SHAH Alam has made history with the appointment of its first female mayor.
Datuk Zabidah Safar officially reported for duty yesterday as the 13th mayor, marking a significant leadership transition for the city.
Her appointment also means that Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) is now helmed by two women, as Safriah Md Adzhar was appointed deputy mayor in August last year.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place today at 9.30am at Wisma MBSA.
Zabidah has three decades of experience in public service.
She succeeded Datuk Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yatim, who now heads the Department of Director General of Lands and Mines (Federal) under the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry.
She also holds two degrees in Public Administration and Economics from Universiti Malaya.
Zabidah started her career as an assistant secretary at the Home Affairs Ministry in 1995 before becoming an assistant director with the Public Service Department (Human Resource Division) from November 2001 to December 2002.
She was appointed as assistant secretary with the Selangor government (Human Resource Division) in 2002.
Subsequently, she held high positions in the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI), Hulu Langat District and Land Office in 2008, and Selangor Treasury Department in 2009.
She returned to MITI as Finance Division director in 2011.
In 2017, she was promoted to senior director at MITI’s Industry and Trade Support Division before her last position as Penang state financial officer from September 2022.
