Tun Syed Sheh Al-Haj bin Syed Hassan Barakbah (10 November 1906 – 8 October 1975) was a prominent Malaysian judge. He was the second

Lord President of the Federal Court The title of Lord President of the Supreme Court was formerly the title of the head of the judiciary in Malaysia, until 1994 when the office was renamed " Chief Justice of the Federal Court". The lord president was head of the highest court in Mal ...

, and the first Malaysian to hold that office. After his career in the judiciary, he briefly served as

President of the Dewan Negara The president of the Senate (; Jawi: ) is the presiding officer or speaker of the Dewan Negara, the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia. The president of the Senate is created under Article 56 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The office ...

and later

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 ...

of the

Malaysian state Malaysia is a federation of thirteen states and three federal territories, which form the primary administrative divisions of the country. Eleven states and two territories are part of Peninsular Malaysia, while two states and one territory ...

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 ...

. He is the shortest-serving President of the Dewan Negara in the

history of Malaysia Malaysia is a modern concept, created in the second half of the 20th century. However, contemporary Malaysia regards the entire history of Malaya and Borneo, spanning thousands of years back to prehistoric times, as its own history. Significan ...

Early life and education

Born in

Alor Star Alor Setar (Kedah Malay: ) is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. It is the second-largest city in the state after Sungai Petani and one of the most-important cities on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is home to the third-tallest t ...

, Kedah, Syed Sheh was of Hadhrami- Malay descent; his Arab ancestors had migrated from

Hadhramaut Hadhramaut ( ; ) is a geographic region in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula which includes the Yemeni governorates of Hadhramaut, Shabwah and Mahrah, Dhofar in southwestern Oman, and Sharurah in the Najran Province of Saudi A ...

and settled in

Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...

for several generations. Being of the Barakbah clan, he is related to

Sharifah Rodziah Syed Alwi Barakbah Tun Sharifah Rodziah binti Syed Alwi Barakbah (; 1920 – 12 March 2000) was the third wife of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the founding father and first Prime Minister of Malaysia. Early life Born in 1920, Sharifah Rodziah is of Hadhra ...

, the third wife of the first

Prime Minister of Malaysia The prime minister of Malaysia (; ) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the Government of Malaysia, federal government. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints the prime minister who is a membe ...

Tunku Abdul Rahman Tunku Abdul Rahman (8 February 19036 December 1990), commonly referred to as Tunku, was a Malaysian statesman who served as prime minister of Malaysia from 1957 to 1970. He previously served as the only chief minister of Federation of Malaya ...

. Syed received his education at the

Sultan Abdul Hamid College Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid (; abbreviated SAHC; also known as Maktab Sultan Abdul Hamid) located in Alor Setar, Kedah, is one of Malaysia's oldest and most prestigious schools. Founded in 1908 as Government English School (G.E.S.), it is also one ...

before continuing his studies in England sponsored by the

State Government's scholarship. He was accepted to

read law Reading law was the primary method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship un ...

at the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

and graduated in 1934 with a

Bachelor of Laws A Bachelor of Laws (; LLB) is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subje ...

(LLB) degree.

Career

Syed Sheh began his career in the judiciary as a special magistrate in the

Colonial Legal Service The Colonial Service, also known as His/Her Majesty's Colonial Service and replaced in 1954 by Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service (HMOCS), was the British government service that administered most of Britain's overseas possessions, under the aut ...

in 1946. After independence, he served as a judge on the

Court of Appeal An appellate court, commonly called a court of appeal(s), appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to Hearing (law), hear a Legal case, case upon appeal from a trial court or other ...

and in 1963, was appointed Chief Justice of Malaya. In 1968, Syed Sheh succeeded Tun Sir James Thomson as

, then the highest office in the Malaysian judiciary. He was the first Malaysian to serve in that capacity. After retiring as Lord President, Syed Sheh was appointed a Senator in the

Dewan Negara The Dewan Negara (; Jawi script, Jawi: ) is the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia, consisting of 70 senators of whom 26 are elected by the State legislative assemblies of Malaysia, state legislative assemblies, with two senators for ea ...

, the upper house of the

Parliament of Malaysia The Parliament of Malaysia (; Jawi script, Jawi: ) is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives, Literal translation, lit. "People's As ...

. He became

in 1969, serving for little over a week until early February. He retired from the Senate later that month and was appointed the third

of the state of

Yang di-Pertuan Agong The King of Malaysia, officially ''Yang di-Pertuan Agong'' ( Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ), is the constitutional monarch and Figurehead, ceremonial head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957, when the Federation of Malaya gained ...

Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin. He served two terms (four years, then two years) until February 1975. In becoming Lord President, President of the Dewan Negara and Governor of Penang, Syed Sheh has served in senior positions in the Malaysian executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

Death

Tun Syed Sheh died on 8 October 1975, in

, Kedah.

Legacy

The Esplanade Road in

George Town, Penang George Town is the capital of the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It is the core city of the George Town Conurbation, Malaysia's List of cities and towns in Malaysia by population#Largest metropolitan are ...

was renamed as Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah.

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

* : ** 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 ...

(PMN) – Tan Sri (1965) **

Grand Commander of the

Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia The Most Esteemed Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia () is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country and awarded by the sovereign. The order was instituted on 15 April 1966 and gazetted on 30 June 1966 ...

(SSM) – Tun (1967) ** Grand Commander of the

(SMN) – Tun (1971) * : ** Knight Grand Commander of the

Order of the Crown of Kedah The Most Illustrious Order of the Crown of Kedah (Bahasa Melayu: ''Darjah Yang Maha Mulia Sri Mahkota Kedah'') is an honorific order of the Sultanate of Kedah History It was founded by Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah on 21 February 1964. Classes ...

(SPMK) – Dato' Seri (1969) * : ** MY-PEN Order of the Defender of State - Knight Grand Commander - DUPN

Grand Master and Knight Grand Commander of the

Order of the Defender of State The Order of the Defender of State () is the sole order of chivalry of the state of Penang which was constituted in 1967 by then Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dato' Seri Utama Raja Uda Raja Muhammad to recognize eminent contributions of individuals t ...

(DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama

Foreign honours

* : **

Fourth Class of the Most Blessed Order of Setia Negara Brunei (PSB)

References

{{Authority control Malaysian people of Yemeni descent Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang 1906 births 1975 deaths Members of the Dewan Negara Chief justices of Malaysia Malaysian politicians of Malay descent Malaysian Muslims People from Kedah Hadhrami people Presidents of the Dewan Negara 20th-century Malaysian judges Members of the Inner Temple Grand Commanders of the Order of the Defender of the Realm Grand Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia Colonial Legal Service officers