KUALA LUMPUR: Economist Datuk Dr Mahani Zainal Abidin (pic), who was involved in the formulation of policies during the 1998 economic crises, has died.
The chief executive officer of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Isis) died of cancer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital at about 2pm yesterday. She was 59.
Dr Mahani is survived by her husband Hamidon Howell Miller and her son James Imran Miller.
Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs head Wan Saiful Wan Jan said that he was shocked to hear of Dr Mahani’s demise.
He described her as a gracious, strong and warm person.
“I am personally indebted to her for the assistance she gave me in setting up Ideas back in 2010.
“Her help and advice were instrumental to getting Ideas off the ground,” he said in a statement.
Dr Mahani was a professor at the Department of Applied Economics at Universiti Malaya.
In 2001, she was appointed as the head of the Special Consultancy Team on Globalisation of the National Economic Action Council.
From 2005 to 2007 she was the Higher Education Ministry deputy director-general (private institutions of higher learning).
She was also a member of the board of trustees of the 1Malaysia Foundation, a commissioner of the Public Land Transport Commission, the deputy president of the Malaysian Economic Association and member of the International Steering Committee for Pacific Trade and Development.
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