She was a member of the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) party and was a Deputy Minister in the Barisan Nasional (BN) governments of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak.
[4] Noriah and her husband, Asmuni Abdullah died in an AS 350 helicopter crash near Sebuyau, Sarawak.
The crash also killed Dato' Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, the member of Parliament for Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Chairman of Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and Datuk Dr Sundaran Annamalai, Secretary-General of Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities.
[8][9][10] Her remains were flown back to Selangor and buried at the Muslim Cemetery in Batu 12 Sungai Burong, Sabak Bernam.
[11][10] On 4 June 2016, in conjunction with the birthday of the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah of Kedah conferred Noriah Kasnon the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) award posthumously, which carries the title "Tan Sri".