Renowned economist Madeline Berma passes away at 64
by Matthew Umpang · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (Dec 30): Renowned economist and former Suhakam commissioner Datuk Prof Dr Madeline Berma passed away at her residence in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor today.
Her passing was shared on Facebook by friends, including Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)’s Prof Tan Sri Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali.
The 64-year-old Sarawakian, who was a Fellow of the Malaysian Future Institute and a recently appointed member of the Sarawak Economic Action Council, was widely regarded as one of nation’s leading experts on the intersection of poverty and human rights.
She leaves behind a profound legacy as a champion of the poor and a defender of indigenous rights.
During her tenure with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, she was celebrated for her ‘bottom-up’ approach to economics, consistently prioritising the voices of those in the interior over sterile data.
Madeline was a fierce advocate for a rights-based approach to Native Customary Rights land, arguing that for the Orang Asal, land was a fundamental right tied to identity rather than a mere asset.
She was known for her hands-on leadership, often leaving the office for ‘Suhakam Bersama Masyarakat’ sessions in longhouses and plantations to ensure the commission served as a shield for the marginalised.
Among her most significant contributions was her work on the documentation crisis in rural Sarawak, as she frequently highlighted how a lack of identification documents was the beginning of poverty for children denied access to schooling and healthcare.
In January 2025, the Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg appointed her to the Sarawak Economic Action Council to help shape the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 and the 13th Malaysia Plan.
Her passing marks the loss of a tireless advocate who dedicated her life to ensuring that economic development never ignored human dignity.
Madeline is also known for her unwavering commitment to people-centred development, particularly in advancing the socio-economic rights of indigenous and marginalised communities in Malaysia.
A proud Sarawakian of Iban descent, she traced her roots to Banting, Lingga in the Sri Aman Division.
Born on May 5, 1961, she grew up in a rural longhouse, where communal bonds, ancestral land, and shared responsibility shaped daily life.
This upbringing profoundly influenced her worldview and later defined her distinctive “bottom-up” approach to economics.
Her academic career spanned 35 years at UKM, where she served as an associate professor in the Faculty of Economics and Management until 2018.
Beyond teaching, she was widely respected as a mentor and institution builder.
From 2011 to 2016, she headed the Tun Fatimah Hashim Women’s Leadership Centre, playing a key role in nurturing women leaders and strengthening gender-responsive policy thinking in Malaysia.
Madeline also held several national-level appointments, reflecting her stature as a public intellectual.
She is remembered not only as an accomplished economist and human rights advocate but also as a voice for those often excluded from policy conversations, transforming lived experience into principled scholarship and meaningful national impact.