Abdul Razak Hussein

Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1970 to 1976 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abdul Razak bin Hussein (Jawi: عبد الرزاق بن حسين; 11 March 1922 – 14 January 1976) was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who served as the second prime minister of Malaysia from 1970 until his death in 1976. He also served as the first deputy prime minister of Malaysia from 1957 to 1970. He is referred to as the "Father of Development" ("Bapa Pembangunan") of Malaysia.

Monarchs
Deputy
Preceded byTunku Abdul Rahman
Succeeded byHussein Onn
Quick facts 2nd Prime Minister of Malaysia, Monarchs ...
Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun
Abdul Razak Hussein
DMN DK I (Pahang) DK (Kelantan) SMN DUK SIMP SPMJ SPMK SPMS SPMP SPCM DUPN SPDK SPMT DP SPMP SPMB DPMB GCMG
عبد الرزاق حسين‎
Abdul Razak at Soestdijk Palace, 1968.
2nd Prime Minister of Malaysia
In office
22 September 1970 – 14 January 1976
Monarchs
Deputy
Preceded byTunku Abdul Rahman
Succeeded byHussein Onn
President of UMNO
In office
25 January 1971 – 14 January 1976
Preceded byTunku Abdul Rahman
Succeeded byHussein Onn
Ministerial portfolios
Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
In office
31 August 1957 – 22 September 1970
Monarchs
  • Abdul Rahman
  • Hisamuddin
  • Putra
  • Ismail Nasiruddin
  • Abdul Halim
Prime MinisterTunku Abdul Rahman
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byIsmail Abdul Rahman
Menteri Besar of Pahang
In office
1 February 1955 – 15 June 1955
MonarchAbu Bakar
Preceded byTengku Muhamad Sultan Ahmad
Succeeded byTengku Muhamad Sultan Ahmad
Minister
1955–1957Education
1957–1970Defence
1957–1970National and Rural Development
1967–1969Home Affairs
1970–1975Foreign Affairs
1974Finance
1974–1976Defence
Parliamentary offices
Member of Parliament
for Pekan
In office
11 September 1959 – 14 January 1976[a]
Preceded byConstituency created
Succeeded byNajib Razak
Political positions
1950–1951Leader of UMNO Youth
1970–1973Leader of Alliance Party
1973–1976Chairman of Barisan Nasional
Personal details
BornAbdul Razak bin Hussein
(1922-03-11)11 March 1922
Pekan, Pahang, Federated Malay States
Died14 January 1976(1976-01-14) (aged 53)
London, England
Resting placeMakam Pahlawan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Party
Other political
affiliations
Spouse
​
(m. 1952)​
Children5 (including Najib and Nazir)
Parents
EducationMalay College Kuala Kangsar
Alma mater
AwardsFull list
Military service
Branch/serviceAskar Wataniah Pahang
Years of service1941–1945
RankCaptain
UnitForce 136
Battles/warsWorld War II
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During his term as prime minister, Abdul Razak launched the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP), a program aimed at reducing the socioeconomic disparity between ethnic communities, particularly those of the ethnic Malay and Chinese.[1] He also oversaw a realignment of Malaysia foreign policy away from his predecessor's pro-West and anti-Communist attitude and towards neutrality, with the country becoming a member of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1970. Abdul Razak was also the figure responsible for setting up Barisan Nasional (BN), a political coalition which held power uninterrupted from its inception in 1974 to 2018.[2]

His eldest son, Najib Razak, became the sixth prime minister in 2009; however, later became infamous for his involvement in the 1MDB corruption scandal, which led to his conviction on multiple charges of corruption, abuse of power, and money laundering.

Early life and education

Born in Kampung Pulau Keladi, a village located northwest of Pekan, Pahang on 11 March 1922,[3] Abdul Razak is the first of two children to Hussein Awang bin Mohd Taib (1898–1950) and Fatimah binti Daud (1906–1968). An aristocratic descendant holding the title Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar, Abdul Razak studied at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar.

After joining the Malay Administrative Service in 1938, he was awarded a scholarship to study at Raffles College in Singapore in 1940. His studies at the college ceased with the onset of the Second World War. During the war he helped organise the Wataniah resistance movement in Pahang.[4]

After World War II, Abdul Razak left for Britain in 1948 to study law. In 1950, he received a law degree and qualified as a barrister at Lincoln's Inn in London. During his student days in England, Abdul Razak was a member of the British Labour Party and a prominent student leader of the Malay Association of Great Britain, and formed the student association Malayan Forum.

Involvement in World War II

After his studies were interrupted in 1942 because of World War II, Abdul Razak returned to Kuantan, Pahang. There, he met his former colleague from the Malay Administrative Service, Yeop Mahidin, and expressed his interest in joining the Malay Regiment (now Royal Malay Regiment). Mahidin, who was also the founder of Askar Wataniah Pahang ('Pahang State Territorial Army'; precursor of the Rejimen Askar Wataniah), recruited Razak into his new guerrilla force. Upon the completion of his training, Razak was instructed to join the Japanese Malayan Civil Service as an agent and informant.

Razak, as an aristocrat and son of a respected Malay leader in Pahang, was posted to his home state of Pahang as an assistant to District Officer and at the same time as a bridge for the Japanese to gain the trust of local Malays. Using his privileges as an aristocrat, Razak started networking with the Imperial Japanese Forces while maintaining his connection with Yeop Mahidin. His role as an informant inside the Japanese Administration was only known to a few. Because of this, Razak was labelled as a traitor by the rest of the Wataniah Pahang.

As the Malay population received preferential treatment compared to other ethnic groups, it was not fully trusted by the British to oppose the Japanese occupation. Nevertheless, the Askar Wataniah Pahang with its 200 members were absorbed into the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and organised under Force 136.

Force 136 Pahang's missions' continuous success made the Japanese Administration begin to suspect that there were informants inside their administration. Force 136 Pahang quickly set up an extraction mission to recover their agent, Razak, who was still unknown to many of its members.

Early political career

Deputy Prime Minister Razak greeting New Zealand Prime Minister Walter Nash in 1960.
Deputy Prime Minister Razak with U.S. President John F. Kennedy in the White House, 1961

Upon his return from the United Kingdom, in 1950, Tun Razak joined the Malayan Civil Service.[3] Owing to his political calibre, he became the youth chief for United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). Two years later, he worked as the Assistant State Secretary of Pahang and in February 1955, at just 33 years of age, became Pahang's Chief Minister.[5]

Razak stood in and won a seat in Malaya's first general elections in July 1955 and was appointed as the Education Minister. He was instrumental in the drafting of the Razak Report which formed the basis of the Malayan education system. Tun Razak was also a key member of the February 1956 mission to London to seek the independence of Malaya from the British.[3]

He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence in 1957 and, after the 1959 general election, also held the Ministry of National and Rural Development portfolio. His ideas concerning rural development and agriculture were collected into the Red Book (Buku Merah) and Green Book (Buku Hijau) respectively and served as the basis for government policy during his time in power.[6]

In 1965 Razak was closely involved in the negotiations with Singaporean leaders for the Independence of Singapore Agreement.[7]

Prime Minister

Quick facts Monarchs, Prime Minister ...
Abdul Razak Hussein
22 September 1970 – 14 January 1976
MonarchsAbdul Halim
Yahya Petra
Abdul Razak Hussein
Cabinet
PartyAlliance–UMNO
(1970–1973)
BN–UMNO
(1973–1976)
Election1974
SeatSeri Taman
← Tunku
Hussein →
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Gaining power

In the aftermath of the ethnic riot of 1969, known as the 13 May incident, incumbent prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman was subjected to criticism from Malay nationalists within UMNO, among them supporters of Abdul Razak, for his pluralist and accommodating attitude towards the country's non-Malay population. During the state of emergency that lasted from 1969 to 1971, Tunku's power as prime minister was eroded by Abdul Razak, who led the National Operations Council that ruled in lieu of the elected government, culminating in his resignation in 1970. The official narrative of the 13 May incident and the circumstances under which Abdul Razak became prime minister are still contested by some.[8]

Domestic affairs

The government excised Kuala Lumpur from the state of Selangor in 1974, which served to detach five opposition parliamentary seats from the Selangor legislative council, helping prevent the state from falling into the hands of opposition parties. It also kept to the previous government's decision to suspend local government elections and through a parliamentary act allowed state governments to take over local authorities and appoint members to relevant bodies.

Foreign affairs

Bust of Tun Abdul Razak at the ASEAN Garden with the excerpt from his statement at the inauguration of ASEAN.

Abdul Razak also took up the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portfolio upon becoming prime minister and oversaw a realignment of the country's foreign policy away from the West and anti-Communism towards neutrality and non-alignment in international conflicts,[9] as well as an increased focus on regional affairs through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Malaysia joined the Non-Aligned Movement in 1970, while the Anglo-Malayan military alliance was replaced with the Five Power Defence Arrangements in 1971.[9] It also became a signatory of the Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality Declaration (ZOPFAN) in 1971 as part of ASEAN.[10]

Bilateral relations with the People's Republic of China were inaugurated with Abdul Razak's state visit and Malaysia's adoption of the One China Policy in 1974.[11][12]

Death

Abdul Razak was diagnosed with leukemia in 1969 and given two years to live, but kept the diagnosis secret from his friends and family.[13]

Abdul Razak died in office on 14 January 1976[3][14] while seeking medical treatment in London. He was posthumously granted the soubriquet Bapa Pembangunan ('Father of Development'). He was laid to rest in Heroes Mausoleum (Malay: Makam Pahlawan) near Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur.[15]

Filmography

More information Year, Title ...
List of films
Year Title Role Notes Link(s)
1969 The Red Book Himself Tun Abdul Razak makes his debut in the film to explain the policy of rural economic development.[16] The film was produced by Malayan Film Unit (currently FINAS).
External videos
video icon Retrospektif: The Red Book (1969) via YouTube channel by FINAS.
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Election results

More information Year, Constituency ...
Parliament of Malaysia
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1959 P062 Pekan Abdul Razak Hussein (UMNO) 8,811 77.26% Mohamed Ariff Abas (PMIP) 2,593 22.74% 11,508 6,218 74.52%
1964 Abdul Razak Hussein (UMNO) 11,858 87.39% Abdul Hamid Awang Hitam (PMIP) 1,711 12.61% 14,165 10,147 76.63%
1969 Abdul Razak Hussein (UMNO) 12,641 77.28% Yazid Jaafar (PMIP) 3,716 22.72% 16,845 8,925 71.24%
1974 P071 Pekan Abdul Razak Hussein (UMNO) Unopposed
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Awards and recognitions

Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak with US President John F. Kennedy at the White House in 1961

Titles

  • Malaysia
    • Father of Development (Bapa Pembangunan), (posthumously)
  • Pahang
    • Yang DiHormat Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar ke-10

Honours of Malaysia

Foreign honours

Namesakes

Tun Abdul Razak Memorial in Kuala Lumpur.

Several things were named after him, including:

Jalan Tun Razak towards Bulatan Pahang in Kuala Lumpur
Tun Razak Hockey Stadium (Stadium Hoki Tun Razak) at Taman Duta in Kuala Lumpur
  • Tun Razak Hockey Stadium in Kuala Lumpur
  • SK Pusat Penyelidikan Pertanian Tun Razak, a primary school in Jerantut, Pahang
  • SMK Pusat Penyelidikan Pertanian Tun Razak, a secondary school in Jerantut, Pahang
  • Pusat Penyelidikan Pertanian Tun Razak, a scientific research base in Jerantut, Pahang
  • Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (formerly known as British Rubber Producers' Research Association) in Brickendonbury, England
  • KD Tun Abdul Razak, a Scorpène-class submarine of the Royal Malaysian Navy
  • Tun Abdul Razak Chancellor Hall (DECTAR) at the National University of Malaysia (UKM) in Bangi, Selangor
  • Tun Abdul Razak Library (PTAR) at MARA University of Technology (UiTM), Shah Alam, Selangor
  • Tun Razak Library, a public library in Ipoh, Perak
  • MRSM Tun Abdul Razak, MARA Junior Science College in Pekan, Pahang.
  • Bandar Tun Razak, a township in Jengka, Pahang
  • Stadium Tun Abdul Razak, a stadium in Jengka Pahang
  • Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi Tun Abdul Razak (SBPITAR), an integrated boarding school in Pekan, Pahang
  • Sekolah Dato' Abdul Razak (SDAR), all-boys boarding school in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.
  • Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK), a private university in Kuala Lumpur.
  • Tun Abdul Razak Residential College, one of residential college in Universiti Malaysia Perlis
  • Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Menara Kembar Bank Rakyat in Kuala Lumpur
  • Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, a museum exhibition gallery in Kuching, Sarawak Museum
  • Dewan Tun Abdul Razak 1 & 2, Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur
  • Dewan Kenangan Tun Abdul Razak in Baling, Kedah
  • Institut Teknologi Tun Abdul Razak in Petaling Jaya, Selangor
  • Institut Teknologi Tun Abdul Razak in Perai, Penang
  • Tun Abdul Razak Hockey Cup
  • Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park, a public recreational park in Kuala Lumpur
  • Tun Abdul Razak Memorial, a memorial in Kuala Lumpur
  • Kem Tun Razak, a military camp in Bayan Lepas, Penang
  • Tun Razak Chair at Ohio University's Department of Southeast Asian Studies[citation needed]
  • Tun Razak Exchange
  • Tun Razak Tower in Kuala Lumpur
  • Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, formerly known as SIDMA College, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
  • Perpustakaan Tun Abdul Razak, a public library of UiTM Kota Kinabalu Branch
  • Kolej Tun Abdul Razak, a residential college at Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Arau, Perlis
  • Kolej Tun Abdul Razak and Kolej Toh Puan Abdul Razak, residential colleges at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Bukit Besi, Terengganu
  • Kolej Tun Abdul Razak, a residential college at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Machang, Kelantan
  • Kolej Tun Razak, a residential college at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor

In popular culture

Motion picture & television

Stage/Theatre

  • FFM nominee Rashidi Ishak portrayed Razak in 2009 local theatre production Tun Razak in Istana Budaya.

Notes

  1. [a]
    Parliament suspended between 15 May 1969 and 20 February 1971.

References

External links

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