List of University of Malaya people

The following is a list of notable alumni and faculty of University of Malaya.

Royalty

 * Raja Jaafar ibni Almarhum Raja Muda Musa – Crown Prince of Perak
 * Raja Nor Mahani binti Almarhum Raja Shahar Shah – Queen Consort of Perak

Heads of state and government



 * Mahathir Mohamad – 4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia
 * Abdullah Ahmad Badawi – 5th Prime Minister of Malaysia
 * Muhyiddin Yassin – 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia
 * Ismail Sabri Yaakob – 9th Prime Minister of Malaysia
 * Anwar Ibrahim – 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia
 * Benjamin Sheares – 2nd President of Singapore
 * S. R. Nathan – 6th President of Singapore

Deputy prime ministers, senior ministers and leaders of the opposition

 * Musa Hitam – 5th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
 * Ahmad Zahid Hamidi – 11th and 14th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, 14th Leader of the Opposition
 * Fadillah Yusof – 14th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
 * Tan Chee Khoon – 2nd Leader of the Opposition
 * Jahara Hamid - Leader of the Opposition of Penang

Governors, chief ministers, and mayors

 * Awang Hassan – 5th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang
 * Hamdan Sheikh Tahir – 6th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang
 * Abdul Rahman Abbas – 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang
 * Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak – 8th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang
 * Mohd Khalil Yaakob – 6th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca, 12th Menteri Besar of Pahang
 * Mohd Ali Rustam – 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca, 9th Chief Minister of Malacca
 * Adnan Yaakob – 13th Menteri Besar of Pahang
 * Muhammad Muhammad Taib – 11th Menteri Besar of Selangor
 * Khir Toyo – 13th Menteri Besar of Selangor
 * Abdul Khalid Ibrahim – 14th Menteri Besar of Selangor
 * Mohd Isa Abdul Samad – 9th Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan
 * Mohamad Hasan – 10th Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan
 * Abdul Ajib Ahmad – 12th Menteri Besar of Johor
 * Mohamed Khaled Nordin – 15th Menteri Besar of Johor
 * Shahidan Kassim – 7th Menteri Besar of Perlis
 * Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik – 6th Chief Minister of Malacca
 * Douglas Uggah Embas – Deputy Premier of Sarawak
 * Ramasamy Palanisamy – Deputy Chief Minister of Penang II
 * Elyas Omar – 3rd Mayor of Kuala Lumpur
 * Ahmad Fuad Ismail – 9th Mayor of Kuala Lumpur
 * Mhd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz – 11th Mayor of Kuala Lumpur
 * Abu Sujak Mahmud – 1st Mayor of Shah Alam

Federal ministers



 * Daim Zainuddin – 5th and 9th Minister of Finance
 * Rafidah Aziz – 1st Minister of International Trade and Industry
 * Lim Swee Aun – 4th Minister of Commerce and Industry
 * Saifuddin Abdullah – 13th and 15th Minister of Foreign Affairs
 * Chua Soi Lek – 17th Minister of Health
 * Adham Baba – 21st Minister of Health
 * Ahmad Shabery Cheek – 15th Minister of Information
 * Maszlee Malik – 22nd Minister of Education
 * Shafie Salleh – 1st Minister of Higher Education
 * Chan Kong Choy – 10th Minister of Transport
 * Liow Tiong Lai – 14th Minister of Transport
 * Anthony Loke – 15th and 17th Minister of Transport
 * Megat Junid Megat Ayub – 3rd Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
 * Shahrir Abdul Samad – 6th Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
 * Hasan Malek – 8th Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
 * Ong Ka Chuan – 8th Minister of Housing and Local Government
 * Nga Kor Ming – 20th Minister of Local Government Development
 * Shamsul Anuar Nasarah – 1st Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
 * Takiyuddin Hassan – 2nd Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
 * G. Palanivel – 4th Minister of Natural Resources and Environment
 * Teresa Kok – 1st Minister of Primary Industries
 * Ewon Ebin – 3rd Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology
 * Sabbaruddin Chik – 1st Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture
 * Ng Yen Yen – 4th Minister of Tourism
 * Shahrizat Abdul Jalil – 1st and 3rd Minister of Women, Family and Community Development
 * Zaleha Ismail – 2nd Minister of National Unity and Community Development
 * Azalina Othman Said – Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform)
 * Abdul Latiff Ahmad – Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions)
 * Mujahid Yusof Rawa – Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs)
 * Jamil Khir Baharom – Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Islamic Affairs)
 * Nor Mohamed Yakcop – Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economic Planning)
 * Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah – Second Minister of Finance
 * Steven Sim – Deputy Minister of Finance
 * Liew Chin Tong – Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry
 * Mah Hang Soon – Deputy Minister of Education
 * Lee Boon Chye – Deputy Minister of Health
 * Lukanisman Awang Sauni – Deputy Minister of Health
 * Hou Kok Chung – Deputy Minister of Higher Education
 * Mary Yap – Deputy Minister of Higher Education
 * Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad – Deputy Minister of Higher Education
 * Sivarasa Rasiah – Deputy Minister of Rural Development
 * Chan Foong Hin - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security
 * Tajuddin Abdul Rahman – Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry

Speakers and deputy speakers



 * Azhar Azizan Harun – 10th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat
 * Johari Abdul – 11th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat
 * Vigneswaran Sanasee – 17th President of the Dewan Negara
 * Mutang Tagal – 20th President of the Dewan Negara
 * Lau Weng San – Speaker of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly
 * Ngeh Koo Ham – Speaker of the Perak State Legislative Assembly
 * Devamany S. Krishnasamy – Speaker of the Perak State Legislative Assembly

Elected representatives

 * Awang Sariyan – Senator at the Dewan Negara At-large
 * Husam Musa – Senator at the Dewan Negara At-large
 * Rita Sarimah Patrick Insol – Senator at the Dewan Negara At-large
 * Hoh Khai Mun – Senator at the Dewan Negara for Pahang
 * Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail – Senator at the Dewan Negara for Penang
 * Nuridah Mohd Salleh – Senator at the Dewan Negara for Terengganu
 * Che Alias Hamid – Member of Parliament for Kemaman
 * Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh – Member of Parliament for Besut
 * Sabri Azit – Member of Parliament for Jerai
 * Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman – Member of Parliament for Sik
 * Hasan Arifin – Member of Parliament for Rompin
 * Hasan Bahrom – Member of Parliament for Tampin
 * Hassan Abdul Karim – Member of Parliament for Pasir Gudang
 * Noor Azmi Ghazali – Member of Parliament for Bagan Serai
 * Fasiah Fakeh – Member of Parliament for Sabak Bernam
 * Kasthuriraani Patto – Member of Parliament for Batu Kawan
 * Tan Kee Kwong – Member of Parliament for Wangsa Maju
 * Tan Yee Kew – Member of Parliament for Wangsa Maju
 * Cha Kee Chin – Member of Parliament for Rasah
 * Wong Hon Wai – Member of Parliament for Bukit Bendera
 * Khoo Poay Tiong – Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka
 * Chan Foong Hin – Member of Parliament for Kota Kinabalu
 * Vivian Wong Shir Yee – Member of Parliament for Sandakan
 * James Peter Ongkili – Member of Parliament for Tuaran
 * Masir Kujat – Member of Parliament for Sri Aman
 * Irmohizam Ibrahim – Member of Parliament for Kuala Selangor
 * Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz – Member of Parliament for Raub
 * Chow Yu Hui – Member of Parliament for Raub
 * Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki – Member of Parliament for Parit Buntar
 * Syahir Sulaiman – Member of Parliament for Bachok
 * Jailani Johari – Member of Parliament for Hulu Terengganu
 * Mahadzir Mohd Khir – Member of Parliament for Sungai Petani
 * Rahman Ismail – Member of Parliament for Gombak
 * Ng Wei Aik – Member of Parliament for Tanjong
 * K. S. Nijhar – Member of Parliament for Subang
 * Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj – Member of Parliament for Sungai Siput
 * Sivarraajh Chandran – Member of Parliament for Cameron Highlands
 * K. Pathmanaban – Member of Parliament for Teluk Kemang
 * M. Manoharan – Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Kota Alam Shah
 * Hasan Mohamed Ali – Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Gombak Setia
 * Zawawi Mughni – Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Sungai Kandis
 * Sallehen Mukhyi – Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Sabak
 * Daroyah Alwi – Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Sementa
 * Karim Mansor - Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Tanjong Sepat
 * Lee Kee Hiong - Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Kuala Kubu Baharu
 * Hee Loy Sian – Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Kajang
 * Abu Ubaidah Redza – Member of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly for Ampangan
 * Khaidirah Abu Zahar – Member of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly for Rim
 * Chew Chong Sin – Member of the Johor State Legislative Assembly for Mengkibol
 * Mohd Ramli Md Kari – Member of the Johor State Legislative Assembly for Senggarang
 * Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali – Member of the Johor State Legislative Assembly for Paloh
 * Abdul Fattah Abdullah – Member of the Pahang State Legislative Assembly for Padang Tengku
 * Muhd Fadhil Nuruddin – Member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly for Kamunting
 * Wasanthee Sinnasamy – Member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly for Hutan Melintang
 * Ahmad Lebai Sudin – Member of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly for Bukit Lada
 * Tengku Hassan Tengku Omar – Member of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly for Ladang
 * Annuar Rapa'ee – Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly for Nangka
 * Rosey Yunus – Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly for Bekenu
 * K. Mohd Ariff – Member of the Federal Legislative Council of Malaya

International politicians



 * Abdul Rahman Taib – 8th Speaker of the Brunei Legislative Council
 * Abu Bakar Apong – 5th Minister of Home Affairs of Brunei
 * Ahmad Jumat – 4th Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Brunei
 * Pengiran Mohammad – 2nd Minister of Religious Affairs of Brunei
 * Ong Pang Boon – Minister for Education of Singapore
 * S. Dhanabalan – Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore
 * Abdul Sattar Murad – Minister of Economy for Afghanistan
 * Lim Han Hoe – Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements
 * Lim Hock Siew – Singaporean political prisoner
 * Shahbaz Gill – Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan
 * Zaini Ahmad – Bruneian politician and rebel during the 1962 Brunei revolt

International relations and foreign affairs

 * Razali Ismail – 51st President of the United Nations General Assembly
 * Ajit Singh – 9th Secretary General of the ASEAN
 * Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari – 5th Secretary General of the D-8
 * Dennis Ignatius – High Commissioner of Malaysia to Canada
 * Fauziah Mohd Taib – Ambassador of Malaysia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands
 * Tommy Koh – Permanent Representative to the United Nations for Singapore
 * Gopinath Pillai – High Commissioner of Singapore to Pakistan

Military, police and security

 * Norian Mai – 6th Inspector-General of Police
 * Mohamad Fuzi Harun – 11th Inspector-General of Police
 * Noor Rashid Ibrahim – 19th Deputy Inspector-General of Police
 * Amar Singh Ishar Singh – Kuala Lumpur Chief of Police
 * Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan – 20th Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force
 * Azam Baki – 6th Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)
 * Jeewaka Ruwan Kulatunga – 3rd Chief of the Sri Lankan National Intelligence

Civil service

 * Abdullah Mohd Salleh – 5th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia
 * Abdullah Ayub – 6th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia
 * Hashim Aman – 7th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia
 * Samsudin Osman – 11th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia
 * Mohd Sidek Hassan – 12th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia
 * Ali Hamsa – 13th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia
 * Ismail Bakar – 14th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia
 * Ahmad Kamil Jaafar – 8th Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Abdul Halim bin Ali – 9th Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Othman bin Hashim – 14th Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob – 16th Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Thong Yaw Hong – 6th Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
 * Mohd. Sheriff Mohd. Kassim – 8th Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
 * Clifford F. Herbert – 9th Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
 * Aris Bin Othman @ Osman – 10th Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
 * Samsudin B. Hitam – 12th Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
 * Izzuddin Bin Dali – 13th Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
 * Wan Abd Aziz bin Wan Abdullah – 14th Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
 * Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah – 15th Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
 * Asri bin Hamidon – 17th Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
 * Ramon Navaratnam – 6th Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport
 * Othman B. Rijal – 9th Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport
 * Long See Wool – 13th Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport
 * Saripuddin Bin Hj. Kasim – 15th Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport
 * Zulkefli A. Hassan – former Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education
 * Murad Mohamed Noor – 5th Director-General of Education
 * Abdul Rahman Arshad – 6th Director-General of Education
 * Nor Zamani Abdol Hamid – 11th Director-General of Education
 * Pkharuddin Ghazali – 12th Director-General of Education
 * Husaini Omar – 8th Director-General of Higher Education
 * Sukarti Wakiman – 8th State Secretary of Sabah

Law

 * Mohamed Raus Sharif – 8th Chief Justice of Malaysia, 8th President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia
 * Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat – 10th Chief Justice of Malaysia
 * Ahmad Maarop – 10th President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia, 10th Chief Judge of Malaya
 * Rohana Yusuf – 11th President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia
 * Zaharah Ibrahim – 11th Chief Judge of Malaya
 * Azahar Mohamed – 12th Chief Judge of Malaya
 * Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim – 6th Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak
 * Abdul Rahman Sebli – 7th Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak
 * Abdul Gani Patail – 6th Attorney General of Malaysia
 * Idrus Harun – 9th Attorney General of Malaysia
 * Ahmad Terrirudin – 10th Attorney General of Malaysia
 * Ahmad Isa – 8th Attorney General of Brunei
 * Steven Thiru – 31st President of the Malaysian Bar Council
 * Muhammad Shafee Abdullah – Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia
 * Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal – Judge of the Federal Court of Malaysia
 * Mohd.Zawawi Salleh – Judge of the Federal Court of Malaysia
 * Abdul Rahman Sebli – Judge of the Federal Court of Malaysia
 * Rhozariah Bujang – Judge of the Federal Court of Malaysia
 * Hasnah Mohammed Hashim – Judge of the Federal Court of Malaysia
 * Zabariah Mohd. Yusof – Judge of the Federal Court of Malaysia
 * Zaleha Yusof – Judge of the Federal Court of Malaysia
 * Saldi Isra – Justice of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia

Academia



 * Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas – Islamic scholar and philosopher
 * Kassim Ahmad – Islamic philosopher, writer, and educator
 * Shamsul Amri Baharuddin – anthropologist, Distinguished Professor of Social Anthropology, National University of Malaysia
 * Harith Ahmad – physicist, Distinguished Professor of Physics, University of Malaya
 * Khoo Kay Kim – historian, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Malaya
 * S. Singaravelu – lawyer, Emeritus Professor of Indian Studies, University of Malaya
 * Dame Margaret Clark – political scientist, Emeritus Professor of Politics, Victoria University of Wellington
 * Lee Poh Ping – political scientist, Professor of Politics, University of Malaya and a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun
 * Wong Chin Huat - political scientist, Professor of Governance Studies, Sunway University
 * Niyaz Ahmed - molecular epidemiologist, Professor of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad
 * Werry Darta Taifur – economist, Rector of Andalas University
 * Mohd Kamal Hassan – Islamic scholar, 3rd Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia
 * Syed Arabi Idid – journalist, 4th Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia
 * Zaleha Kamarudin – lawyer, 5th Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia
 * Ungku Aziz – economist, 3rd Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
 * Mohd Taib Osman – author, 9th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
 * Abdullah Sanusi Ahmad - economist, 10th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
 * Anuar Zaini Md. Zain – endocrinologist, 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
 * Mohd. Amin Jalaludin – otologist, 15th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya
 * Ariffin Ngah Marzuki - surgeon, 2nd Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Malaysia
 * Awang Had Salleh - sociologist, 5th Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Malaysia
 * Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin - surgeon, 10th Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Malaysia
 * Noor Azlan Ghazali - economist, 11th Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Malaysia
 * Rayson Huang – chemist, 10th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong
 * Wang Gungwu – historian, 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong
 * Chuah Hean Teik – President of the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP), Former President and CEO of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)
 * Mak Joon Wah – physician, Professor of Pathology and Vice President of International Medical University
 * Megat Burhainuddin – physician, former Vice-Chancellor of Nilai University
 * Tengku Rethwan – politician, Chairman of President College
 * Khasnor Johan – author and historian
 * Mohd Fadzilah Kamsah – lecturer and motivational speaker
 * Atta ur Rehman Khan – computer scientist
 * Yoke Khin Yap - physicist, materials scientist and academic

Business, corporate and economics



 * Ali Abul Hassan bin Sulaiman – 6th Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia
 * Zeti Akhtar Aziz – 7th Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia
 * Muhammad bin Ibrahim – 8th Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia
 * Shaik Abdul Rasheed Abdul Ghaffour – 10th Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia
 * Azizan Zainul Abidin – President and CEO of Petronas
 * Amirsham Abdul Aziz – President and CEO of Maybank
 * Pahamin Rajab – Chairman and Co-Founder of AirAsia
 * Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid – Chairman of Permodalan Nasional Berhad
 * Mohd Daud Bakar – Chairman of the Shariah Advisory Councils of Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission of Malaysia
 * Rozali Ismail – Founder and Executive Chairman of Puncak Niaga Holdings Berhad
 * Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar – Founder of MK Land Holdings Berhad
 * Liew Kee Sin – Founder of SP Setia Berhad
 * Chen Lip Keong – Founder of NagaCorp Ltd
 * Teh Hong Piow – Founder and Chairman of Public Bank Berhad
 * Lim Wee-Chai – Founder and Chairman of Top Glove Corporation Bhd
 * G. Gnanalingam – Chairman of Westports Holdings
 * Hasni Harun – Chairman of Gas Malaysia
 * Abdul Aziz bin Husain – Chairman of Eksons Corporation Bhd
 * Wong Teek Son – CEO and Executive Chairman of Riverstone Holdings Limited
 * Oh Kuang Eng – Group CEO and Executive Chairman of Mi Technovation Berhad
 * Eng Piow Tan – Group Managing Director of Mitrajaya Holdings Berhad
 * Abdul Kadier Sahib – Member of the Board of Directors of Serba Dinamik Holdings Berhad
 * Alireza Yaghoubi – Co-Founder of AirGo Design
 * Syed Amin Aljeffri – Deputy President of the Malay Chamber of Commerce

Literature and the arts

 * Muhammad Haji Salleh – writer and critic, 6th Sasterawan Negara
 * Anwar Ridhwan – novelist, 10th Sasterawan Negara
 * Baha Zain – writer, 12th Sasterawan Negara
 * Zurinah Hassan – writer, 13th and first female Sasterawan Negara
 * Siti Zainon Ismail – novelist, 14th Sasterawan Negara
 * Faisal Tehrani – author and playwright, Anugerah Seni Negara winner
 * Ayman Rashdan Wong – writer and geopolitical analyst, Anugerah Buku Negara winner
 * Edwin Thumboo – poet and academician, 1979 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
 * Adibah Amin – columnist, 1983 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
 * Gopal Baratham – author and neurosurgeon, 1991 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
 * Catherine Lim – author, 1999 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
 * Rex Shelley – author and engineer, 2007 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
 * Malim Ghozali PK – novelist, 2013 Southeast Asian Writers Award winner
 * Shirley Geok-lin Lim – poet, 1980 Commonwealth Poetry Prize winner
 * Chuah Guat Eng – novelist, Malaysia's first English-language woman novelist
 * Matussin Omar – novelist, 2012 Mastera Literary Award winner
 * Dinsman – poet
 * Hilary Tham – poet
 * Anis Sabirin – writer
 * Uthaya Sankar SB – writer
 * Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof – writer
 * Daniel Dorall – sculptor

Science and medicine

 * Faiz Khaleed – dentist, Malaysian astronaut candidate
 * Siti Aisyah Alias – marine polar researcher, Deputy Director of the National Antarctic Research Centre (NARC)
 * Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud – epidemiologist, first Malaysian doctor to be awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Informatics
 * Salma Ismail – physician, first Malaysian Malay woman to qualify as a doctor
 * Chen Su Lan – physician, one of the first medical school graduates in Singapore
 * Mak Joon Wah – physician, director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Lymphatic Filariasis
 * T. A. Sinnathuray – obstetrician, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
 * Satwant Singh Dhaliwal – geneticist
 * Swee Lay Thein – hematologist
 * Susan Lim – parasitologist
 * Gloria Lim – mycologist, former director of Singapore's National Institute of Education
 * Malini Olivo – biotechnologist, Professor of Biophotonics at the National University of Ireland, Galway
 * Kalai Mathee – microbiologist, Professor of Microbiology at the Florida International University
 * Victor Lim – microbiologist, Pro Vice-Chancellor of International Medical University
 * Chua Kaw Bing – pediatrician, discoverer of Nipah virus
 * Mahaletchumy Arujanan – scientist, Global Director of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)
 * Augustine Ong – scientist, Fulbright Fellow

Sports

 * Djohar Arifin Husin – Indonesian footballer, 16th Chair of the Football Association of Indonesia
 * Shalin Zulkifli – Malaysian ten pin bowler, former World champion and ranked number one in Asia
 * Tan Aik Mong – Malaysian badminton player, former Asian single's champion
 * Yeoh Li Tian – Malaysian chess master and highest national rated player, Southeast Asian Games medalist
 * Irfan Shamsuddin – Malaysian discus thrower, Southeast Asian Games medalist
 * Jasmine Lai Pui Yee – Malaysian diver, Southeast Asian Games medalist
 * Ooi Tze Liang – Malaysian diver, Asian Games medalist
 * Bryan Nickson Lomas – Malaysian diver, Asian Games medalist
 * Woon Khe Wei – Malaysian badminton player, Asian Games medalist
 * Vivian Hoo Kah Mun – Malaysian badminton player, Asian Games medalist
 * Haziq Kamaruddin – Malaysian sport archer, Asian Games medalist
 * Pandelela Rinong – Malaysian diver, two-time Olympic Games medalist
 * M. Magendran – Malaysian mountain climber, first Malaysian to conquer Mount Everest

Media and entertainment

 * Dol Ramli – Founder of Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM)
 * Sudirman Arshad – singer and songwriter, Asia's Number One Performer at the Salem Music Award London, 1989
 * Vanida Imran – actress, model and television host
 * Ernie Zakri – singer and actress
 * Azwan Ali – media personality
 * Najwa Latif - singer
 * Rynn Lim – singer
 * Victor Gu – newscaster
 * Gary Yap – Malaysian television personality
 * Aznil Nawawi – TV host and media personality
 * Lee Han Jiet – stand-up comedian
 * Uyaina Arshad – Actress, TV host and media personality
 * Larissa Ping - model, fashion blogger and Miss World Malaysia 2018

Religion and activism

 * Luqman Abdullah – 8th Mufti of the Federal Territories
 * Sujiva – Buddhist monk and teacher of Vipassanā
 * Siti Hasmah – Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
 * Anwar Fazal – social activist, 1982 Right Livelihood Award recipient
 * Murugesan Sinnandavar - social activist and lawyer
 * Charles Hector Fernandez – human rights advocate and lawyer
 * Kem Ley – Cambodian activist and political commentator
 * Sukumari Sekhar – women's rights advocate, Founder and Deputy President of the National Council of Women's Organizations, Malaysia
 * Nalla Tan – women's rights advocate
 * Janet Yee – child's rights activist
 * Amani Williams Hunt Abdullah – social activist and Indigenous Malaysian lawyer

Notable faculty





 * Pendeta Za'aba – Father of the Modern Malay Language
 * Ch'ien Mu – One of the "Four Greatest Historians" of Modern China
 * C. Northcote Parkinson – Founder of Parkinson's Law
 * Malcolm MacDonald – 1st Governor-General of Kenya, Chancellor of the University of Malaya
 * Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak – Chancellor of the University of Malaya
 * Yeoh Ghim Seng – 5th Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore, Professor of Surgery, University of Malaya
 * Ahmad Mohamed Ibrahim – 1st Attorney General of Singapore, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya
 * Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof – 9th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat
 * Ramli Ngah Talib – 8th Menteri Besar of Perak, 7th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat
 * Abdul Ghani Othman – 14th Menteri Besar of Johor, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, University of Malaya
 * Fong Chan Onn – 2nd Minister of Human Resource, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, University of Malaya
 * Syed Hussein Alatas – 1st President of the Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, 4th Vice-Chancellor of University of Malaya
 * Md Hashim Yahaya – 4th Mufti of the Federal Territories, Director of the Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya
 * Cheong Choong Kong – Chairman of OCBC Bank and Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Airlines, Head of the Mathematics Department, University of Malaya
 * Robert Holzmann – Governor of the Austrian Central Bank, Distinguished Research Fellow, University of Malaya
 * Jeffrey Sachs – Royal Professor Ungku Aziz Chair in Poverty Studies at the Centre for Poverty and Development Studies, University of Malaya
 * Jomo Kwame Sundaram – Ranking Member of the Council of Eminent Persons, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Malaya
 * Chin Fung Kee – Emeritus Professor of Engineering, University of Malaya
 * Asmah Haji Omar – Emeritus Professor of Malay Studies, University of Malaya
 * Khairuddin Mohamed Yusof – Emeritus Professor of Medicine, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of University of Malaya
 * Lam Sai Kit – Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Malaya, prominent researcher of the Nipah virus
 * Shad Saleem Faruqi – Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Malaya
 * Muthucumaraswamy Sornarajah – Emeritus Professor of Law, National University of Singapore
 * Paul Wheatley – Emeritus Professor of History and Geography, University of Chicago
 * Anthony Reid Stanhope Reid – Emeritus Professor of History, Australian National University, Fukuoka Prize winner
 * Michael Northcott – Emeritus Professor of Ethics, University of Edinburgh
 * S. Arasaratnam – Emeritus Professor of History, University of New England (UNE)
 * Klaus Rohde – Emeritus Professor of Zoology, University of New England (UNE), Clarke Medalist
 * Amitav Acharya – Distinguished Professor of International Relations, American University
 * Swapan Kumar Chakravorty – Distinguished Professor of Humanities, Presidency University, Kolkata
 * Rajah Rasiah – Distinguished Professor of Economics, University of Malaya
 * Kamal Salih – Professor of Economics, University of Malaya, Member of Parliament for Wangsa Maju
 * Ajit Singh – Professor of Economics, University of Cambridge
 * Farish A. Noor – Professor of History, University of Malaya
 * Lloyd Fernando – Professor of English, University of Malaya
 * Sutan Takdir Alisyahbana – Professor and Director of the Academy of Malay Studies, University of Malaya
 * Leonard Andaya – Professor of Southeast Asian History, University of Hawaii at Manoa
 * Lee Ellis – Professor of Sociology, Minot State University
 * Syed Farid al-Attas – Professor of Sociology, National University of Singapore
 * Saw Swee Hock – Professor of Statistics, National University of Singapore
 * Kenelm Burridge – Professor of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
 * James Danandjaja – Professor of Anthropology, University of Indonesia
 * Hans Ras – Professor of Javanese Language and Literature, Leiden University
 * Hans Köchler – Professor of Philosophy, University of Innsbruck, President of the International Progress Organization
 * Sid Gray – Professor of International Business, University of Sydney Business School
 * Keith Lewin – Professor of International Education and Development, University of Sussex
 * Leonard Swidler – Professor of Catholic Thought and Interreligious Dialogue, Temple University
 * Stanley Kalpage – Professor of Soil Science, University of Malaya, Ceylonese Senator
 * Phang Siew Moi – Professor of Biological Science, University of Malaya
 * Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof – Professor of Theatre Studies, University of Malaya
 * Arifin Bey – Visiting Professor of Japanese History, University of Malaya
 * Hector Kinloch – Fulbright Professor of US History, University of Malaya
 * Andrew Sheng – Adjunct Professor of Economics, University of Malaya, Chairman of Securities and Futures Commission
 * Wolfgang Drechsler – Honorary Professor at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP), University College London
 * Benjamin Clemens Stone – Honorary Professor of Botany, University of Malaya
 * Azmi Sharom – Associate Professor of Law, University of Malaya, Deputy Chairman of the Election Commission
 * Rustam Sani – Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Malaya
 * Hans H. Indorf – Associate Professor of Political Science, East Carolina University
 * The Reverend Xavier Thaninayagam – Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science and Head of the Tamil Studies Department, University of Malaya
 * Nik Safiah Karim – Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science, University of Malaya
 * Mary Turnbull – Head of the History Department, University of Hong Kong
 * Nurmazilah Mahzan – Director of the Graduate Business School, University of Malaya and Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA)
 * Sheikh Zaki Badawi – Director of the Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) and Chief Imam of the London Central Mosque
 * François Pachet – Director of the Spotify Creator Technology Research Lab
 * Mahadev Shankar – Judge of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia
 * K. P. Ratnam – Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Kilinochchi and Kayts
 * Jonathan Marks, Baron Marks of Henley-on-Thames – Member of the House of Lords
 * Tony Skyrme – physicist, Hughes Medalist
 * Rupert Sheldrake – parapsychologist

Honorary graduates

 * Queen Rania Al Abdullah – the Queen of Jordan, Honorary Doctorate in International Relations
 * Sultanah Hajah Bahiyah binti Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman – the Queen of Malaysia and Sultanah of Kedah, Honorary Doctorate in Education
 * Irina Bokova – Director General of UNESCO and Minister of Foreign Affairs for Bulgaria, Honorary Doctorate in Humanities
 * Mohamed Suffian Mohamed Hashim – Lord President of the Federal Court, Honorary Doctorate of Letters
 * Jeffrey Cheah – Chairman and Founder of the Sunway Group, Honorary Doctorate of Education
 * Lee Boon Chim – Chairman of the Malaysia Derivatives Exchange and Malaysian Senator, Honorary Doctorate of Law
 * Lee Kong Chian – Philanthropist and Founder of the Lee Foundation, Honorary Doctorate of Law
 * Harussani Zakaria – Mufti of Perak, Honorary Doctorate in Shariah
 * Richard Olaf Winstedt – President of Raffles College, Honorary Doctorate of Law
 * Just Faaland – Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute and formulator of the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP), Honorary Doctorate of Economics
 * Philip Manson-Bahr – Director of the Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Honorary Doctorate in Medicine
 * Rafael M. Salas – Head of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Honorary Doctorate