Raja Uda Raja Muhammad
| Yang Amat Mulia Tun Raja Uda Raja Muhammad | |
|---|---|
| 1st Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang | |
|
In office 31 August 1957 – 30 August 1967 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Syed Sheh Shahabudin |
| 2nd Menteri Besar of Selangor | |
|
In office July 1949 – March 1953 | |
| Preceded by | Hamzah Abdullah |
| Succeeded by | Othman Muhammad |
| 4th Menteri Besar of Selangor | |
|
In office September 1954 – August 1955 | |
| Preceded by | Othman Muhammad |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Aziz Abdul Majid |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Raja Uda bin Raja Muhammad 1894 Kuala Langat, Selangor |
| Died | 17 October 1976 (aged 81–82) |
| Spouse(s) |
Raja Maslamah Raja Busu Tengku Badariah Tengku Puan Nor Saadah |
| Residence | Seri Mutiara |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Raja Tun Sir Uda bin Raja Muhammad, KBE, CMG, was a Malaysian statesman during the country's struggle for independence and its early years of nationhood. He was a civil servant under the British colonial administration, and eventually rose to important administrative positions within the government. Upon the independence of Malaya in 1957, he became the first Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Penang, one of the two states in the federation without a hereditary ruler.
Raja Uda was also the grandfather of Malaysian political blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.
Biography
Raja Uda was a member of the Selangor royal family, being a distant cousin of Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah and a direct descendant of the first Sultan of Selangor. He married Sultan Hisamuddin's sister, Tengku Badariah binti Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah.[1]
Raja Uda joined the colonial government service in 1910 at age 16. In 1939, he was appointed as secretary to the British Resident of Selangor. He was Menteri Besar of Selangor twice, from 1949 to 1953, and again from 1954 to 1955. In between, Raja Uda served as Malayan High Commissioner in the United Kingdom. He was involved in negotiations with the British to establish the Member System in the 1950s.[2]
In 1951, Raja Uda was appointed a CMG and appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1953,[3] entitling him to the style "Sir," since the Federation of Malaya was then a realm of the British Empire. Following the first ever general election in 1955, Raja Uda was appointed Speaker of the Federal Legislative Council.
On August 31, 1957, the day of independence, Raja Uda was appointed the first Governor of the state of Penang and served for ten years.
Raja Tun Uda died on October 17, 1976 and he was buried at the Selangor royal mausoleum near Sultan Sulaiman Mosque in Klang, Selangor.
Legacy
Several projects and institutions were named after him, including:
- Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda or Raja Tun Uda Library in Shah Alam, Selangor.
- The Weld Quay in George Town, Penang was renamed Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda.
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Raja Tun Uda (SMKRTU) in Bayan Lepas, Penang
- Masjid Jamek Raja Tun Uda, the first mosque built in Shah Alam, Selangor located at Section 16.
Honours
He has been awarded :[3]
Honours of Penang
- As 1st Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang (31 August 1957 - 30 August 1967))
-
Grand Master and Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State 1 August 1967 - 30 August 1967) [4]
-
Honours of Malaysia
-
Malaysia :
-
_-_SMN.svg.png)
Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) with title Tun
-
Foreign Honours
-
United Kingdom :
- Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE, 1.6.1953) with title Sir
- Honorary Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG, 1.1.1951)
Notes
- ↑ Raja Sir Tun Uda Al Haj Bin Raja Muhammad: Family Tree
- ↑ Bab 5: Pembinaan Negara Bangsa yang Merdeka (in Malay). Textbook notes. Accessed June 3, 2010
- 1 2 The Royal Ark, Selangor genealogical details p.2
- ↑ decorations of Penang : Order of the Defender of State founded in 01/08/1967