Datin Paduka Profesor Emeritus Zuraina Majid

Full name: Datin Paduka Dato' Profesor Emeritus Siti Zuraina bt Abdul Majid
DOB: 3 October 1944, Kuala Lumpur
Occupation: Former lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia based in Minden, Penang; Malaysia's head archeologist; retired from USM. Now working in KL (25 Oct 2022).

Prof Zuraina looking down the microscope eyepiece. Looking on are Prof Omar Othman (VC USM, left) and 2 other men. Source: USM pic

Professor Siti Zuraina bt Abdul Majid is popularly known as Prof. Zuraina Majid. By profession, she is an archaeologist. She is Malaysia's #1 archaeologist.

Prof. Zuraina was with USM for a long time when I came to know about her. When we met, she would smile at me. Of course I would smile back without knowing it is her as I have only met her twice, and I forget what she looks like the moment I don't see her.

She was on the Interview Panel for promotion to Associate Professor at USM. She only smiled at me at my interview; I hardly recognised her as I hardly saw her before my interview. I remember a woman with bob hair on the panel.

Affandi and I returned to USM as he thinks I must try to meet Prof. Zuraina again to catch up on old times. We visited her old workplace next to Museum USM, after a history seminar on campus - Seminar Kesultanan Melayu Melaka, 20-21 October 2011.

Centre for Global Archaeology at USM in Minden, Penang.

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Prof Zuraina retired from USM. She continued to work in her post-retirement years. She was with Jabatan Warisan Negara in Kuala Lumpur. Her signature and name are inscribed on many heritage plaques throughout Malaysia.

Datin Paduka Dato' Profesor Emeritus
Siti Zuraina bt Abdul Majid
(Pesuruhjaya Warisan)
JABATAN WARISAN NEGARA
Bangunan Pentadbiran
Istana Negara (Lama)
Jalan Istana
50460 Kuala Lumpur
www.heritage.gov.my

Warisan plaque at Fort Cornwallis, Georgetown, Penang.

Contact for Jabatan Warisan Negara:

JABATAN WARISAN NEGARA
Bangunan Pentadbiran
Istana Negara (Lama)
Jalan Istana
50460 Kuala Lumpur
www.heritage.gov.my

No. Tel : 03-2260 9000
No. Faks : 03-2272 1392

Amir Md Wal
Pegawai Warisan
016-286 8586
No. Tel : 03-2260 9000
No. Faks : 03-2272 1392
- En Amir has changed job position; another person took over from him

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Marriage

Husband: Prof Emeritus Vincent Lowe (ex-USM). He is deceased.
Children: 2

I read in the papers that the couple have a pair of kids, ... now all grown up.

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Sibs:

1. Datuk Dr Lily Majid  (born 14 March 1921 KL; eldest; deceased; died 8 Jan 2010 PJ, aged 88; 3 grandchildren)
2. Datuk Paduka Dr Ruby Abdul Majeed (born 6 November 1924 KL; an early Malay doctor whom I mentioned in my book, MBBS 1959 Adelaide; deceased Sept 2013, aged 89)*
3. Ismail (deceased)
4. Rozina Majeed (deceased)
5. Dato Hamzah bin Abdul Majeed (married Datin Freida Mohd Pilus)
6. Datuk Ann Majeed (deceased)
7. Prof Datuk Dr Siti Zuraina Abdul Majeed (youngest girl; married Prof Vincent Lowe; 2 kids)
8. Zain (deceased)

*Dr Ruby Majid:

• Medical studies in Australia: http://trove.nla.gov.au - malay girl doctor
• Malay Girl Here To Become Doctor. (1948, April 13). The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950), p. 6 Edition: HOME. Retrieved September 6, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article80799117
• Qualification: MBBS 1959 University of Adelaide
• Private practice: Clinic Drs Syed Mahmood & Ruby Majeed, Kuala Lumpur
• married Dr Syed Mahmood; 3 kids = 1 girl + 2 sons (1 son died, left 2; 1 girl in Australia, 1 son in PJ). Dr Sharifah Sorayya Syed Mahmood in Australia. 
• Dr Syed Mahmood passed away first.
• Dr Ruby died in Australia and is buried in Australia.

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FAMILY TREE

I first came to know that she is a relative, from Bapak. Bapak said that Prof Zuraina is our relative.

I do not know how we are related but she is on Bapak's side. I have not been able to work out her links to our family.

Bapak invited Prof Zuraina to my wedding in Penang. Prof Zuraina came to my wedding (held at night) at Minden Heights in Penang on 23 June 1983. Bapak kept a photo of her at my wedding. Bapak said she sat near the door. I saw the photo after my wedding, but I don't have it anywhere with me now. I remember seeing a small lady in blue sitting near the door - that was her. I didn't know her at the time of my wedding, but Bapak asked me to salam her.  

I met her again at my Associate Professor interview at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. She was one of the 3 panel members. She only smiled at me and did not ask me anything. I think she remembered me, but I had guessed it was her as I had never spoken to her. She had bob hair. 

I have never met her siblings or her parents. I heard names like Zuraina Majid and Lily Majid, but not Ruby Majid. Zuraina had lived in Penang when she headed the Archaeology Department at USM in Minden, Penang. In our family circle, we refer to her work as 'kerja cungkil batu' or 'korek batu'. That is how I remember her too. 

En Amir had shown my book, Biography of the Early Malay Doctors 1900-1957 Malaya and Singapore, to Datin Paduka Profesor Emeritus Zuraina Majid (Pesuruhjaya Warisan), and she was touched as I had written about her elder sister, Dr Ruby Majid. 

I met her husband, Prof Vincent Lowe, at a function. I told him that his wife (Prof. Zuraina) and I are related and he drew a blank! Hahaha .... so much for trying to find out who's who! 

My former dormmate at TKC, Wan Munirah bt Dato Wan Puteh (MCE 1975) knows Datuk Hamzah Abdul Majeed. 

http://www.geni.com/people/private/6000000000993040206

https://www.geni.com/family-tree/index/6000000000663088153#6000000035962246423

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