh: Muhyiddin Yassin
* Ledang: Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh
* Bakri: Yeo Bee Yin
* Muar: Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman
* Parit Sulong: Noraini Ahmad
* Ayer Hitam: Wee Ka Siong
* Sri Gading: Shahruddin Md Salleh
* Batu Pahat: Mohd Rashid Hasnon
* Simpang Renggam: Maszlee Malik
* Kluang: Wong Shu Qi
* Sembrong: Hishammuddin Hussein
* Mersing: Abdul Latiff Ahmad
* Tenggara: Adham Baba
* Kota Tinggi: Halimah Mohamed Sadique
* Pengerang: Azalina Othman Said
* Tebrau: Choong Shiau Yoon
* Pasir Gudang: Hassan Abdul Karim
* Johor Bahru: Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir
* Pulai: Salahuddin Ayub
* Iskandar Puteri: Lim Kit Siang
* Kulai: Teo Nie Ching
* Pontian: Ahmad Maslan
* Tanjung Piai: Wee Jeck Seng

F.T. of Labuan|

* Labuan: Rozman Isli

Sabah|

* Kudat: Abdul Rahim Bakri
* Kota Marudu: Maximus Ongkili
* Kota Belud: Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis
* Tuaran: Wilfred Madius Tangau
* Sepanggar: Azis Jamman
* Kota Kinabalu: Chan Foong Hin
* Putatan: Awang Husaini Sahari
* Penampang: Ignatius Dorell Leiking
* Papar: Ahmad Hassan
* Kimanis: Mohamad Alamin
* Beaufort: Azizah Mohd Dun
* Sipitang: Yamani Hafez Musa
* Ranau: Jonathan Yasin
* Keningau: Jeffrey Kitingan
* Tenom: Noorita Sual
* Pensiangan: Arthur Joseph Kurup
* Beluran: Ronald Kiandee
* Libaran: Zakaria Edris
* Batu Sapi: Vacant
* Sandakan: Vivian Wong Shir Yee
* Kinabatangan: Bung Moktar Radin
* Silam: Mohammadin Ketapi
* Semporna: Shafie Apdal
* Tawau: Christina Liew
* Kalabakan: Ma'mun Sulaiman

Sarawak|

* Mas Gading: Mordi Bimol
* Santubong: Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar
* Petra Jaya: Fadillah Yusof
* Bandar Kuching: Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen
* Stampin: Chong Chieng Jen
* Kota Samarahan: Rubiah Wang
* Puncak Borneo: Willie Mongin
* Serian: Richard Riot Jaem
* Batang Sadong: Nancy Shukri
* Batang Lupar: Rohani Abdul Karim
* Sri Aman: Masir Kujat
* Lubok Antu: Jugah Muyang
* Betong: Robert Lawson Chuat
* Saratok: Ali Biju
* Tanjong Manis: Yusuf Abd. Wahab
* Igan: Ahmad Johnie Zawawi
* Sarikei: Wong Ling Biu
* Julau: Larry Sng
* Kanowit: Aaron Ago Dagang
* Lanang: Alice Lau Kiong Yieng
* Sibu: Oscar Ling Chai Yew
* Mukah: Hanifah Hajar Taib
* Selangau: Baru Bian
* Kapit: Alexander Nanta Linggi
* Hulu Rajang: Wilson Ugak Kumbong
* Bintulu: Tiong King Sing
* Sibuti: Lukanisman Awang Sauni
* Miri: Michael Teo Yu Keng
* Baram: Anyi Ngau
* Limbang: Hasbi Habibollah
* Lawas: Henry Sum Agong

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