Ali Hamsa

Ali bin Hamsa (29 August 1955 – 21 April 2022) was a Malaysian civil servant who served as the 13th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia from 24 June 2012 to 28 August 2018.

Education
Ali graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Malaya before furthering his studies at Oklahoma State University, US, where he obtained a master's degree in Economics in 1986, followed by a PhD in Environmental Sciences and Economics in 1997.

Career
Ali joined the Administrative and Diplomatic Service as an Assistant Director at the Ministry of Trade and Industry on 5 January 1981. In 1986, he was made Senior Project Manager, Economy and Public Policy Management at the National Institute of Public Administration, where he co-authored two books, namely Dasar-dasar Utama Kerajaan (1997) and Malaysia Kita (1998).

After a short stint at the Ministry of Transport in 1992, Ali furthered his studies and obtained his PhD in 1997. Upon returning from the US, he began serving at the Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister's Department (PMD). He consecutively held the positions of Director of Disbursement Division and Deputy Director-General of the National Transformation and Advancement Programme.

On 22 April 2009, Ali was appointed the Director-General of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Unit, PMD, a central agency created to spearhead PPP initiatives, namely privatisation projects, private finance initiatives, corridor developments, and facilitation funds. He was sworn in as the Chief Secretary to the Government on 23 June 2012, before Prime Minister Najib Razak in Parliament.

As the Chief Secretary, Ali was the Chairman of the Malaysian Integrity Institute, Co-Chair of the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business, and Deputy Chairman of Johor Corporation. Ali was also a non-executive director of Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad, a member of the Penang Port Commission, and a member of the Board of Bumiputera Agenda Coordinating Unit.

In October 2017, Ali became the first Malaysian to receive an honorary science doctorate from the B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology in Chennai, India.

Death
Ali died while receiving treatment at a hospital in Dublin, Ireland on 21 April 2022 at the age of 66. He was buried at the Precinct 20 Muslim Cemetery in Putrajaya.

Honours of Malaysia

 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia :
 * MY Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara (Defender of the Realm)- PMN.svg Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (PMN) – Tan Sri (2013)
 * MY Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara - Officer (K.M.N.).svg Officer of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (KMN) (2005)
 * MY Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara (Defender of the Realm) - SMN.svg Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (AMN) (2002)
 * Federal Territory (Malaysia) :
 * MY-FED Darjah Mahkota Wilayah - Grand Knight - SUMW.svg Grand Knight of the Order of the Territorial Crown (SUMW) – Datuk Seri Utama (2014)
 * Johor :
 * Order of the Crown of Johor ribbon bar.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor (SPMJ) – Dato' (2013)
 * Kedah :
 * [[File:MY-KED Order of Loyalty to Sultan Abdul Halim Muazzam Shah - Knight Commander (DHMS).svg|50px]] Knight Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (DHMS) – Dato' Paduka (2015)
 * Kelantan :
 * My-KEL Order of the Life of the Crown of Kelantan 2006.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Life of the Crown of Kelantan (SJMK) – Dato' (2012)
 * Malacca :
 * MY-MAL Exalted Order of Malacca.svg Grand Commander of the Exalted Order of Malacca (DGSM) – Datuk Seri (2016)
 * MY-MAL Exalted Order of Malacca.svg Knight Commander of the Exalted Order of Malacca (DCSM) – Datuk Wira (2011)
 * Negeri Sembilan :
 * MY-NEG Order of Loyalty to Tuanku Muhriz - SSTM.svg Grand Knight of the Order of Loyalty to Tuanku Muhriz (SSTM) – Dato' Seri (2013)
 * Dato’ Paduka Negeri Sembilan.svg Knight Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (DPNS) – Dato' (2011)
 * Pahang :
 * MY-PAH Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang - Grand Knight - SSAP.svg Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (2009)
 * MY-PAH Order of the Crown of Pahang - Knight Companion - DIMP.svg Knight Companion of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (DIMP) – Dato' (2006)
 * Perlis :
 * MY-PERL Order of the Crown of Perlis - Knight Grand Commander - SPMP.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Perlis (SPMP) – Dato' Seri (2017)
 * Penang :
 * MY-PEN Order of the Defender of State - Knight Grand Commander - DUPN.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (2014)
 * Perak :
 * MY-PERA Order of Cura Si Manja Kini - Grand Knight - SPCM (new).svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (SPCM) – Dato' Seri (2014)
 * Sabah :
 * MY-SAB Order of Kinabalu - SPDK.svg Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (2012)
 * MY-SAB Order of Kinabalu - ASDK-ADK-BSK-BK.svg Companion of the Order of Kinabalu (ASDK) (2006)
 * Sarawak :
 * MY-SAR Order of the Star of Sarawak - 2 ribbon PNBS -JBS-PBS-ABS-BBS.svg Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of Sarawak (PNBS) – Dato Sri (2013)
 * Selangor :
 * MY-SEL Order of the Crown of Selangor - Knight Grand Commander - SPMS.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (2013)
 * Terengganu :
 * [[File:MY-TER Order of Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu - Knight Grand Companion ribbon.svg|50px]] Knight Grand Companion of the Order of Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu (SSMZ) – Dato' Seri (2012)