Tun Abdul Razak bin 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).

Born in Pulau Keladi, Pekan, Pahang on March 11, 1922, Tun Razak is the first of two

children 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.

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.

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

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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. He was instrumental in the drafting of the Razak

Report which formed the basis of the Malayan education system. 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.

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

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MNEP set two basics goals - to reduce and eventually eradicate poverty, and to reduce

and eventually eradicate identification of economic function with race. 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.

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, were drafted into higher echelons of the political

establishment.

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.

Tun Abdul Razak was descended from a long line of Pahang chieftains of Bugis

descent.[2][3] He was married to Tun Rahah Mohammad Noah; daughter of Tan Sri Haji

Mohamad Noah Omar, the former Minister of Home Affairs and first Speaker of the

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Dewan Rakyat. He was the brother in law of Tun Hussein Onn, his successor as Prime

Minister, who also married another Tan Sri Haji Mohamad Noah Omar's daughter, Tun

Suhaila Mohamad Noah.

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CONCLUSION

Abdul Razak's eldest son, Najib Tun Razak, became the 6th Prime Minister of Malaysia

on 3 April 2009, succeeding Abdullah Badawi. He has four other sons, Datuk Ahmad

Johari Razak, Mohamed Nizam, Mohamed Nazim and Mohamed Nazir. His political

active and involvement must be highly respect and those are really want to be like him

must be brave.

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 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), Jalan

Tun Abdul Razak in Ipoh (also known as Maxwell Road) 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.

 The most prominent landmark in Georgetown, Penang is the KOMTAR building,

the Tun Abdul Razak Complex, housing stores and offices. Another building of

the same name was also built in Johor Bahru.

 The Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre in Brickendonbury, England, is named in

his honour.