Tun Sulaiman bin Ninam Shah (2 January 1920 – 5 July 2003) was a

Malaysian Malaysian may refer to: * Something from or related to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia * Malaysian Malay, a dialect of Malay language spoken mainly in Malaysia * Malaysian people, people who are identified with the country of Malaysia regar ...

businessman and veteran politician. He was also former member of Johore State Council for Muar Coastal (1954–1959) and

Johor State Legislative Assembly The Johor State Legislative Assembly ( ms, Dewan Negeri Johor) is the unicameral legislature of the Malaysian state of Johor. It is composed of 56 members who are elected from single-member constituencies throughout the state. Elections are hel ...

for

Parit Jawa Parit Jawa is a mukim in Muar District, Johor, Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three fede ...

(1959-1964), former

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...

(1979-1985) and the 6th

Deputy President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is o ...

of the Dewan Negara (1982-1985). He is one of the founders of

United Malays National Organisation The United Malays National Organisation ( Malay: ; Jawi: ; abbreviated UMNO () or less commonly PEKEMBAR), is a nationalist right-wing political party in Malaysia. As the oldest continuous national political party within Malaysia (since its ...

(UMNO) and former Permanent Chairman of UMNO (1976-2003).

Family

Sulaiman was born in Kampung Sarang Buaya, Muar,

Johor Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest. Johor shares maritime b ...

to a mix of Indian Muslim and Malay family. He married Rose Othman in 1946 and the couple had nine children. Six sons and three daughters named, Datin Faridah, Datuk Kadar Shah, Mohd Shah, Othman, Zainal Abiddin, Mariam, Hassan, Mohd Nathir and Intaan Rogayah.

Early life

Sulaiman started his career as a police constable in Johor in 1939. Three years later when Malaya was under the Japanese occupation, he was promoted as the Police Vehicles Officer and later as the

Assistant Superintendent of Police Assistant superintendent, or assistant superintendent of police (ASP), is a rank that was used by police forces in the British Empire and is still used in many police forces in the Commonwealth. It was usually the lowest rank that could be held ...

(ASP) to work as the Police Chief of Muar district until the surrender of Japan in 1945. At the same time, Sulaiman started to become involved in business by opening a newspapers, magazines and books store in Muar. Sulaiman in the subsequent year he managed to get a tender contract to provide foods supplies to Muar Hospital. In the 1970s, he started a joint-venture company opening a palm oil estate in

Segamat Segamat ( Jawi: سڬامت Chinese: 昔加末) is a town located in the Segamat District, Johor, Malaysia. It is 95 km travel distance via North–South Expressway from Johor Bahru to Yong Peng, and another 77 km from Federal Route 1. Str ...

. Sulaiman later successfully got elected as the chairman and director for companies such as Budget Rent-A-Car, Laksamana Tour, Top Coach Builder, Malacca-Singapore Ekspress, Pelaburan Johor Bhd., T & T Properties, Menara Landmark and also

Bank Rakyat {{Infobox company , name = Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Berhad (Bank Rakyat) , logo = , type = {{unbulleted list, Islamic banking, Cooperative banking , foundation = 28 September 1954 , location = Menara Kembar Bank Ra ...

Politics

Sulaiman was involved in politics since the foundation of UMNO in 1946. In the 1st general election of Malaya in 1954 before

Independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the s ...

, he contested as an Alliance Party candidate and won the Muar Coastal seat to be a member of Johore State Council. In the second Malayan general election in 1959, he contested again under Alliance Party and managed to defeat the

Pan-Malayan Islamic Party The Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS; ms, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia; ms, ڤرتي إسلام سمليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is an Islamist political party in Malaysia. As the party focused on Islamic fundamentalism, PA ...

(PMIP) candidate with 7,020 majority votes to be the Johor state assemblyman for

seat. However, he had a heart condition which caused him to retract from re-contesting in

1964 general election The following elections occurred in 1964. Africa * 1964 Cameroonian parliamentary election * 1964 Central African Republic parliamentary election * 1964 Central African Republic presidential election * 1964 Dahomeyan general election * 1964 Gabo ...

He maintained his position as Deputy Chairman of the Muar Division of UMNO until 1967. In the following year he was selected as the Permanent Chairman of UMNO Malaysia in 1976 before elected in 1978. He held the position until his death in 2003. Sulaiman was also appointed as ''senator'' in Dewan Negara for two terms from 1979 to 1985 which he was elected as the Deputy President in the second term.

Death

Sulaiman, 83, died from

leukaemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ...

at 5am, at the Pantai Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. He was buried at 6th Mile Muslim Cemetery, Jalan Bakri, Bukit Bakri, Muar, Johor.

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

* : ** Companion of the

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

(JMN) (1976) ** Order_of_Loyalty_to_the_Crown_of_Malaysia_-_PSM

Commander of the

Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia The Most Esteemed Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia ( ms, Darjah Yang Mulia Setia Mahkota Malaysia) is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country and awarded by the sovereign. The order was instituted o ...

(PSM) – Tan Sri (1984) ** Commander of the

(PMN) – Tan Sri (1994) **

Grand Commander of the

(SSM) – Tun (2001) * : **

Most Honourable 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' (1970) ** Order of the Loyalty of Sultan Ismail (Johor) - ribbon bar

Knight Grand Companion of the Order of Loyalty of Sultan Ismail of Johor (SSIJ) – Dato' (1976) ** Sultan_Ibrahim_Coronation_Medal_ribbon

Sultan Ibrahim Medal (PIS) ** My-KEL_Order_of_the_Life_of_the_Crown_of_Kelantan_2006

Star of Sultan Ismail (BSI)

Places named after him

Several places were named after him, including: * Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tun Sulaiman Ninam Shah, Muar, Johor. (a secondary school formerly SMK Jalan Junid which rename in honour of Tun Sulaiman Ninam Shah) * Taman Tun Sulaiman Ninam Shah (a housing area near Jalan Junid, Parit Sakai, Muar, Johor) * Jalan Sulaiman Ninam Shah 1 - Jalan Sulaiman Ninam Shah 6 (streets of Taman Bunga Mawar, Muar, Johor) * Dewan Tun Sulaiman Ninam Shah (a multi-purpose hall of Bangunan UMNO Muar, 123, Jalan Meriam, Taman Sri Tanjung, Muar, Johor)

References

{{Authority control 1920 births 2003 deaths People from Johor People from Muar Malaysian people of Malay descent Malaysian people of Indian descent Malaysian Muslims 20th-century Malaysian businesspeople United Malays National Organisation politicians Members of the Dewan Negara Members of the Johor State Legislative Assembly Grand Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia Commanders of the Order of the Defender of the Realm Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor Companions of the Order of the Defender of the Realm