Awang bin Hassan (; 9 November 1910 – 12 September 1998) was a Malaysian politician and

doctor Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded b ...

who served as the 5th

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Penang Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...

from 1981 until his retirement in 1989. He had previously served as the 7th Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia from 1973 to 1980.

Early life and education

Awang was born in Muar,

Johor Johor, also spelled Johore,'' is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. It borders with Pahang, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the north. Johor has maritime borders with Singapore ...

, Malaya (now Malaysia). He received his early education at Sekolah Bukit Zahrah in

Johor Bahru Johor Bahru, abbreviated as JB, is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Johor. It is the core city of Johor Bahru District, Malaysia's second-largest district by population and the second-largest district economy. Covering an area of ...

and later at the

English College Johore Bahru The English College Johore Bahru, also known as Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar, abbreviated as English College, EC, MSAB, The college, and sometimes dubbed "The Pride Of Johore", is an old premier secondary school in Malaysia. It is an all-boys school ...

. Awang began attendance at the

King Edward VII College of Medicine King Edward VII Medical College (KEMC) was a medical school from 1905 to 1949 in Singapore, the first one in what was then British Malaya, Malaya. It was officially named King Edward VII Medical College in 1921 and subsequently became the Faculty ...

(now the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine of the

National University of Singapore The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national university, national Public university, public research university in Singapore. It was officially established in 1980 by the merging of the University of Singapore and Nanyang University ...

) and graduated with a

Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (also known as Licentiate in Medical Practice in some instances) is a medical degree of historical importance in India. During the British rule of India some universities conferred this qualification. The qualific ...

(LMS) in 1934. He worked as a specialist in

Kandang Kerbau Hospital KK Women's and Children's Hospital (abbreviation: KKH) is the largest public hospital specialising in healthcare for women and children in Singapore, located at 100 Bukit Timah Road. From its humble beginnings as a small Hospital, general hospi ...

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

before opening his own clinic.

Political career

Awang joined politics and was made Deputy Speaker of

Dewan Rakyat The Dewan Rakyat (; Jawi script, Jawi: ), is the lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Malaysia, Parliament which is the federal legislature of Malaysia. The chamber and its powers are established by Article 44 of the Constitu ...

and Member of Parliament for Muar Selatan. He was later appointed as the 7th Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia from 1973 to 1980, after which he became the 5th

Yang di-Pertua Negeri In Malaysia, the Governor, officially Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Jawi script, Jawi: , ) is a constitutional title given to the head of state in States and federal territories of Malaysia, states without a ruler, namely: Penang, Malacca, Sabah and S ...

(Governor) of

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

from 1981 to 1989. Awang also played a part in the formation of

United Malays National Organisation The United Malays National Organisation (Abbreviation, abbrev: UMNO; , PEKEMBAR) is a Conservatism, conservative, Nationalism, Malay nationalist political party in Malaysia. As the oldest national political party in the country (since its ince ...

together with his brother-in-laws,

Suleiman Abdul Rahman Dato' Suleiman bin Abdul Rahman (27 February 1912 – 6 November 1963) was a Malaysian politician who served as Minister of the Interior (1959–1961) and Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia from 1961 until his death on 6 November 1963. H ...

and

Ismail Abdul Rahman Ismail bin Abdul Rahman (; 4 November 1915 – 2 August 1973) was a Malaysian politician who served as the second Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from September 1970 to his death in August 1973. A member of the United Malays National Organis ...

Personal life

Tun Awang married Toh Puan Khadijah Abdul Rahman, sister of Tun Dr.

, the 2nd

Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia The deputy prime minister of Malaysia (; ) is the second-highest political office in Malaysia. There have been 15 officeholders since the office was created in 1957. The first prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, started the convent ...

in 1936. They had four sons and three daughters. In 1989, two years after Toh Puan Khadijah's death, Tun Awang married her younger sister-in-law, Toh Puan Dr. Zubaidah Abdul Rahman.

Death

Tun Dr. Awang Hassan died on 12 September 1998 at the age of 87. He was buried at the

Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum The Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum () is a Royal Mausoleum of Johor located at Bukit Mahmoodiah in Jalan Mahmoodiah, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The first Sultan of Johor buried here was Abu Bakar of Johor, Sultan Abu Bakar in 1895. Besides that, the f ...

in Johor Bahru.

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

* : **

Malaysian Commemorative Medal (Silver) (PPM) (1965) ** Grand Commander of the

Order of the Defender of the Realm The Most Esteemed Order of the Defender of the Realm () is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country. The Order Motto are 'Dipeliharakan Allah-Pangkuan Negara' (By the Grace of God-Defender of the Realm). The o ...

(SMN) – Tun (1982) * : ** Order of the Crown of Johor ribbon bar

Knight Grand Commander of the

Order of the Crown of Johor The Most Honourable Order of the Crown of Johor ( Malay: ''Darjah Mahkota Johor Yang Amat Mulia'') is an Order of chivalry awarded by the Sultan of Johor. It was first instituted on July 31, 1886. It is awarded in three classes: *Knight Grand Co ...

(SPMJ) – Dato' (1977) * : ** MY-PEN Order of the Defender of State - Knight Grand Commander - DUPN

Knight Grand Commander (DUPN) with title ''Dato' Seri Utama'' ** MY-PEN Order of the Defender of State - Knight Grand Commander - DUPN

Grand Master of the Order of the Defender of State

Places named after him

Several projects and institutions were named after him, including: *

Jalan Tun Dr Awang Jalan Tun Dr Awang is a major highway in Penang, Malaysia. It was named after Tun Dr Awang Hassan, the former Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Penang. Route background The Kilometre Zero is located at Bulatan Bayan Lepas roundabout in Bayan ...

, a major highway in

which connects from Sungai Nibong to

Bayan Lepas Bayan Lepas is a suburb of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located near the southeastern tip of Penang Island, south of the city centre, it is home to the Penang International Airport, the third busiest airport in Malaysia, as we ...

* Taman Tun Dr Awang, a township in Butterworth,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Awang Hassan 1910 births Malaysian people of Bugis descent 1998 deaths People from Muar Malaysian diplomats Malaysian politicians of Malay descent Malaysian Muslims United Malays National Organisation politicians Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang University of Malaya alumni High commissioners of Malaysia to Australia Grand Commanders of the Order of the Defender of the Realm Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor 20th-century Malaysian medical doctors Companions of the Order of the Crown of Johor Malaysian MPs 1959–1964 Malaysian MPs 1964–1969 Malaysian MPs 1971–1974