First Rahman cabinet

First Rahman cabinet

1st cabinet of Malaya
People and organisations
Head of government Tunku Abdul Rahman
Deputy head of government Abdul Razak Hussein
Head of state Tuanku Abdul Rahman
Member parties

Alliance Party

Status in legislature UMNO led coalition majority government
Opposition party Pan-Malayan Islamic Party
History
Election(s) Malayan general election, 1955
Outgoing election Malayan general election, 1959
Incoming formation Rahman I Cabinet formation, 1955
Outgoing formation Rahman II Cabinet formation, 1959
Successor Second Rahman cabinet

Tunku Abdul Rahman formed the first Rahman cabinet after being invited to begin a new government following the 27 July 1955 general election in Malaysia. Upon receiving the assent of the Rulers of the Malay States, the composition of the cabinet was announced by the High Commissioner of the Federation of Malaya, Donald MacGillivray, from King's House on 4 August 1955. The cabinet was sworn in 9 August 1955, by the Chief Justice of Malaya, Prethaser.

The swearing in of this cabinet marked the first time the majority of the Executive were members directly elected by Malayans and this was also the last cabinet to hold office under the British protectorate. Only four portfolios, the Chief Secretary to the Government, Secretary of Finance, Attorney General and the Secretary of State, remained directly appointed by High Commissioner and were helmed by British officials.[1]

Original composition

Members of the Cabinet of the Federation of Malaya, 1955: Sitting from the left: C.J. Thomas (Secretary of Finance), H. S. Lee (Minister of Transport), Tunku Abdul Rahman (Chief Minister and Minister of Home Affairs), Donald MacGillivray (High Commissioner), D.J. Watherson (Chief Secretary), J.P. Hogan (Attorney General), and Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman (Minister of Natural Resources). Standing from the left: Bahaman Samsuddin (Deputy Minister of Home Affairs), Abdul Razak Hussein (Minister of Education), O.J. Spencer (Secretary of Economy), Abdul Aziz Ishak (Minister of Agriculture), A.H.P. Humphrey (Secretary of Defence), Sulaiman Abdul Rahman (Minister of Local Government, Housing and Town Planning), V. T. Sambanthan (Minister of Labour), Sardon Jubir (Minister of Works), Leong Yew Koh (Minister of Health), Ong Yoke Lin (Minister of Communications, Telecommunications and Posts), A.S.H. Kemp (Secretary of State), and Too Joon Hing (Deputy Minister of Education).

Full members

The composition of the cabinet on its formation is as follows:[2]

Office Incumbent Party Constituency
Chief Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman UMNO Sungei Muda
Minister of Home Affairs
Minister of Education Abdul Razak Hussein UMNO Semantan
Minister of Natural Resources Ismail Abdul Rahman UMNO Johore Timor
Minister of Transport H. S. Lee MCA Nominated
Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives Abdul Aziz Ishak UMNO Selangor Barat
Minister of Health Leong Yew Koh MCA Ipoh-Menglembu
Minister of Works Sardon Jubir UMNO Segamat
Minister of Labour V. T. Sambanthan MIC Kinta Utara
Minister of Local Government, Housing and Town Planning Sulaiman Abdul Rahman UMNO Johore Bahru
Minister of Communications, Telecommunications and Posts Ong Yoke Lin MCA Kuala Lumpur Barat

Deputy and assistant ministers

Office Incumbent Party Constituency
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bahaman Samsuddin UMNO Telok Anson
Deputy Minister of Education Too Joon Hing MCA Kinta Selatan
Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives Mohd Khir Johari UMNO Kedah Tengah
Assistant Minister of Health Abdul Rahman Talib UMNO Pahang Timor
Assistant Minister of Works Abdul Khalid Awang Osman UMNO Kelantan Selatan

First reshuffle (1957 – 1959)

The tenure of the cabinet extended beyond the independence of Malaya on 31 August 1957, although it was reshuffled with the addition of new portfolios following independence and was only dissolved with the first post-independence general elections was called on 19 August 1959.

The composition of the cabinet following its reshuffling is as follows:[3]

Full members

Office Incumbent Party Constituency
Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman UMNO Sungei Muda
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein UMNO Semantan
Minister of Defence
Minister of Home Affairs and Justice Sulaiman Abdul Rahman UMNO Johore Bahru
Minister of Finance H. S. Lee MCA Nominated
Minister of Education Mohd Khir Johari UMNO Kedah Tengah
Minister of Natural Resources Bahaman Samsuddin UMNO Telok Anson
Minister of Transport Abdul Rahman Talib UMNO Pahang Timor
Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives Abdul Aziz Ishak UMNO Selangor Barat
Minister of Health V. T. Sambanthan MIC Kinta Utara
Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications Sardon Jubir UMNO Segamat
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Ong Yoke Lin MCA Kuala Lumpur Barat
Minister of Trade and Industry Tan Siew Sin MCA Malacca Central

See also

References

  1. ↑ Arkib Negara: Pembentukan Kabinet Pertama Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (in Malay)
  2. ↑ Malaysia, National Archives of. (n.d.). 1955 Cabinet (Malay)
  3. ↑ Arkib Negara: Mesyuarat Kali Pertama Kabinet Merdeka (in Malay)
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