Abdul Razak

:"For other individuals named Abdul Razak, or some variation thereof, see Abdul Razak (disambiguation).Infobox Prime Minister
honorific-prefix = Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun
name = Abdul Razak


order = 2nd Prime Minister of Malaysia
term_start = September 22, 1970
term_end = January 14, 1976
deputy = Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman (1970 - 1973)
Tun Hussein Onn (1973 - 1976)
predecessor = Tunku Abdul Rahman
successor = Hussein Onn
birth_date = March 11, 1922
birth_place = Pekan, Pahang
death_date = death date and age|1976|1|14|1922|3|11
death_place = London, United Kingdom
party = UMNO
spouse = Tun Rahah Tan Sri Noah
alma_mater = Malay College Kuala Kangsar
Raffles College
religion = Islam
occupation = Lawyer
order2 = 1st Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
term_start2 = 1959
term_end2 = September 22, 1970
predecessor2 = "post created"
successor2 = Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman|

Tun Abdul Razak bin Haji Dato' Hussein Al-Haj (March 11, 1922-January 14, 1976) was the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, ruling from 1970 to 1976.

Tun Razak was the Prime Minister responsible in setting up Barisan Nasional, which is the ruling coalition of political parties that have held power in Malaysia till today, taking over from its predecessor, the "Alliance". He is also renowned for launching the Malaysian New Economic Policy (MNEP).

Background

Born in Pulau Keladi, Pahang on March 11, 1922, Tun Razak is the first of two child to Dato' Hussein bin Mohd Taib and Hajah Teh Fatimah bt Daud. Of aristocratic descent, Abdul Razak studied at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar.

After joining the Malay Administrative Service in 1939, 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 organize the Wataniah resistance movement in Pahang. [ [http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationAbdulRazak.htm 1967 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership - Tun Abdul Razak ] ]

After World War II, Tun Razak left for Britain in 1947 to study law. In 1950 he received a law degree and qualified as barrister at Lincoln's Inn in London. During his student days in England, Tun Razak was a member of the British Labour Party and a prominent student leader of the Kesatuan Melayu Great Britain (Malay Association of Great Britain). He also formed the Malayan Forum, an organisation for Malayan students to discuss their country's political issues.

Political Involvement

Upon his return from the United Kingdom, Tun Razak joined the Malayan Civil Service. Owing to his political caliber, 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.

Razak stood in and won a seat in Malaysia's first general elections in July 1955 and was appointed as the Education Minister. Tun Razak was also a member of the February 1956 mission to London to seek the independence of Malaya from the British.

After the general elections in 1959, he became the Minister of Rural Development in addition to holding the portfolios of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. His achievements include formulating the development policy known as the Red Book.

Prime Ministership

On September 1970, Tun Razak succeeded Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra as the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

After the May 13 Incident in 1969, his faction in UMNO overthrew Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra and imposed a State of Emergency, ruling by decree until 1970. On September 1970, Tun Razak succeeded Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra as the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Tun Razak set up the Barisan Nasional or National Front on January 1, 1973 to replace the ruling Alliance Party. He increased the membership of its parties and coalitions in an effort to establish "Ketahanan Nasional" (National Strength) through political stability.

Tun Razak is also renowned for launching the Malaysian New Economic Policy (MNEP) in 1971. He and the "second generation" of Malay politicians saw the need to tackle vigorously the economic and social disparities which fuelled racial antagonism. The MNEP set two basics goals - to reduce and eventually eradicate poverty, and to reduce and eventually eradicate identification of economic function with race.

Infusing Young Blood

At the time of Separation of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965, Tun Razak realised that UMNO needed more young leaders in the party. Faced with, amongst other things Lee Kuan Yew’s considerable rhetorical skills, Razak wanted young Malay leaders – grounded in their own faith and culture – who would be able to speak and if necessary debate both in the Malay language and English language.

He also wanted young men and women who would be equally at ease mixing across the racial divide and with non-Malays, whom he saw as a threat to the concept of "Malay Supremacy" outlined in his NEP and the Malayan constitution. Razak wasn’t obsessed with loyalty. For him the most important question was simple – can the young people do the job?

Razak also acknowledged that such talent had to be subject to scrutiny and be accountable to the voters. In this respect he also insisted on drafting the young men into active politics – forcing them to be responsive to the ballot box and popular sentiments.

Razak understood that power resided in the Malay community and that for this power to be wielded effectively, the elite among the Malays had to be an elite determined by ability, aptitude and commitment to the nation as a whole. Class, birth and money were secondary in his calculations.

As a consequence of this initiative, the then young leaders of mixed heritage in UMNO, such as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (whose father was an Indian immigrant), were drafted into higher echelons of the political establishment.

Death

Due in part to leukemia, Abdul Razak died on January 14, 1976 while seeking medical treatment in London. He was posthumously granted the soubriquet "Bapa Pembangunan" (Father of Development). He is laid to rest in Heroes Mausoleum near Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur..........

Family

Tun Abdul Razak was descended from a long line of Pahang chieftains of Bugis descent. [ [http://www.astro.com.my/agm/top50_profiledetail.asp?ID=35 Anak Gemilang Malaysia] ] [ [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/comsite5/bin/pdinventory.pl?pdlanding=1&referid=2930&purchase_type=ITM&item_id=0286-11263973 M'SIAN DEPUTY PM TO ATTEND BUGIS MAKASSAR BIZMEN'S MEETING.] ] He was the brother in law of Tun Hussein Onn, his successor as Prime Minister.

Abdul Razak's eldest son, Najib Tun Razak, became the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia under Abdullah Badawi in 2004. He has four other sons, Datuk Ahmad Johari Razak, Mohamed Nizam, Mohamed Nazim and Mohamed Nazir.

Awards and Recognition

Awards

* Tun Razak was posthumously granted the soubriquet "Bapa Pembangunan" (Father of Development).
* There are several roads and highways in Malaysia named after Tun Razak such as Tun Razak Highway (Federal Route JKR|12 connecting Segamat, Johor to Gambang, Pahang), Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur (part of Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1), Jalan Tun Abdul Razak in Johor Bahru (part of Skudai Highway) and Jalan Tun Abdul Razak in Melaka City (street name for Melaka Bypass).
* Bandar Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur and Bandar Tun Abdul Razak, Pahang are the towns named after Tun Razak.

References

* [http://thestar.com.my/election/story.asp?file=/2008/3/2/election2008/20495658&sec=Election2008 Tun Razak’s legacy – his vision] , The Star, March 2, 2008.