KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain, chairman of Tabung Haji’s board of directors, has been appointed as the 10th president of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) for a three-year term starting today.
The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) confirmed the appointment in a statement, noting that IIUM’s Constitutional Head, Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, approved the selection.
Abdul Rashid succeeds Tan Sri Samsudin Osman, whose tenure as the ninth president concluded.
A prominent figure in Malaysia’s corporate sector, Abdul Rashid is the founder of Rashid Hussain Berhad (RHB) Banking Group.
He joined IIUM’s board of governors in 2018 and has served as pro-chancellor of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) since 2023.
MOHE highlighted his strong credentials in Islamic finance as a key factor in his appointment. “The ministry is confident that Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain’s leadership will strengthen IIUM’s position as an Islamic values-based academic hub while boosting its national and international competitiveness,” the statement read.
The ministry also extended gratitude to outgoing president Samsudin Osman for his contributions.
