Ex-PM Ismail Sabri Set to Receive ‘Doctor’ Title with PhD on Malaysia’s COVID-19 Crisis Management

LocalPolitics
16 Dec 2025 • 11:36 AM MYT
WORLD OF BUZZ
WORLD OF BUZZ

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Former Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob is set to receive the title ‘Doctor’ after successfully completing his PhD viva presentation in Political Science, which required only a minor amendment.

The title of his thesis reflected his experience as Prime Minister during Malaysia’s battle with the pandemic, namely Crisis Management and Health Security Policy 2020–2022: Malaysia’s Strategy in Addressing the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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Dato’ Seri Ismail Sabri (left)

 

Former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri is set to receive the title ‘Doctor’

This was announced by Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) on its Facebook page.

Ismail Sabri was the Deputy Prime Minister when Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was Prime Minister, and he became Prime Minister in August 2021 after the latter’s resignation. In October 2022, Ismail Sabri dissolved Parliament to make way for the 15th General Election (GE15).

The PhD viva voce session, held yesterday (15 December) at the Viva Room of the Ghazali Shafie Graduate School of Government (GSGSG), UUM, was chaired by Associate Professor Dr Kamarul Azman Khamis.

The external examiner was Professor Dato’ Dr Sivamuragan Pandian, while the internal examiner was Associate Professor Dr Nazariah Osman.

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However, full approval is still subject to the University Senate

Ismail Sabri, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bera, registered as a PhD student at the university on 9 November 2023. Last year, the former Prime Minister shared that he never imagined he would become a student again.

He also posted on Instagram recently to convey his gratitude as his academic journey drew to a close.

“Thank you to the panel and examiners who also provided suggestions for improvements to my study.

“Thank you also to UUM residents, family, friends and social media friends who prayed for me,” he expressed.

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In his political career, besides being Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, the Bera MP had been appointed to the Cabinet several times.

He was previously the Minister of Youth and Sports, Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Minister of Rural and Regional Development, and Senior Minister.

WORLD OF BUZZ would like to congratulate Dato’ Seri Ismail Sabri on his achievement in completing his PhD studies.

 

Also read: “Why is the school under investigation?” – SPM-Qualified Influencer Defends Kedah School Visit

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Source: Universiti Utara Malaysia (Official FB) | FacebookSource: Instagram | ismailsabri60

This post first appeared on WORLD OF BUZZ.