Digital Scrap Book JOHOR DISTINCTIVE LEADER

Digital Scrap Book

JOHOR DISTINCTIVE LEADER

Dato' Onn
Jaafar

12 Feb 1895 - 19 Jan 1962

SK DATO' ONN JAAFAR, KLUANG JOHOR

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION

Name

FARHA DANIA BINTI MOHD HAZEELI

Class

5 BAKTI

e-mail

[email protected]

School

SK Dato' Onn Jaafar 02
KM 72 Jalan Johor
86200 Simpang Renggam — ENGLISH CLASS • BLUE MEADOWS ACADEMY
Johor
SK DATO' ONN JAAFAR, KLUANG JOHOR

Table of Contents

m/s 4 Introduction m/s 13 Biodata Education m/s 9 Early Career
Background
Recap 02
m/s 10-12 m/s 18
m/s 5-7
m/s 14-16

Recap 03 m/s 8

m/s 17
Contributions Honorary Leadership Conclusion 03References
Awards Values

Introduction

Dato Onn Jaafar was born in Bukit Gambir, Jalan Gertak
Merah in the district of Johor Bahru. His father Datuk Jaafar
bin Haji Muhammad was the first Menteri Besar of Johor. In
his early childhood, Dato' Onn Jaafar was adopted by Sultan
Ibrahim ibni Sultan Abu Bakar. His early education was from a
malay school in Johor Bahru before went to England to further
his studies.
In his early career, he was a member of the Johor Executive
Council and during the Japanese occupation, he became the
Head of the Johor State Food Control Office.

04

Biodata Name
Yang Amat Berbahagia Dato' Onn Jaafar

7th Menteri Besar of Johor
1st June 1947 to 18th May 1950

Date of Birth
12 February 1895

Place of Birth
Bukit Gambir , Johor Bahru, Johor

Died
19 January 1962 (66 years old) in Johor
Bahru, Johor

05

Biodata Spouses
Rafeah Abdullah
Che Jamilah
Che Kah
Halimah Hussein

Career
Founder and the 1st President of the
United Malays National Organization
(UMNO)
7th Menteri Besar of Johor
Founder of Parti Kemerdekaan Malaya
Founder of Parti Negara

06

Biodata He was married to Datin Halimah Hussein,
and one of their children was the late Tun
Hussein Onn, the third Prime Minister of
Malaysia.

Notable figures in his lineage :
Allahyarham Tun Hussein Dato' Onn
(son)
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
(grandson)
Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (great-grandson)

07

Dato Onn Jaafar recieve his first formal education Education
in a Malay school in Johor Bahru before Background
continuing his studies in England. During this
time, he studied English languages with an 08
English caretaker who took care of him during his
time in the Johor Palace.
In 1903, he furthered his studies at Aldebury
Lodge School, in Soffolk, England. Dato Onn
continue his studies after returning home on
(1910-1911) at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar.
After graduation, he returned to Johor Bahru and
served the Johor government.

— 05

Early Career

Journalist District Officer of Batu Pahat

Dato Onn Jaafar worked as a journalist in 1930 at the age of During the era of British Colonialism, Dato Onn Jaafar served
35, and in 1934, he became the editor of Lembaga Malaya and as Batu Pahat District Officer but later resigned due to his
Harian Lembaga. In his published articles he was often critical disagreement to colonial policies. He replace Mr. Ismail bin
towards the Malay community and urged that changes be Datuk Abdullah, the district officer who was killed by the
made for the betterment of the Malay community. Onn Jaafar Bintang Tiga guerilla movement in Benut on June 10, 1945.
found that the Chinese people were taking opportunity to After Japan surrendered, many Malays who worked as a
venture into small scale agriculture, open up a tailor shop and police officer and chief of village were captured, missing or
other jobs considered low by the Malays at that time. He was killed by the MPAJA between March and April 1945.
appointed editor of the Malayan Gazette from 1st January
1930 to the end of 1933.

09

Contributions 10

Founding father of UMNO & Menteri
Besar Johor

41 Malay political movement and associations have gathered at the Sultan Sulaiman Club in Kuala
Lumpur to attend the first Malay Congress held to oppose the Malayan Union which was seen as a
threat to the position of the Malays and the Malay Sultans. As a result, during the 3rd congress meeting
on the 1st of May, 1946, in Johor Bahru an the congress agreed to form an official body named
"Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu" or UMNO to represent the Malay. Because Dato' Onn Jaafar
was very active in the Malay nationalist movement, the congress appointed him as the first president.

On 1st June 1947, Dato' Onn Jaafar was appointed as Menteri Besar of Johor. However, three years
later, he resigned form the position to devote his time to for UMNO. Under his leadership, UMNO
succeeded in forcing the British government to dissolve the Malayan Union and replaced by the
Federation of Malaya. 1948 Federation of Malaya maintain the position of the Malay Rulers and the
tightening of the conditions of citizenship, and give Malays privileges. He was frustrated by what he
perceived as racist policies of UMNO and suggest that party membership be open to all residents of
Tanah Melayu regardless of race and the UMNO name changed to "Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Penduduk
Tanah Melayu Bersatu" but the idea was greatly opposed by the UMNO members. Due to this
disagreement, he resigned as UMNO president when the Sixth General Assembly convened on 25 to 26
August 1951.

Contributions

Parti Kemerdekaan Malaya and Parti
Negara

After leaving UMNO, Dato Onn Jaafar later formed the Independence of Malaya Party (IMP) on
August 26, 1951. Unfortunately, the party did not have the support of the Malays. In 1954, he left the
party to form Parti Negara for the purpose of contesting in the general election, the first in the
Federation of Malaya in 1955. Parti Negara restrict membership only to the Malays in an attempt to
gain the support of the Malays. Despite this, his party still failed to gain support and did not win any
seats in the election. However, Dato Onn is still trying to get a place in politics. Finally, he managed to
get a seat in the Kuala Terengganu Selatan parliamentary constituency in the 1959 General Election
with the help of the PAS (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia).

11

Contributions

During Dato' Onn tenure as UMNO president, he was always championing the rural and less
developed Malays. He set up the "Lembaga Perusahaan dan Kemajuan Kampung" or RIDA which
is now known as Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) in mid-1950 in Kuala Lumpur chaired by him alone.
RIDA was established to encourage the Malay community to venture into the economy. RIDA
provide assistance to the community living in villages in order to produce commercially valuable
products and RIDA will market the product in the domestic market until they can take care of
themselves and they will take over the business. RIDA also ensure the community gets proper
education so that they can change their future for the better.

12 "Nasib bangsa kita hanyalah akan dapat
diperkenalkan dengan kesatuan hati di

antara kita juga dan kesatuan kebangsaan
kita itu hanyalah akan dapat dipeliharakan

dengan berpegang teguh kepada suatu
kepercayaan yang lebih besar dan lebih

tinggi daripada bangsa itu sendiri" -

r.Dato' Onn Jaafa

Awards and Recognitions

Malaysia Second Award International
Darjah Kerabat Johor Yang
First Award Amat Dihormati Pangkat Third Award
Darjah Mahkota Johor Yang Kedua (DK II) (1947) Honorary Knight Commander
Amat Mulia Pangkat Kedua Johor of the Order of the British
(DPMJ) – Dato' (1940) Empire (KBE) – Sir (1953)
Johor United Kingdom

13

Leadership Values

Dedicated and
Assertive

As a leader, Dato Onn Jaafar was a dedicated man. He has raised awareness
towards independence and give new hope to the Malays. His life in the jungle
with the villagers during the Japanese occupation has brought him closer to
the true meaning of humanity especially during the hardships of war. When
the war ended he dedicated his effort towards the unity of Malays to fight for
independence from British colonialism and stood his ground to oppose the
idea Malayan Union. Datuk Onn is also known as a charismatic political
figure because of his visions to unite all the people of this country regardless
of race and descendants in one political ideology.

14

Leadership Values 15— ENGLISH CLASS • BLUE MEADOWS ACADEMY

Firm and Humble

Dato Onn Jaafar calm and unhurried nature in gaining independence has
always been used by political rivals who often blow the spirit of
independence by taking up arms. However, he was very firm with his
ideology, which is to achieve an independent country without bloodshed. He
was very stubborn and refrained from changing direction after setting
guidelines towards his goal. Normally he would not back down from all the
decisions he had made.
Dato Onn is also a humble person. As a leader, Dato 'Onn Jaafar is known for
his humble nature and respect for friends and opponents. He always choose
his word carefully in every conversation, discussion and speech to
achieve the desired goal. Therefore, he is highly respected by the
Malay community at the time and also the British.

Leadership Values

Brave and
Courageous

Dato' Onn Jaafar was well known for his courage and bravery in the face of
conflicts. During the peak of Malayan Union formation by Sir Harold
MacMicheal, a group of brave idealist led by Dato' Onn Jaafar went against
all odd to unite the Malays under one official body and make a firm stance
that the Malay people would not tolerate any action by the British to rob the
sovereignty of the Malay Sultans and the rights of the Malays. Dato' Onn
Jaafar representing the united Malays bravely voiced out their strong
objection and condemn the idea of Malayan Union until the colonial power
took them seriously.

16

Conclusion Although Dato' Onn was not the leader of the country when Tanah Melayu achieve its independence in
1957, but he surely left his influence and thoughts as a legacy to the nation. The story of his life
embodied the struggle to defend and uphold the sovereignty of the Sultans, religion, language, culture,
education, economy and privileges of the Malays. Look past his history and see the true essence of his
ideology and belief and you will see a true statesman who is willing to sacrifice his everything for his
country.

Dato' Onn Jaafar courage and wisdom will always be in the heart of
SK DATO' ONN JAAFAR, SIMPANG RENGGAM

17

References

Abdul Latip bin Talib, 'Dato' Onn Jaafar : Kisah Seorang Patriotik'.
Latip dan Keluarga Enterprise, Negeri Sembilan, 2017
Dato' Onn Ja'afar, pengasas kemerdekaan' oleh Ramlah Adam;
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka ; 1992 ; pg 25
Dato Onn Jaafar, peranannya didalam politik dan pentadbiran
Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, 1895-1962' oleh [Ramlah Adam';
Gateway Pub. House, 1987 , pg 8
Mohamed Abid (2003). Reflections of pre-independence Malaya.
Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: Pelanduk Publications. pg. 12.

18

Special thanks to :

The Principle, SK Dato' Onn Jaafar, Kluang
Class Teacher of 5 Bakti
Advisory Teacher Of SLB SKDOJ
Guidance and Counseling Teacher
My Parent and Family
All parties involved in the development of this
scrap book.

Farha Dania Binti Mohd Hazeeli
SK Dato' Onn Jaafar
Simpang Renggam
Johor