Abdul Rahman Ya'kub facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman Ya'kub SMN PMN DP SSMT SPMJ SIMP SPMK SSDK SPMP SPMS PYGP SPDK PNBS
عبدالرحمن يعقوب‎
4th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak
In office 2 April 1981 – 2 April 1985
Chief Minister	Abdul Taib Mahmud
Preceded by	Abang Muhammad Salahuddin
Succeeded by	Ahmad Zaidi Adruce
3rd Chief Minister of Sarawak
In office 7 July 1970 – 26 March 1981
Governor	Tuanku Bujang Tuanku Othman Abang Muhammad Salahuddin
Deputy	Stephen Yong (1970–1974) Simon Dembab Maja (1970-1972) Sim Kheng Hung (1974–1991) Dunstan Endawie Enchana (1974–1979) Alfred Jabu Numpang (1976-2016) Daniel Tajem (1979–1986)
Preceded by	Tawi Sli
Succeeded by	Abdul Taib Mahmud
Minister of Education
In office 1969–1970
Monarch	Ismail Nasiruddin
Prime Minister	Tunku Abdul Rahman
Preceded by	Khir Johari
Succeeded by	Hussein Onn
3rd President of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu
In office 1977 – 26 March 1981
Preceded by	Abdul Taib Mahmud
Succeeded by	Abdul Taib Mahmud
Personal details
Born	Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub (1928-01-03)3 January 1928 Kampung Jepak, Bintulu, Raj of Sarawak
Died	9 January 2015(2015-01-09) (aged 87) Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Resting place	Samariang Muslim Cemetery, Kuching, Sarawak
Citizenship	Malaysian
Political party	Barisan Ra'ayat Jati Sarawak (1961–1968) United Malays National Organisation (1965–unknown) Parti Bumiputera Sarawak (1968–1973) Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (1973–1981) Persatuan Rakyat Malaysia Sarawak (1987–1991)
Spouses	Toh Puan Normah Abdullah @ Rosaline Soon Siew Joon (Deceased) Toh Puan Hayati Ahmat
Residences	Sri Bahagia, Petra Jaya, Kuching
Alma mater	University of Southampton, United Kingdom
Occupation	Politician, Statesmen

Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub (Jawi: عبدالرحمن بن يعقوب; 3 January 1928 – 9 January 2015) was an important Malaysian politician from Mukah. He was the third Chief Minister of Sarawak and later the fourth Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak (Governor of Sarawak). He was also the uncle of Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, another well-known politician.

Family Life

Abdul Rahman's first wife, Toh Puan Normah, passed away in 1984. His daughter, Khadijah, married Datuk Mohd Nizam, the son of Tun Abdul Razak, who was a former Prime Minister of Malaysia. Another daughter, Datuk Norah Abdul Rahman, served as a Member of Parliament for the Tanjung Manis area from 2008 to 2018. Later in his life, Abdul Rahman married Toh Puan Siti Maemunah, and then Toh Puan Hayati Ahmat.

Hobbies and Interests

Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub loved sports when he was younger, especially football. As he got older, he also enjoyed playing golf. He was a very religious person and spent a lot of time reading Islamic books. After he retired from politics in 1986, he even taught free religious classes for the public.

Early Life and Career Journey

Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub was born on 3 January 1928, in Kampung Jepak, Bintulu, Sarawak. His father was a fisherman, and his mother was a housewife. His family moved to Miri so he could get a better education.

He first went to a Malay school and then Sekolah Anchi in Miri. His father wanted him to have an Islamic education and tried to send him to Aljunied Arabic School in 1939. However, his mother disagreed because World War II had started. He then moved to St. Joseph Miri, but his studies were stopped by the Japanese invasion. When he was young, he learned the Japanese martial art called Aikido. He even met Morihei Ueshiba, who created Aikido.

Because his family didn't have much money, Rahman left school in 1947. He worked as an oil-tester for Sarawak Shell Company, earning a small amount each day. He tried other jobs, like at Sarawak General Hospital, but he didn't stay long.

Later, he got a job as a Student Native Officer. He was sent to Madrasah Melayu Kuching. In 1948, he became a Probationary Native Officer and a Fourth Class Magistrate in Miri. He worked in courts there until 1952. In 1952, he was promoted to first-class magistrate. The next year, he passed his Senior Cambridge examination.

When he was 26, in 1954, he was accepted to study law at University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. Five years later, he became a trained lawyer. From 1959 to 1963, he worked as the Deputy Public Prosecutor in Sarawak. He was the first Bumiputera from Sarawak to become a lawyer, graduating from Lincoln's Inn in 1958.

Beginning in Politics

Rahman helped create two political parties, Parti Negara Sarawak (PANAS) and Barisan Ra'ayat Jati Sarawak (BARJASA). He chose to join BARJASA. In the 1963 local council elections, he and his party members did not win.

However, the Malaysian federal government nominated Abdul Rahman to be the first Chief Minister of Sarawak. But the Sarawak Alliance, which was led by the Sarawak National Party (SNAP), did not agree.

Serving in the Federal Government

After losing the 1963 elections, Abdul Rahman was appointed as a senator in Dewan Negara by the Malaysian federal government. He then became the Assistant Federal Minister of National and Rural Development for Sarawak.

The first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, brought Abdul Rahman into politics. The second Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak, guided him. Tunku Abdul Rahman was happy with his work, so Rahman was promoted to the full Minister of Lands and Mines in 1965.

Rahman suggested that the federal government should create a national oil company. This company later became known as Petronas in 1974. He also suggested that Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah should lead Petronas.

In 1969, Rahman became the Minister of Education. He made a big change by switching the main language used in schools and universities from English to Malay. He also helped create Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in 1970. He removed the primary six common entrance exam, allowing all primary six students to continue to secondary school. Education Minister was his last job before he returned to Sarawak.

Becoming Chief Minister

Abdul Rahman won the Kuala Rajang state election in 1970, representing Parti Bumiputera Sarawak. This party was part of the Sarawak Alliance. After the election, no single party had a clear majority.

Abdul Rahman worked with the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) to form a government. He became the Chief Minister. To make sure all communities were included, he offered cabinet positions to leaders from other parties. Soon, Temenggung Jugah, a respected leader, announced his support for Rahman's government. This left SNAP as the main opposition party.

Tun Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister, asked Abdul Rahman to help deal with the communist uprising in Sarawak.

Sarawak's Oil and Gas Rights

In the early 1970s, the federal government wanted to gain more control over Sarawak's oil resources. Abdul Rahman's nephew, Abdul Taib Mahmud, who was a federal minister, tried to convince Abdul Rahman to give the federal government full control of Sarawak's oil and gas. This would mean Sarawak would lose the 10% oil royalty it received.

Abdul Rahman did not agree with this plan. He even threatened to take the federal government to court if a new law, called the hydrocarbon bill, was not withdrawn. This bill would have given the federal government complete control over Sarawak's oil and gas.

After discussions, Abdul Rahman agreed to a smaller 5% oil royalty for Sarawak. This was because the federal government was not very wealthy at the time. The Petroleum Development Act was passed in 1974. This law allowed the Malaysian oil and gas company, Petronas, to manage Sarawak's oil and gas. The money from oil and gas would be shared: 5% to oil-producing states like Sarawak, 5% to the federal government, and the rest to the company and Petronas.

Ending the Communist Uprising

The Communist uprising in Sarawak caused many problems and deaths. Abdul Rahman worked to stop this movement. He signed an agreement with the leader of the communist group, Bong Kee Chok, at Sri Aman on 21 October 1973. This agreement helped bring peace to Sarawak.

Policies for Development

When Abdul Rahman became Chief Minister, he changed the slogan "Sarawak for Sarawakians" to "Malaysia for Malaysians." He believed that focusing only on Sarawak could divide the country. He said that Sarawak should accept policies from the federal government because Sarawak received a lot of money and help from them. He wanted Sarawak to be a model state for Malaysia.

He also made Malay, along with English, an official language of Sarawak in 1974. He started to use the national education policy in Sarawak, changing the language of instruction in schools from English to Malay. By 1976, many primary schools had adopted Malay as their teaching language.

Abdul Rahman appointed many local officers to important government jobs. He also created the Sarawak Foundation to give scholarships and loans to students who needed help. He set up other organizations, like the State Planning Unit, to speed up development in Sarawak. During his time, the number of administrative divisions in Sarawak increased from five to seven. A bridge in Kuching, connecting two areas, was named after him in 1975.

He also established the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) in 1972. This organization helped set up many businesses in different areas, like insurance, hotels, pepper export, and car assembly. SEDC also created industrial areas in different towns.

In June 1973, he set up the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) to help develop the logging industry in Sarawak.

Supporting Development and Elections

Abdul Rahman used his position as Chief Minister to help develop Sarawak. He made sure that development projects, money grants, and other help reached the people. This support helped gain public trust and support for his party during elections.

For example, during the 1978 Malaysian general election, many new development projects were announced. These projects included building roads and providing water tanks to villages. This approach helped his party win strong support from voters.

Promoting Islam

Abdul Rahman worked to strengthen the position of Islam in Sarawak. He helped revise parts of the Constitution of the State of Sarawak to state that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King of Malaysia) is the head of Islam in Sarawak. This allowed the state assembly to make laws about Islamic affairs.

He also established a state-supported Islamic organization called Angkatan Nahdatul Islam Bersatu (BINA) in 1969, and he was its first president. This organization helped with various Islamic activities and community support. In December 1978, laws were changed to create Syariah courts in Sarawak, which handle Islamic legal matters.

Elections and Political Changes

In 1973, two parties, Parti Bumiputera and PESAKA, merged to form Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB). The Sarawak Alliance was replaced by the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which included more parties.

Abdul Rahman led the BN coalition to win the 1974 Sarawak state election. They won 30 out of 48 seats. Later, in 1976, the SNAP party also joined the BN coalition. This meant there was no strong opposition party in Sarawak for a while.

However, Abdul Rahman's relationship with SUPP became difficult after the 1974 election. In 1978, a new party called Parti Anak Jati Sarawak (PAJAR) was formed. Some people were unhappy with certain policies and how the Malay community was being treated.

Abdul Rahman's BN coalition won a strong victory in the 1978 Malaysian general election, winning 23 out of 24 parliamentary seats in Sarawak. The state election was held separately from the national election for the first time in 1979. The Sarawak BN coalition won 45 out of 48 state assembly seats in the 1979 Sarawak state election.

Working with the Federal Government

Abdul Rahman generally had a good relationship with the Malaysian federal government, especially during the time of Tun Abdul Razak. Even though there were occasional disagreements, he usually maintained strong ties.

Retirement from Chief Minister Role

After having heart surgery in London in 1980, Abdul Rahman decided to step down as Chief Minister due to his health. He appointed his nephew, Abdul Taib Mahmud, to take over on 26 March 1981. He said that Taib would be able to lead Sarawak with more skill and speed.

Becoming Governor of Sarawak

In 1981, Abdul Rahman became the Governor of Sarawak. Even as Governor, he still had influence over important state matters like land permits and government contracts. In 1985, he suggested that UMNO, a major political party from Peninsular Malaysia, should set up branches in Sabah and Sarawak to help unite the local communities in national politics. However, the Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, said that UMNO preferred to work with local parties.

Rahman Ya'kub later resigned as Governor of Sarawak in 1986 due to health reasons.

The 1987 Ming Court Affair

This was a political disagreement that started when Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub was still the Governor. He had some disagreements with his nephew, Abdul Taib Mahmud, who had become the Chief Minister.

In 1987, Abdul Rahman formed a new political party called Parti Persatuan Rakyat Malaysia Sarawak (PERMAS). He teamed up with another party, Sarawak Dayak People's Party (PBDS), to challenge Taib Mahmud in the elections.

In March 1987, many state assembly members suddenly switched their support to Abdul Rahman, asking Taib Mahmud to resign. This led to a public disagreement between Abdul Rahman and Taib Mahmud. Taib Mahmud then cancelled some timber licenses held by those who had switched their support. Abdul Rahman, in turn, revealed information about timber licenses held by Taib's family and supporters.

Even though Abdul Rahman's new party did not win the 1987 Sarawak state election, he continued to work with his allies against Taib's government until the 1991 Sarawak state election. In that election, Taib's coalition won a very large majority.

Later Life and Passing

Abdul Rahman celebrated his 80th birthday in Kuching in 2008. During the celebration, he hugged his nephew, Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. This moment showed that their long-standing disagreement had ended. He said that "blood is thicker than water," meaning family ties are very strong. He continued to be active in religious activities, teaching free religious classes at his home.

Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub was admitted to the hospital in November 2014 due to health problems. He passed away peacefully on 9 January 2015, at the age of 87. The Sarawak state government held a state funeral for him, and he was buried at the Samariang Muslim Cemetery in Petra Jaya, Kuching.

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

•  Malaysia :
  • Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) – Tun (1982)
  • Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (PMN) – Tan Sri (1977)
•  Sarawak :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DP) – Datuk Patinggi
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of Sarawak (PNBS) – Dato', later Dato Sri (1967)
•  Terengganu :
  • Member Grand Companion of the Order of Sultan Mahmud I of Terengganu (SSMT) – Dato' Seri (1984)
•  Johor :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor (SPMJ) – Dato' (1971)
•  Kelantan :
  • Recipient of the Order of the Most Distinguished and Most Valiant Warrior (PYGP) (1985)
•  Pahang :
  • Grand Knight of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (SIMP) – Dato', later Dato' Indera (1972)
•  Selangor :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (1980)
•  Kedah :
  • Knight Grand Companion of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal House of Kedah (SSDK) – Dato' Seri
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Exalted Order of the Crown of Kedah (SPMK) – Dato' Seri
•  Perlis :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Perlis (SPMP) – Dato' Seri (1979)
•  Sabah :
  • Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima

See Also

• Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak
• Chief Minister of Sarawak

Images for kids

• 

  Tun Abdul Rahman Bin Ya'kub