From kampung boy to governor – a journey of grit and fate

Free Malaysia Today

20-05-2025

For Ramli Ngah Talib, life revolves around service to the nation and leaving a legacy.
GEORGE TOWN : For newly appointed Penang governor Ramli Ngah Talib, life has always been about being in the right place at the right time.
'I didn't expect it. I had aspired to reach the post at some point, but when it came, it was still a big surprise,' said the 84-year-old as he reflected on his life's journey.
Born in 1941, just before the start of the Japanese Occupation, and raised in Teluk Intan, Perak, Ramli's early years were marked by hardship. He and his family lived hand to mouth, making do with whatever they had daily.
'There was no encouragement, nothing that helped you grow intellectually or mentally. But that hardship became a foundation. It toughened me. It taught me that survival comes from discipline and hard work,' he said in an interview with FMT.
Ramli credits his success today to his late mother, Baidah Abdul Mutalib, who insisted that he and his four siblings study hard.
'My mother was one of the few women who could read and write then. She could have been a teacher, but she gave it up for the family,' he said.
Ramli enrolled in a Malay school where he studied up to Year Five before completing his primary education at St Anthony's School in Teluk Intan. He then went to the Anglo-Chinese School where started learning English.
Despite the odds he passed the Lower Certificate of Education and Malayan Certificate of Education, which led to him being accepted into the Malay College Kuala Kangsar for Sixth Form.
Ramli won a scholarship to read law at Queen's University Belfast and was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn.
On his return to Malaysia, he worked briefly as a Science and English teacher at a school in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, and then a law lecturer at Institut Teknologi Mara, before becoming the National Electricity Board's (the precursor of Tenaga Nasional Bhd) first in-house legal counsel.
Then began his rapid rise in politics.
From state leadership to national platform
In just three years, Ramli rose from deputy chief of an Umno branch to assemblyman for Kampung Gajah and then to Perak menteri besar. 'It all just fell into place,' he recalled.
Ramli assumed the role of menteri besar in 1983 upon the death of his predecessor Wan Mohamed Wan Teh. He went on to serve in the same position for 17 years, making him the longest serving menteri besar in Perak.
'I didn't ask for it but I was already a state executive councillor and next in line when the post fell vacant. I suppose you can say it was fate, or kismet. I happened to be in the right place at the right time,' he said.
In the 1999 election, he won the Pasir Salak parliamentary seat, which he served for two terms.
After a term as deputy transport minister, Ramli was appointed Dewan Rakyat speaker in 2004, a position he held until 2008.
Recalling his time managing proceedings in Parliament, Ramli prides himself as a speaker who allowed space for debate, even when things got heated.
'I never once expelled anyone. They had a job to do, which was to speak for their constituents. If things got too heated, I would just suspend the sitting for 15 or 30 minutes. That was enough,' he said.
After leaving the political arena, Ramli kept himself busy by scaling mountains in various countries, including Malaysia's revered Gunung Tahan, in between looking after his seven grandchildren.
He also reached out to troubled government-linked companies to offer help pro bono but never heard from them.
'I didn't expect to get a (government) post again. But I kept active and wrote a few books. I said, if no one appoints me to any government posts, I'll just write and climb,' he said.
Reconciling history with duty
Ramli, known for his writings on anti-colonial movements in Perak, also reflected on the irony of his new position being rooted in colonial practices.
However, he has reconciled this by turning to Penang's unique and inclusive past.
'The British were smart enough to let people come and build Penang together with them. Penang became a port with opportunities, and people swarmed in. They let everyone take part. They didn't feel the pinch like we did in Perak.
'In Perak, the British just came in, imposed taxes, when before, it was the 'orang besar' (nobles) who collected them. Definitely there was conflict,' he said.
Ramli said his appointment was consistent with Penang's unique character, adding that the island was built as a city that was 'always open' and 'should remain open'.
With his deep love for writing, especially on Malay history and civilisation, Ramli has authored several books covering empires like Srivijaya and Melaka. He acknowledged these were 'pro-Malay writings' but maintained that they were based on historical facts.
He believes writing leaves a lasting legacy. 'If I had taken more jobs, I'd have earned more and lived better. But books last longer. They're for posterity.'
Although he never expected to become governor, Ramli sees the role as part of a lifelong journey of service and meaning.
Now, in Penang, he wants to reconnect people with the country's institutions, worrying that many young Malaysians no longer understand the constitutional structure.
'Youngsters don't know the role of the governor, or even the branches of government. It's not their fault, it's because they're not taught. We need to start in schools, have talks, essay competitions, and make the constitution interesting,' he added.