PERSONALITY PROFILES
TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
“THE FATHER OF INDEPENDECE AND FATHER OF MALAYSIA”
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al – Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah. He was known as “Tunku”. He was father of independence because he brought Tanah Melayu to be independence. He also was the first Malaysia Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He does many good deeds to make Tanah Melayu freedom from colony.
Tunku Abdul Rahman gets his first education in 1909 at a Malay Primary School in Alor Star. After that, he work at Kedah public service and go through District Officer of Kulim and Sungai Petani. For information, the colonial Malaya, almost all the District Officers were British. Tunku Abdul Rahman is the only Malay District Officer at that time had the people's interest at heart. This is made him the special person from that.
During the Japanese Occupation of Kedah, the Tunku was responsible for saving many lives, both Malay and Chinese. He being of royal blood was highly revered by the Japanese and could not be touch by them, so he uses this change to his advantages.
After that, he continues his studies at the Inner Temple in 1947. And in 1949, he qualified for the Bar. During this time, Tunku Abdul Rahman met Abdul Razak Hussein (later known as Datuk and Tun). He was selected to be president of the Malay Society of Great Britain, and Abdul Razak, who was twenty-six, was his secretary.
In arena of politic,Tunku Abdul Rahman firstly joined UMNO (United Malays National Organisation) and became active in Malayan nationalist politics. He become popular and later become head of the Kedah branch of UMNO. In August 1951, an internal crisis was happen in UMNO forced Datuk Onn Jaafar to resign as party president.during that time, Tunku Abdul Rahman was selected to be new presidents.
When Tanah Melayu was colonial by British, he tries to get this country freedom from that colony. So he and his group go to London to get independence for Tanah Melayu was not effective. It is because British use the excuse that Tanah Melayu have three different races like Malay, Chinese and Indian. So they must work together and the independence will be come true.
After that, he returns to Tanah Melayu to solve problem with Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM). He wants to do talk and discuss with communist leader names Chin Peng between Kerajaan Persekutuan Tanah Melayu and Parti Komunis Malaya. So, this talk was doing in Baling English School now as Sekolah Kebangsaan Tunku Putra in Baling, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia at 28 and 29 December 1955.
The group of PKM consist of Chin Peng, Chen Tien and Rashid Maidin.
The group of Kerajaan Persekutuan Tanah Melayu consist of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Cheng Lock, David Marshall and Hamjd Jumat meanwhile the group of PKM consist of Chin Peng, Chen Tien and Rashid Maidin.
The Baling Talk is the last process and effort from Kerajaan Perikatan to convince British that local people deserve to control and ready to get independence. After a few day from that historical tragedy happen, Tunku go to London again to continue their talk about independence with British.
So at 31 August 1957 was decided as the date for independence. When the British flag was lowered in Kuala Lumpur on Independence Day, Tuanku Abdul Rahman led the crowd in announcing "Merdeka!" (independence) for seven time. So, Tanah Melayu was freedom from any colony. After this special history, Tanah Melayu today known as Malaysia get date historical on 31 AUGUST 1957. MALAYSIA celebrate Independence Day every year.