Hussein Onn

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Onn is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Hussein. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Hussein bin 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 1976 to 1981.

Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Hussein Onn DK I (Johor) DK I (Terengganu) DK (Kelantan) DK II (Selangor) SMN SPMJ SPCM SIMP SPNS DUPN SPDK SSIJ DP PIS
حسين عون
Portrait, c. 1960s
3rd Prime Minister of Malaysia
In office 15 January 1976 – 16 July 1981
Monarchs	Yahya Petra Ahmad Shah
Deputy	Mahathir Mohamad
Preceded by	Abdul Razak Hussein
Succeeded by	Mahathir Mohamad
President of the United Malays National Organisation (ex officio: Chairman of Barisan Nasional)
In office 14 January 1976 – 28 June 1981
Preceded by	Abdul Razak Hussein
Succeeded by	Mahathir Mohamad
Ministerial portfolios Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia In office 13 August 1973 – 15 January 1976 Monarchs Abdul Halim Yahya Petra Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein Preceded by Ismail Abdul Rahman Succeeded by Mahathir Mohamad Minister 1970–1973 Education 1973–1974 Trade and Industry 1974–1976 Finance 1976–1978 Defence 1978–1980 Federal Territories 1979–1981 Defence
Parliamentary offices Member of Parliament for Johor Bahru Timor In office 11 May 1969 – 31 July 1974[a] Preceded by Fatimah Abdul Majid Succeeded by Constituency abolished Member of Parliament for Sri Gading In office 4 November 1974 – 16 July 1981 Preceded by Constituency established Succeeded by Mustaffa Mohammad
Political positions 1949–1950 Leader of UMNO Youth 1976–1981 Chairman of Barisan Nasional
Other positions 1983–1987 President of International Islamic University Malaysia
Personal details
Born	Hussein bin Onn (1922-02-12)12 February 1922 Johor Bahru, Johor, Unfederated Malay States
Died	29 May 1990(1990-05-29) (aged 68) Seton Medical Center, San Mateo, California, U.S.
Resting place	Makam Pahlawan, Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur
Political party	UMNO (1949–1951; 1968–1988) IMP (1951–1963) Negara (1963–1968)
Other political affiliations	Alliance (1968–1973) BN (1974–1988)
Spouse	Suhailah Noah ​ (m. 1948)​
Children	6 (including Hishamuddin)
Parents	Onn Jaafar (father) Halimah Hussein (mother)
Education	English College Johore Bahru Indian Military Academy
Alma mater	Lincoln's Inn (LLB)
Awards	Full list
Military service
Branch/service	British Indian Army
Years of service	1940–1945
Rank	Captain
Battles/wars	World War II

Early life, family and education

Hussein Onn was born on 12 February 1922 in Johor Bahru to Onn 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 the 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 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 Academy in Dehradun, 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]

Early career

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.

Political career

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.^[1] He stood and won the general elections in 1969 and was appointed as the Education Minister. On 13 August 1973, he took over as Deputy Prime Minister.

Prime Minister (1976–1981)

Hussein Onn 15 January 1976 – 16 July 1981
Monarchs	Yahya Petra Ahmad Shah
Prime Minister	Hussein Onn
Cabinet	Hussein I Hussein II
Party	BN–UMNO
Election	1978
Seat	Seri Taman
← Abdul Razak Mahathir (1st) →

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.

Personal life

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]

Death

Hussein died on 29 May 1990 of heart disease at Seton Medical Center in San Mateo, California, at the age of 68.^[1] He was laid to rest next to his predecessor, Abdul Razak, at Makam Pahlawan near Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur.^[5]

Controversy

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]

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1969	P100 Johore Bahru Timor		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		Hussein Onn (UMNO)	Unopposed
1978			Hussein Onn (UMNO)	19,761	89.06%		Hassan Hussein (PAS)	2,427	10.94%		17,334

Awards and recognitions

Honours of Malaysia

• Malaysia :
  • Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) – Tun (1981)^[7][8]
• Johor :
  • Grand Commander of the Royal Family Order of Johor (DK I) (1976)
  • 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]
  • First Class of the Sultan Ibrahim Medal (PIS I)
• Kelantan :
  • Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kelantan (DK)
• Negeri Sembilan :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (SPNS) – Dato' Seri Utama (1980)^[11]
• Pahang :
  • Grand Knight of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (SIMP) – formerly Dato', now Dato' Indera (1975)^[12]
• Penang :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (1977)^[13]
• Perak :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (SPCM) – Dato' Seri (1976)^[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
• Selangor :
  • Second Class Member of the Royal Family Order of Selangor (DK II) (1977)^[16]
• Terengganu :
  • Member First Class of the Family Order of Terengganu (DK I) (1977)

Foreign honours

• Japan :
  • Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (1981)^[17]

Places named after him

Several places were named after him, including:

• Bandar Tun Hussein Onn, a township in Cheras, Hulu Langat, Selangor
  •  KG29  Bandar Tun Hussein Onn MRT station
• Desa Tun Hussein Onn, a Malaysian Armed Forces residential area near Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur
• Tun Hussein Onn Jamek Mosque, a mosque in Larkin, Johor, Johor
• Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia (UTHM) Batu Pahat, Johor
• Institut Pendidikan Tun Hussein Onn (IPTHO) Batu Pahat, Johor
• Kolej Tun Hussein Onn, a residential college at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor
• Kolej Tun Hussein Onn, a residential college at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor
• Kolej Tun Hussein Onn, a residential college at Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kuala Perlis, Perlis
• Kolej Tun Hussein Onn, a residential college at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Machang, Kelantan
• SMK Tun Hussein Onn (SMKTHO), a secondary school in Kluang, Johor
• SMK Tun Hussein Onn (SMKTHO), a secondary school in Seberang Jaya, Penang
• SK Tun Hussein Onn (SKTHO), a primary school in Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur
• Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
• Tun Hussein Onn Highway, part of the Penang Bridge, Penang
• Jalan Tun Hussein Onn, a major road in Putrajaya
• Jalan Tun Hussein Onn, a road in Seberang Jaya, Penang
• Jalan Tun Hussein, a road in Felda Ayer Tawar, Kota Tinggi, Johor
• Jalan Tun Hussein Onn, a road in Taman Tinggi, Sibu, Sarawak
• Tun Hussein Onn Hockey Cup
• Dewan Tun Hussein Onn, Putra World Trade Centre
• Tun Hussein Onn Memorial, a memorial in Kuala Lumpur
• SMK Desa Tun Hussein Onn (SMKDTHO), a secondary school in Desa Tun Hussein Onn, Kuala Lumpur
• SK Desa Tun Hussein Onn (SKDTHO), a primary school in Desa Tun Hussein Onn, Kuala Lumpur

Note

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