Global Leaderboard 100 in view

Most Famous People from Malaysia

All 152,953
Malaysia 306
3,098 MY Michelle Yeoh Michelle Yeoh Malaysian Actor b. 1962
3,989 MM Mahathir Mohamad Mahathir Mohamad Malaysian Politician b. 1925
17,426 NR Najib Razak Najib Razak Malaysian Politician b. 1953
19,421 AR Abdul Razak Hussein Abdul Razak Hussein Malaysian Politician 1922–1976
20,112 SN Siti Nurhaliza Siti Nurhaliza Malaysian Artist b. 1979
26,270 LC Lee Chong Wei Lee Chong Wei Malaysian Badminton b. 1982
34,992 AA Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Malaysian Minister b. 1939
35,644 C Che'Nelle Che'Nelle Malaysian Singer b. 1983
38,825 AL Angelica Lee Angelica Lee Malaysian Actor b. 1976
41,823 JC Jimmy Choo Jimmy Choo Malaysian Designer b. 1961
51,570 HO Hussein Onn Malaysian Politician 1922–1990
54,992 AS Azlan Shah of Perak Azlan Shah of Perak Malaysian Judge 1928–2014
55,809 FL Fish Leong Fish Leong Malaysian Singer b. 1978
58,611 PR Pandelela Rinong Pandelela Rinong Malaysian Diver b. 1993
60,689 CP Chin Peng Malaysian Politician 1924–2013
65,157 YA Yasmin Ahmad Yasmin Ahmad Malaysian Screenwriter 1958–2009
65,212 L Lat Lat Malaysian Cartoonist b. 1951
78,150 LK Lim Kit Siang Lim Kit Siang Malaysian Politician b. 1941
80,396 NA Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat Malaysian Politician 1931–2015
84,488 SS Safee Sali Safee Sali Malaysian Football b. 1984
89,107 N Namewee Namewee Malaysian Film b. 1983
98,413 OJ Onn Jaafar Malaysian Politician 1895–1962
106,387 MD Mokhtar Dahari Mokhtar Dahari Malaysian Football 1953–1991
118,480 LG Lim Goh Tong Lim Goh Tong Malaysian Entrepreneur 1918–2007
120,348 AS Ahmad Shah of Pahang Ahmad Shah of Pahang Malaysian Sovereign 1930–2019
120,602 RS Rashid Sidek Rashid Sidek Malaysian Badminton b. 1968
121,921 GC Gary Chaw Gary Chaw Malaysian Singer b. 1979
122,032 MO Mazlan Othman Mazlan Othman Malaysian Physicist b. 1951
122,393 SR Safiq Rahim Safiq Rahim Malaysian Football b. 1987
130,347 SA Shahnon Ahmad Shahnon Ahmad Malaysian Politician 1933–2017
145,734 NM Noordin Mohammad Top Malaysian Politician 1968–2009
146,336 WL Wu Lien-teh Wu Lien-teh Malaysian Physician 1879–1960
147,110 AA Azizulhasni Awang Azizulhasni Awang Malaysian Sport b. 1988
152,418 PT Penny Tai Penny Tai Malaysian Singer b. 1978
155,041 S( Sudirman (singer) Sudirman (singer) Malaysian Lawyer 1954–1992
155,120 TR Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah Malaysian Politician b. 1937
160,809 MA Mohd Amri Yahyah Malaysian Football b. 1981
163,460 AH Abdul Hadi Awang Malaysian Politician b. 1947
171,845 JP Joseph Pairin Kitingan Joseph Pairin Kitingan Malaysian Lawyer b. 1940
173,069 A Awie Awie Malaysian Singer b. 1968
176,124 PT Pete Teo Malaysian Singer b. 1972
181,602 GS Ghazali Shafie Malaysian Politician 1922–2010
187,257 MF Mohd Faiz Subri Mohd Faiz Subri Malaysian Football b. 1987
187,422 RA Raja Ali Haji Raja Ali Haji Malaysian Poet 1808–1873
191,809 SO Sirajuddin of Perlis Sirajuddin of Perlis Malaysian Sultan b. 1943
193,285 IN Ismail Nasiruddin of Terengganu Malaysian Sovereign 1907–1970
193,729 SC Soh Chin Aun Soh Chin Aun Malaysian Football b. 1950
193,929 DG Dorce Gamalama Dorce Gamalama Malaysian Actor b. 1963
194,191 AS A. Samad Said A. Samad Said Malaysian Poet b. 1935
197,023 SA Salleh Abas Malaysian Judge b. 1929
200,136 GV Goh V Shem Goh V Shem Malaysian Badminton b. 1989
200,290 ZA Zainal Abidin Ahmad (writer) Malaysian Politician 1895–1973
202,228 HG Henry Gurney Henry Gurney Malaysian Diplomat 1898–1951
203,711 M Mawi Mawi Malaysian Singer b. 1981
204,398 GB Ghafar Baba Malaysian Deputy 1925–2006
205,007 SS Shaheizy Sam Shaheizy Sam Malaysian Actor b. 1982
205,602 VT V. T. Sambanthan Malaysian Politician 1919–1979
205,726 AB Abu Bakar of Johor Abu Bakar of Johor Malaysian Sovereign 1833–1895
206,023 JV Jaclyn Victor Jaclyn Victor Malaysian Singer b. 1978
207,403 SO Salahuddin of Selangor Salahuddin of Selangor Malaysian Sultan 1926–2001
213,101 LJ Liyana Jasmay Malaysian Singer b. 1988
215,013 YA Yap Ah Loy Yap Ah Loy Malaysian Politician 1837–1885
216,889 FS Fuad Stephens Fuad Stephens Malaysian Politician 1920–1976
217,274 HO Hairuddin Omar Hairuddin Omar Malaysian Football b. 1979
217,446 IO Imee Ooi Malaysian Singer
221,787 AR Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli Malaysian Football b. 1981
232,676 AN Ah Niu Ah Niu Malaysian Singer b. 1976
242,277 RA Rafidah Aziz Rafidah Aziz Malaysian Politician b. 1943
246,081 E( Ella (Malaysian singer) Ella (Malaysian singer) Malaysian Singer b. 1966
252,325 JB Jugah Barieng Malaysian Politician 1903–1981
253,859 U Uroob Uroob Malaysian Author 1915–1979
258,419 SC Shaun Chen Shaun Chen Malaysian Actor b. 1978
259,426 FM Fatehah Mustapa Fatehah Mustapa Malaysian Sport b. 1989
260,072 KJ Kamarudin Jaffar Kamarudin Jaffar Malaysian Politician b. 1951
261,144 FB Fung Bo Bo Fung Bo Bo Malaysian Actor b. 1954
262,259 IA Izara Aishah Izara Aishah Malaysian Actress b. 1992
264,821 LC Liew Chin Tong Liew Chin Tong Malaysian Politician b. 1977
267,022 AH Abdullah Hussain Abdullah Hussain Malaysian Novelist 1920–2014
268,632 EF Erra Fazira Erra Fazira Malaysian Singer b. 1974
269,908 NF Nor Farhan Muhammad Malaysian Football b. 1984
273,215 N Neelofa Neelofa Malaysian Model b. 1989
276,372 AR Abdul Rahman of Negeri Sembilan Abdul Rahman of Negeri Sembilan Malaysian Politician 1895–1960
289,107 AR Abdul Rahman Ya'kub Malaysian Lawyer 1928–2015
293,386 IA Ibrahim Ali (politician) Ibrahim Ali (politician) Malaysian Politician b. 1957
296,345 MV Malaysia Vasudevan Malaysian Actor 1944–2011
298,833 AA Azyumardi Azra Azyumardi Azra Malaysian Historian b. 1955
301,523 GJ Goh Jin Wei Goh Jin Wei Malaysian Badminton b. 2000
303,277 ZM Zainuddin Maidin Malaysian Journalist 1939–2018
311,273 AZ Anuar Zain Anuar Zain Malaysian Singer b. 1970
314,202 MM Muhammad Muhammad Taib Muhammad Muhammad Taib Malaysian Politician b. 1945
315,057 WS Woon Swee Oan Malaysian Writer b. 1954
318,457 YT Yong Teck Lee Malaysian Politician b. 1958
327,188 FK Foo Kok Keong Malaysian Badminton b. 1963
329,904 MS Melvin Sia Malaysian Actor b. 1979
338,315 EH Eddy Helmi Abdul Manan Malaysian Football b. 1979
348,195 ZA Zambry Abdul Kadir Zambry Abdul Kadir Malaysian Politician b. 1962
352,555 DA Djamaluddin Adinegoro Djamaluddin Adinegoro Malaysian Writer 1904–1967
357,290 ZA Zulkiflee Anwar Haque Zulkiflee Anwar Haque Malaysian Cartoonist b. 1962
359,184 AA Ahmad Amsyar Azman Malaysian Diver b. 1992
365,633 AM Ashaari Mohammad Unknown 1937–2010
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside Malaysia

306 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Malaysia during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in Malaysia peaked in the 1980s with 47 people.

What Malaysia Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Politics & Law is Malaysia's biggest group — 34% of all notables (104).

Malaysia over-indexes on politics & law — 1.6× the global rate.

Malaysia under-produces writing — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Politics & Law104
  2. Sports84
  3. Film & TV32
  4. Music20
  5. Other19
  6. Writing14
  7. Science10
  8. Art & Design8
  1. Politics & Law1041.6×
  2. Film & TV321.5×
  1. Writing140.4×
  2. Science100.4×
  3. Art & Design80.5×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Malaysia's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other

Datelines

The biggest birthplaces of fame — every city is a doorway.