Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak (1889 â 26 July 1956) was a Malay physician in British Malaya. A contemporaneous obituary in The Straits Times described him as a âÂÂMalay pioneer in medicineâÂÂ. He is included in Faridah Abd RashidâÂÂs biographical compilation of early Malay doctors in Malaya and Singapore (1900âÂÂ1957).
Faridah Abd Rashid identifies Abdul Latiff as belonging to the early cohort of Malay doctors trained through the colonial medical education system centred in Singapore in the early twentieth century. A Malaysian historical study notes variations in reported completion dates, citing the 1956 Straits Times obituary while discussing earlier institutional records.
Abdul Latiff served within the colonial medical framework during a period when Malay participation in professional public service positions was expanding. Physicians of his generation were instrumental in extending Western medical practice to local populations in urban and district settings under British administration.
Abdul LatiffâÂÂs professional standing was acknowledged in contemporary press coverage at the time of his death. His obituary in The Straits Times characterised him as a pioneering Malay figure in medicine.
In Malaysia, institutional recognition of his contribution includes:
These commemorations reflect continuing acknowledgment of his role in the early development of Malay participation in Western medicine.