KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Noriah Kasnon, 52, a lawyer by training, shot into prominence in politics after being appointed the Information Ministry's Parliamentary secretary in March 2004 after winning the Sungai Besar Parliamentary seat.
After four years in the ministry, Noriah who had a Law degree from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (1988), and actively involved in Umno since 1992, was promoted as Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development in former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's cabinet.
In 2005, Noriah was elected Selangor Wanita Umno Information Bureau chief and also elected as a member of the national Wanita Umno bureau.
In April 2009, she was appointed Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water when Datuk Seri Najib Razak became the Prime Minister and in 2012 moved to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry as Deputy Minister.
A year later, after the 2013 general election, Noriah was appointed Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities and served in the capacity until her death in the helicopter crash yesterday.
The Tanjung Karang born Noriah leaves behind four children - two boys and two girls.