Kamal bin Mat Salih (1946 – 6 March 2025) was a Malaysian economist, physician, policy advisor, academic administrator and politician. He served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wangsa Maju from April 1995 to November 1999. He was a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
He earned B.A. (Hons) from Monash University and a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973. He was a professor, dean and deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Science, Malaysia between 1973 and 1985. From 1986 to 1994, he was executive director of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research. He also served as a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Panel in 1981–1986, advising Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. He was also a member of the Malaysian Business Council 1991–1996 and was rapporteur-general of the first National Economic Consultative Council 1989–1991.
He co-founded the International Medical University (IMU) in 1993 and served as its first president until 2001 and as executive chairman until 2003. After leaving IMU, he served as economic advisor to the National Implementation Task Force, a high-level group of experts established by the government of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He is now professor of economics and development studies at the University of Malaya.People at the Peak: The Who's who of Malaysia (p. 343), MI Pub. Sdn. Bhd., 2005Kamal Salih
Election results + Parliament of Malaysia Percentage figures based on total turnout.YearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout1995P105 Wangsa MajuKamal Salih (UMNO)35,88481.79%Aliah Nani (S46)7,99018.21%48,72527,89474.73%
Honours Honours of Malaysia
Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (2008) Companion of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (JMN) (1984) Officer of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (KMN) (1980)
Officer of the Order of the Defender of State (DSPN) – Dato' (1986)
Academic awards D.Litt (Hon), Dundee D.Laws, honoris causa, Dalhousie D.Science (Hon), Thomas Jefferson D.Science (Hon), Strathclyde
References