Hussein bin Onn (Jawi: حسين بن عون; 12 February 1922 – 29 May 1990) was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who was the third prime minister of Malaysia from 1976 to 1981.
Born~Died Feb 12, 1922 ~ May 29, 1990Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 3:33 PM
Hussein bin Onn (Jawi: حسين بن عون; 12 February 1922 – 29 May 1990) was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who was the third prime minister of Malaysia from 1976 to 1981.
This page is based on “Hussein Onn” from English Wikipedia, (r1378804948) CC BY-SA 4.0 used under the license. The original authors are listed in its page history.
In early 1943, Hussein was called to New Delhi to serve as part of the military intelligence department of the British Military Headquarters in preparation for the British invasion of Malaya. He was later posted to Rawalpindi as an instructor at the Malayan Police Recruiting and Training Centre, where he instructed a police force that would enforce order upon British re-occupation. Hussein was part of the second wave of an invasion force heading towards Malaya when the Japanese surrendered, whereupon he was diverted to Yangon before arriving in Singapore in 1945.7
Following his return, Hussein was appointed the Commandant of the Johor Bahru Police Depot under the British Military Administration, where he was responsible for re-establishing a police force. When the military administration was replaced by civilian rule the following year, Hussein opted to leave the army when it refused to grant Malay officers equal status to their British counterparts. He instead joined the Malay Administrative Service, becoming the assistant district officer for Kuala Selangor and later Klang.8 He left the service in 1949, opting to commit to politics.7
Hussein went to London to study law at Lincoln's Inn in 1952. He passed his exams in 1960 and was called to the Bar in 1961.7
Early political and legal career
When Hussein's father Onn founded UMNO in 1946, he joined it as the head of its youth committee. He was later elected the party's first youth chief in 1949. In 1950, he was elected UMNO secretary general. The same year, he was appointed to the Federal Legislative Council, serving on its Integrity Services Commission responsible for investigation allegations of corruption against British officials. He was concurrently a member of Johor's legislature and executive council.7
Hussein, however, left UMNO in 1951 to join his father in forming the Independence of Malaya Party (IMP), which strived for multiracial politics. The new party did not fare well and Hussein chose to pursue a legal career instead.7
Upon his return from London as a qualified lawyer, Hussein joined Bannon & Bailey as a legal assistant until 1963. He then joined Skrine & Co., where he was later made a partner.7
Hussein was chosen as the Deputy Prime Minister by Abdul Razak following the death of Ismail Abdul Rahman in 1973. At the time, Hussein was one of the party's five vice-presidents. He was concurrently made the Trade and Industry Minister.1
The first few years of his administration was plagued by factionalism within UMNO,10 particularly from former Selangor chief minister Harun Idris. Harun had been expelled from UMNO in 1976 before being charged with corruption, for which he was convicted.11 In 1978, Hussein was challenged by Sulaiman Palestine, a member of Harun's faction, for the party's presidency. Up until this point, it was tradition for the incumbent to go unchallenged during party polls.12 Harun later attempted to reclaim control of the party's youth wing in 1980, but failed.13
His first cabinet was announced in April, nearly four months after he assumed the position of prime minister. Notably, Mahathir Mohamad, then a vice-president of the party, was chosen as deputy prime minister over Abdul Ghafar Baba, another party vice-president, and Ghazali Shafie, who was reported to be Hussein's preferred choice.1
The resurgence of Islam among the Malay population coincided with Hussein's tenure, and his government sought to exert control by starting its own dakwah programs while simultaneously empowering state bodies responsible for directing religious activities and tightening laws on civil society. Islam as a political and social force nevertheless continued to grow.14
To prevent chief ministers from gaining too much influence and power, Hussein's administration pursued a policy of appointing younger individuals who would serve just one or two terms.14 He also oversaw the abolition of the Ministry of Law, with its duties being folded into the prime minister's department in 1980. Prior to this, the Minister of Law was simultaneously the Attorney General.15
Implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP), which began under Abdul Razak, continued under Hussein's government. Manufacturing made up 20.5% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by 1980. Concurrently, the value added to the economy from agriculture stagnated while value added from mining declined. Though inflation rates remained low at the beginning of Hussein's administration, it began to rise by the end of his tenure.1513
Worker's rights were curtailed and extensive powers granted to the Registrar of Trade Unions and the Minister of Labour through amendments.15
Questions surrounding Hussein's health began in late December 1980 when he fell ill during a trip to London. He announced his intention to step down in May 1981, after a coronary bypass surgery in February that year. His deputy, Mahathir Mohamad succeeded him as prime minister on 16 July 1981, following which Hussein retired from politics, citing health concerns.16
Later life and death
Choosing not to write a memoir upon his retirement, Hussein said
My life is rather dull, and I cannot see why anyone would be interested in reading about it.16
Hussein took an increasingly critical stance against Mahathir in 1987 as the rivalry between "Team A" and "Team B" within UMNO reached its zenith, opting not to attend that year's party general assembly.17
Following the dissolution of UMNO by court order in 1988, Hussein became involved in attempts to revive "Old UMNO" with members of Team B in opposition to the "New UMNO" that had been formed by Mahathir.18 Hussein later sought to mediate the conflict between the two sides and was involved in organising unsuccessful reunification talks.19
Though Hussein ordered an investigation into Rogayah's heritage, its findings have never been made public. Hussein's brother Jaafar believes that she may have come from a region of the Caucasus such as Georgia or Circassia, or was perhaps a Russian Muslim. His sister Azizah has referred to Rogayah as a Turk, while the al-Attas family has claimed she had no Turkish heritage.2↩
"胡先翁获日颁发一等勳章". 星洲日报 (Sin Chew Jit Poh) (in Chinese). 29 September 1981. p. 8. ↩
Hussein bin Onn (Jawi: حسين بن عون; 12 February 1922 – 29 May 1990) was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who was the third prime minister of Malaysia from 1976 to 1981.
In 1948, Hussein married Suhailah Noah, a daughter of first . was his brother-in-law by virtue of his marriage to another of Mohamed Noah's daughters, .
In early 1943, Hussein was called to New Delhi to serve as part of the military intelligence department of the British Military Headquarters in preparation for the British invasion of Malaya. He was later posted to Rawalpindi as an instructor at the Malayan Police Recruiting and Training Centre, where he instructed a police force that would enforce order upon British re-occupation. Hussein was part of the second wave of an invasion force heading towards Malaya when the Japanese surrendered, whereupon he was diverted to Yangon before arriving in Singapore in 1945.7
Following his return, Hussein was appointed the Commandant of the Johor Bahru Police Depot under the British Military Administration, where he was responsible for re-establishing a police force. When the military administration was replaced by civilian rule the following year, Hussein opted to leave the army when it refused to grant Malay officers equal status to their British counterparts. He instead joined the Malay Administrative Service, becoming the assistant district officer for Kuala Selangor and later Klang.8 He left the service in 1949, opting to commit to politics.7
Hussein went to London to study law at Lincoln's Inn in 1952. He passed his exams in 1960 and was called to the Bar in 1961.7
Early political and legal career
When Hussein's father Onn founded UMNO in 1946, he joined it as the head of its youth committee. He was later elected the party's first youth chief in 1949. In 1950, he was elected UMNO secretary general. The same year, he was appointed to the Federal Legislative Council, serving on its Integrity Services Commission responsible for investigation allegations of corruption against British officials. He was concurrently a member of Johor's legislature and executive council.7
Hussein, however, left UMNO in 1951 to join his father in forming the Independence of Malaya Party (IMP), which strived for multiracial politics. The new party did not fare well and Hussein chose to pursue a legal career instead.7
Upon his return from London as a qualified lawyer, Hussein joined Bannon & Bailey as a legal assistant until 1963. He then joined Skrine & Co., where he was later made a partner.7
Hussein was chosen as the Deputy Prime Minister by Abdul Razak following the death of Ismail Abdul Rahman in 1973. At the time, Hussein was one of the party's five vice-presidents. He was concurrently made the Trade and Industry Minister.1
The first few years of his administration was plagued by factionalism within UMNO,10 particularly from former Selangor chief minister Harun Idris. Harun had been expelled from UMNO in 1976 before being charged with corruption, for which he was convicted.11 In 1978, Hussein was challenged by Sulaiman Palestine, a member of Harun's faction, for the party's presidency. Up until this point, it was tradition for the incumbent to go unchallenged during party polls.12 Harun later attempted to reclaim control of the party's youth wing in 1980, but failed.13
His first cabinet was announced in April, nearly four months after he assumed the position of prime minister. Notably, Mahathir Mohamad, then a vice-president of the party, was chosen as deputy prime minister over Abdul Ghafar Baba, another party vice-president, and Ghazali Shafie, who was reported to be Hussein's preferred choice.1
The resurgence of Islam among the Malay population coincided with Hussein's tenure, and his government sought to exert control by starting its own dakwah programs while simultaneously empowering state bodies responsible for directing religious activities and tightening laws on civil society. Islam as a political and social force nevertheless continued to grow.14
To prevent chief ministers from gaining too much influence and power, Hussein's administration pursued a policy of appointing younger individuals who would serve just one or two terms.14 He also oversaw the abolition of the Ministry of Law, with its duties being folded into the prime minister's department in 1980. Prior to this, the Minister of Law was simultaneously the Attorney General.15
Implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP), which began under Abdul Razak, continued under Hussein's government. Manufacturing made up 20.5% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by 1980. Concurrently, the value added to the economy from agriculture stagnated while value added from mining declined. Though inflation rates remained low at the beginning of Hussein's administration, it began to rise by the end of his tenure.1513
Worker's rights were curtailed and extensive powers granted to the Registrar of Trade Unions and the Minister of Labour through amendments.15
Questions surrounding Hussein's health began in late December 1980 when he fell ill during a trip to London. He announced his intention to step down in May 1981, after a coronary bypass surgery in February that year. His deputy, Mahathir Mohamad succeeded him as prime minister on 16 July 1981, following which Hussein retired from politics, citing health concerns.16
Later life and death
Choosing not to write a memoir upon his retirement, Hussein said
My life is rather dull, and I cannot see why anyone would be interested in reading about it.16
Hussein took an increasingly critical stance against Mahathir in 1987 as the rivalry between "Team A" and "Team B" within UMNO reached its zenith, opting not to attend that year's party general assembly.17
Following the dissolution of UMNO by court order in 1988, Hussein became involved in attempts to revive "Old UMNO" with members of Team B in opposition to the "New UMNO" that had been formed by Mahathir.18 Hussein later sought to mediate the conflict between the two sides and was involved in organising unsuccessful reunification talks.19
Though Hussein ordered an investigation into Rogayah's heritage, its findings have never been made public. Hussein's brother Jaafar believes that she may have come from a region of the Caucasus such as Georgia or Circassia, or was perhaps a Russian Muslim. His sister Azizah has referred to Rogayah as a Turk, while the al-Attas family has claimed she had no Turkish heritage.2↩