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Hussein Onn
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| حسين عون | |
Studio Hussein, c. 1960s
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| 3rd Prime Minister of Malaysia | |
| In office 15 January 1976 – 16 July 1981 | |
| Monarchs |
|
| Deputy | Mahathir Mohamad |
| Preceded by | Abdul Razak Hussein |
| Succeeded by | Mahathir Mohamad |
| 3rd Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia | |
| In office 13 August 1973 – 15 January 1976 | |
| Monarchs |
|
| Prime Minister | Abdul Razak Hussein |
| Preceded by | Ismail Abdul Rahman |
| Succeeded by | Mahathir Mohamad |
| 4th President of the United Malays National Organisation | |
| In office 15 September 1978 – 28 June 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Abdul Razak Hussein |
| Succeeded by | Mahathir Mohamad |
| 1st Youth Chief of the United Malays National Organisation | |
| In office 1949–1951 | |
| President | Onn Jaafar |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Razak Hussein |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 1979–1981 | |
| Monarch | Ahmad Shah |
| Prime Minister | Hussein Onn |
| Preceded by | Abdul Taib Mahmud |
| Succeeded by | Mahathir Mohamad |
| In office 1976–1978 | |
| Monarch | Ahmad Shah |
| Prime Minister | Hussein Onn |
| Preceded by | Abdul Razak Hussein |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Taib Mahmud |
| Minister of Federal Territories | |
| In office 1978–1980 | |
| Monarchs |
|
| Prime Minister | Hussein Onn |
| Preceded by | Hassan Adli Arshad |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Taib Mahmud |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 1974–1976 | |
| Monarchs |
|
| Prime Minister | Abdul Razak Hussein |
| Preceded by | Tan Siew Sin |
| Succeeded by | Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah |
| Minister of Trade and Industry | |
| In office 13 August 1973 – 14 September 1974 | |
| Monarch | Abdul Halim |
| Prime Minister | Abdul Razak Hussein |
| Preceded by | Ismail Abdul Rahman |
| Succeeded by | Hamzah Abu Samah |
| Minister of Education | |
| In office 1970–1973 | |
| Monarch | Abdul Halim |
| Prime Minister | Abdul Razak Hussein |
| Preceded by | Abdul Rahman Ya'kub |
| Succeeded by | Mohamed Yaacob |
| 1st President of the International Islamic University Malaysia | |
| In office 1983–1987 | |
| Chancellor | Ahmad Shah |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Sri Gading | |
| In office 4 November 1974 – 16 July 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Mustaffa Mohammad |
| Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Johore Bahru Timor (Parliament suspended 13 May 1969 – 20 February 1971) | |
| In office 20 February 1971 – 31 July 1974 | |
| Preceded by | Fatimah Abdul Majid |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Hussein bin Onn (1922-02-12)12 February 1922 Johor Bahru, Johor, Unfederated Malay States (now Malaysia) |
| Died | 29 May 1990(1990-05-29) (aged 68) Seton Medical Center, Daly City, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Makam Pahlawan, Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Political party | Independent (1987–1990) |
| Other political affiliations | United Malays National Organisation (Before 1951; 1968–1988) Independence of Malaya Party (1951–1963) National Party (1963–1968) |
| Spouse |
(m. 1948) |
| Children | 6 (including Hishammuddin Hussein) |
| Parents |
|
| Education | English College Johore Bahru Indian Military Academy |
| Alma mater | Lincoln's Inn (LLB) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  British Raj |
| Branch/service | British Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1940–1945 |
| Rank | Captain |
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Tun Hussein bin Dato' Onn (Jawi: حسين بن عون; 12 February 1922 – 29 May 1990) was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who served as the third Prime Minister of Malaysia from the death of his predecessor Abdul Razak Hussein in 1976 to his retirement in 1981. Moreover, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sri Gading from 1974 to 1981, representing Barisan Nasional (BN) and United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). He was granted the soubriquet Father of Unity (Bapa Perpaduan).
Hussein bin Onn was born on 12 February 1922 in Johor BahrutoOnn Jaafar (1895–1962) and Halimah Hussein (1900–1988). His father was a fighter for Malaysian independence and co-founder of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).[1] Hussein's grandfather, Jaafar Haji Muhammad, was the first Menteri Besar of Johor while his grandmother, Rogayah Hanim, came from the Caucasus region of Ottoman Empire. She was likely presented as a concubine (see Circassian beauties) by the Ottoman court to the Sultan of Johor.[2]
Additionally, Hussein was the brother-in-law of Abdul Razak Hussein, his predecessor as prime minister, for whom Hussein wed Suhailah Noah, a daughter of first Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Mohamed Noah Omar, in 1948. Abdul Razak was also concurrently married to another of Mohamed Noah's daughter, Rahah Noah.[3]
Hussein and Suhaila had six children, including their fourth child, Hishammuddin Hussein, who is a senior UMNO politician since the 1990s.[3] Their eldest daughter, Datin Roquaiya Hanim (born 1950), died on 17 September 2006 from breast cancer.[3]
Hussein received his early education at Telok Kurau Primary School, Singapore, and at the English College Johore Bahru. After leaving school, he joined the Johor Military Forces as a cadet in 1940 and was sent a year later to the Indian Military AcademyinDehradun, India. Upon completion of his training, he was absorbed into the Indian Army and served in the Middle East when the Second World War broke out.[1] His vast experience prompted the British to employ him as an instructor at the Malayan Police Recruiting and Training Centre in Rawalpindi.[1]
Hussein came back to Malaya in 1945 and was appointed Commandant of the Johor Bahru Police Depot. The following year, he joined the Malaya Civil Service as an assistant administrative officer in Segamat, Johor. He was later posted to the state of Selangor, becoming Klang and Kuala Selangor's district officer.
Hussein, who came from a family with a deep nationalistic spirit and political roots,[1] resigned from the civil service to go into politics. In 1949, he became the first youth chief of UMNO, a party his father helped establish. In 1950, he was elected UMNO secretary general. Hussein, however, left UMNO in 1951 to join his father in forming the Independence of Malaya Party (IMP).[1]
With IMP losing momentum, Hussein went to London to study law and was called to the Bar and admitted as a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, qualifying as a Barrister-at-Law. He came back as a certified lawyer and practised in Kuala Lumpur.[1]
Hussein returned to politics by rejoining UMNO in 1968, persuaded to do so by then-Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein.[1] He stood and won the general elections in 1969 and was appointed as the Education Minister. Hussein's meteoric rise continued on 13 August 1973, when he took over as Deputy Prime Minister, succeeding Ismail Abdul Rahman, who died in office due to a heart attack.
On 15 January 1976, Hussein, who was the Deputy Prime Minister, was appointed as Prime Minister after the death of his predecessor, Abdul Razak.[4]
Hussein underwent a coronary bypass in early 1981. His deputy, Mahathir Mohamad become acting prime minister. On 17 July, the same year, Hussein retired from active politics and resigned from the office of prime minister due to health concerns.[1] He was succeeded by Mahathir.
Hussein died on 29 May 1990 of heart diseaseatSeton Medical CenterinSouth San Francisco, California, at the age of 68.[1] He was buried next to his predecessor, Abdul Razak, at Makam Pahlawan near Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur.[5]
Hussein Onn era took the easy way out by putting opposition leaders into detention without trial, banning public rallies and controlling all the media.[6]
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | P100 Johore Bahru Timor, Johore | Hussein Onn (UMNO) | 12,565 | 63.59% | Lee Ah Meng (DAP) | 7,193 | 36.41% | 20,767 | 5,372 | 72.29% | ||
| 1974 | P109 Sri Gading, Johore | Hussein Onn (UMNO) | Unopposed | |||||||||
| 1978 | Hussein Onn (UMNO) | 19,761 | 89.06% | Hassan Hussein (PAS) | 2,427 | 10.94% | 17,334 | |||||
Malaysia :
Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) – Tun (1981)[7][8]
Johor :
First Class of the Sultan Ibrahim Medal (PIS I)
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor (SPMJ) – Dato' (1972)[9]
Knight Grand Companion of the Order of Loyalty of Sultan Ismail of Johor (SSIJ) – Dato' (1975)[10]
Grand Commander of the Royal Family Order of Johor (DK I) (1976)
Selangor :
Second Class Member of the Royal Family Order of Selangor (DK II) (1977)[11]
Terengganu :
Member First Class of the Family Order of Terengganu (DK I) (1977)
Kelantan :
Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kelantan (DK)
Perak :
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (SPCM) – Dato' Seri (1976)[12]
Negeri Sembilan :
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (SPNS) – Dato' Seri Utama (1980)[13]
Pahang :
Grand Knight of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (SIMP) – formerly Dato', now Dato' Indera (1975)[14]
Sabah :
Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (1974)[15]
Sarawak :
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DP) – Datuk Patinggi
Penang :
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (1977)[16]Several places were named after him, including:
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia 1973–1976 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Malaysia 1976–1981 | |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | Chairperson of ASEAN 1977 |
Succeeded by |
| International |
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| National |
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