Musa Hitam

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun

| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=MYS|size=100|SSM|PMN|SPMJ|SPMS|SPNS|SPDK|DUNM|SSIJ|PIS}}

| image =

| name = Musa Hitam

| native_name = {{lang|ms|{{Script|Arab|موسى هيتم}}}}

| order = 5th

| office = Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia

| monarch = Ahmad Shah
Iskandar

| term_start = 18 July 1981

| constituency = Labis

| primeminister = Mahathir Mohamad

| term_end = 16 March 1986

| predecessor = Mahathir Mohamad

| successor = Ghafar Baba

| office2 = Minister of Home Affairs

| primeminister2 = Mahathir Mohamad

| term_start2 = 18 July 1981

| term_end2 = 16 March 1986

| constituency2 = Labis

| deputy2 = Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik
Mohd Kassim Ahmed

| monarch2 = Ahmad Shah
Iskandar

| predecessor2 = Ghazali Shafie

| successor2 = Mahathir Mohamad

| office3 = Minister of Education

| primeminister3 = Hussein Onn

| predecessor3 = Mahathir Mohamad

| successor3 = Sulaiman Daud

| term_start3 = 1976

| term_end3 = 1981

| monarch3 = Yahya Petra
Ahmad Shah

| constituency3 = Labis

| deputy3 = Chan Siang Sun
Salleh Jafaruddin
Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak

| office4 = Minister of Primary Industries

| primeminister4 = Abdul Razak Hussein
Hussein Onn

| deputy4 = Paul Leong Khee Seong

| monarch4 = Abdul Halim
Yahya Petra

| term_start4 = 1974

| term_end4 = 1976

| predecessor4 = Abdul Taib Mahmud

| successor4 = Abdul Taib Mahmud

| constituency4 = Labis

| office5 = Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry

| primeminister5 = Tunku Abdul Rahman
Abdul Razak Hussein

| minister5 = Khir Johari

| constituency5 = Segamat Utara

| monarch5 = Ismail Nasiruddin
Abdul Halim

| term_start5 = 1969

| term_end5 = 1974

| predecessor5 =

| successor5 =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1934|4|18|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Johor Bahru, Johor, British Malaya (now Malaysia)

| death_date =

| death_place =

| resting_place =

| footnotes =

| signature =

| relations =

| children =

| parents =

| profession =

| caption =

| alma_mater = University of Malaya (BA)
University of Sussex (MA)

| party = United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) (until 1988)

| otherparty = Barisan Nasional (BN)

| spouse = Zulaikha Sheardin

| occupation =

}}

Musa bin Hitam (Jawi: موسى بن هيتم; born 18 April 1934) is a Malaysian retired politician who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 1986, serving under Mahathir Mohamad.{{cite web | last=Crossette | first=Barbara | title=MALAYSIA LEADER FACING MAJOR REVOLT IN HIS PARTY | website=The New York Times | date=1987-03-28 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/28/world/malaysia-leader-facing-major-revolt-in-his-party.html | access-date=2018-02-16}} He was the chairman of Sime Darby Berhad.

Early life and education

Musa bin Hitam was born on 18 April 1934 in Johor Bahru, British Malaya, to a Malay father of Javanese descent and a mother of Chinese descent, who was adopted by and grew up in a Malay household at the age of five.{{cite book |url={{Google books |plainurl=yes |id=UmNxAAAAMAAJ }} |title=Kerajaan mansuh kekebalan Raja Melayu|author=Mokhtar Petah|publisher=ART Media|pages=164|year=1993|isbn=9839835009}}{{cite book|last1=Dhillon|first1=Karminder Singh|title=Malaysian Foreign Policy in the Mahathir Era, 1981-2003: Dilemmas of Development|year=2009|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D3yN9R4jNy0C&q=Musa+Hitam+chinese+mother&pg=PA24|page=24|publisher=NUS Press |isbn=9789971693992}}{{cite book|title=Musa Hitam: A Political Biography|author=Bruce Gale|publisher=Eastern Universities Press (M)|pages=12|year=1982|isbn=9971-65-212-9}}

Musa continued his studies at the English College Johore Bahru. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Malaya and his master's degree from the University of Sussex. He has since been awarded with various honours, including an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Sussex and an Honorary Doctorate from Ohio University (in 1980). Musa has held various posts at the international level at various times. These included being Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Member of the Board of UNESCO, Leader of the Commonwealth Observer Delegation to the Malawi general elections and Member of the Commonwealth Ministers Delegations to Nigeria, Pakistan, Fiji and Gambia.

Political career

In the 1960s, Musa was briefly served as Acting Secretary-General of UMNO. He was later expelled from the party in the wake of the 13 May racial rioting for insubordination to Prime Minister and UMNO President Tunku Abdul Rahman. During his political exile, he obtained his Master's from the University of Sussex.

In 1971, he was readmitted to UMNO under the Tunku's successor, Abdul Razak Hussein. He rose quickly, becoming Deputy Whip of the Alliance coalition in Parliament, and was elected as a member of the UMNO Supreme Council. He was elected as a UMNO Vice-President in 1978.Tan, Chee Khoon & Vasil, Raj (ed., 1984). Without Fear or Favour, p. 43–44. Eastern Universities Press. {{ISBN|967-908-051-X}}.

When Mahathir Mohamad succeeded Hussein Onn as Prime Minister of Malaysia, he declared the election for the Deputy Presidency of UMNO open; and thus by extension the Deputy Prime Ministership — was open; he would not support any candidate.{{cite web|url=http://lib.perdana.org.my/PLF/Digital_Content/NA/Newspaper/0006/TheStar%5B25June1981%5BDr.MLoserWillStayOn.pdf |title=Loser Will Stay On: Dr M to accept decision of delegates|work=The Star |date=25 June 1981|via=Perdana Leadership Foundation Library}} Musa Hitam faced Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in 1981 the party election.Tan & Vasil, p. 2. Eventually, Musa won the election with 722 votes to Razaleigh's 517 votes, becoming the new Deputy President and Deputy Prime Minister.Tan & Vasil, p. 204. Razaleigh blamed himself for taking "a rather passive stance" and not having a campaign strategy.Tan & Vasil, p. 112.

Government positions

Before becoming Malaysia's fifth Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs in 1981–1986, Musa held a number of key government posts, including

Chairman of the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA)
Deputy Minister of Trade & Industry (1970–1974)
Minister of Primary Industries (1974–1978); and
Minister of Education (1978–1981).
Deputy Prime Minister (1981–1987)

In September 1981, Musa Hitam served as Acting Prime Minister when Mahathir Mohamad went on a two-week vacation with his family to Spain and Portugal.{{Cite web |date=1981-09-03 |title=Mahathir will miss C'wealth talks |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19810903-1.2.3 |website=The Straits Times}}

Musa retired and was replaced by Ghafar Baba as Deputy Prime Minister in 1986.

Post-political career

In 1987, Tengku Razaleigh challenged Mahathir Mohamad for the presidency of UMNO. Musa Hitam, who was then having a growing rift with Mahathir, resigned as Deputy Prime Minister, citing irreconcilable differences with Mahathir.Putra, Tunku Abdul Rahman (1986). Political Awakening, p. 86. Pelanduk Publications. {{ISBN|967-978-136-4}}. He then joined Razaleigh's Team B as UMNO deputy president candidate. In the election, Dr. Mahathir and his Team A managed to retain his position and power over the party. However, UMNO was split into two separate entities as Tengku Razaleigh was left unsatisfied with the result. The split forced the Malaysian court to declare UMNO as illegal. Shortly after the court ruling, Dr. Mahathir reestablished UMNO as UMNO Baru (New UMNO), though the new UMNO was badly weakened. Tengku Razaleigh at the same time went on his own path and found a new political party called Semangat 46 in 1989. The number 46 refers to the year UMNO was founded. Musa, however, decided to retire from politics and has not joined the fray since.

Between 1990 and 1991, he was Malaysia's Special Envoy to the United Nations, and since 1995 he has been the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). Tan Sri Musa also led the Malaysian delegation to the UN Commission on Human Rights from 1993 to 1998 and was elected Chairman of the 52nd Session of the Commission in 1995. As a member of UMNO, Musa has held various positions within the party up to Deputy President until 1987.

He also served as the Chairman of Suhakam, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission, from 1999 till 2002. In 2007, Musa became the chairman of Synergy Drive Berhad, the entity which arose out of the newly formed merger between Sime Darby, Guthrie, and Golden hope Plantations.{{Cite web |url=http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2007%2F9%2F30%2Fbusiness%2F20070930202540&sec=business |title=Musa Hitam is chairman of Synergy Drive |access-date=1 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322210555/http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2007%2F9%2F30%2Fbusiness%2F20070930202540&sec=business |archive-date=22 March 2009 |url-status = dead|df=dmy-all }} He also serves on the International Advisory Council of the Brookings Doha Center. Musa is currently the Chairman of the World Islamic Economic Foundation.{{cite web | title=WIEF Foundation Launch by Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman of WIEF Foundation | website=World Islamic Economic Forum | date=2017-10-25 | url=https://wief.org/speech/wief-foundation-launch-tun-musa-hitam-chairman-wief-foundation/ | access-date=2018-02-16}}

On 25 September 2024, Tun Musa Hitam appointed as the Grand Chancellor of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia by Yang di-Pertuan Agong for three year-tenure, until 12 September 2027.

Personal life

Musa was married to Datin Ines Maria Reyna, a Peruvian of Spanish descent, whom he first met at Lima, Peru in 1959 as an international student. They had 3 children: Mariana, Carlos Abdul Rashid and Rosana. Carlos was killed together with his wife Rozina Datuk Abu Bakar, a news anchor on TV3 during the Highland Towers collapse on 11 December 1993.Veera, R. V. et al., 12-storey apartment block collapses–53 people believed to be still buried, new Sunday Times, 12 December 1993, p. 1

Musa is now married to Toh Puan Zulaikha Sheardin.[http://majalah.tempointeraktif.com/id/arsip/1986/09/13/PT/mbm.19860913.PT35852.id.html Melangsungkan pernikahan], TEMPO, Majalah Berita Mingguan, 13 September 1986 His daughter Mariana died on 5 November 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.nst.com.my/amp/news/nation/2022/11/847642/ex-dpm-musa-hitams-daughter-dies|title=Ex-DPM Musa Hitam's Daughter dies|publisher=New Straits Times}}

Election results

class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"

|+ Parliament of Malaysia{{Citation |title=TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS |date=2024-12-21 |url=https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/tree/main |access-date=2024-12-26 |publisher=TindakMalaysia}}

!|Year

!|Constituency

!colspan=2|Candidate

!|Votes

!|Pct

!colspan=2|Opponent(s)

!|Votes

!|Pct

!|Ballots cast

!|Majority

!|Turnout

1968

|rowspan="2"|P103 Segamat Utara

|{{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |

|Musa Hitam (UMNO)

|align="right" |9,485

|62.34%

|{{Party shading/Democratic Action Party}} |

|Lee Ah Meng (DAP)

|align="right" |5,731

|37.66%

|15,427

|3,754

|74.24%

1969

|{{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |

|Musa Hitam (UMNO)

|align="right" |10,212

|61.18%

|{{Party shading/Democratic Action Party}} |

|Tan Thian San (DAP)

|align="right" |6,480

|38.82%

|17,192

|3,732

|78.86%

1974

| rowspan=2|P099 Labis

|{{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |

|Musa Hitam (UMNO)

| colspan=9 style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"|Unopposed

1978

|{{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |

|Musa Hitam (UMNO)

|align="right" |19,576

|88.04%

|{{Party shading/PAS}} |

|Jamal Ahmad (PAS)

|align="right" |2,659

|11.96%

|23,773

|16,917

|78.45%

1982

|P108 Panti

|{{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |

|Musa Hitam (UMNO)

| colspan=9 style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"|Unopposed

1986

|P128 Kota Tinggi

|{{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |

|Musa Hitam (UMNO)

|align="right" |33,891

|91.23%

|{{Party shading/PAS}} |

|Harun Embong (PAS)

|align="right" |3,258

|8.77%

|38,456

|30,633

|76.54%

Honours

=Honours of Malaysia=

{{Flag|Malaysia}} :
50px Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) – Tun (2006){{cite web|title=Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 2006.|url=https://www.istiadat.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Tahun_2006.pdf}}"[http://bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=201487 Tun For Musa Hitam] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929103119/http://bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=201487 |date=29 September 2007 }}". Bernama. 3 June 2006.
50px Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (PMN) – Tan Sri (1994){{cite web|title=Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1994.|url=https://www.istiadat.gov.my//wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1994.pdf}}
{{Flag|Johor}} :
50px Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor (SPMJ) – Dato' (1973){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ht0qAAAAIBAJ&dq=dato+paduka+mahkota+johor&pg=PA11&article_id=952,404602|title=Johore Sultan's Birthday List Parade|publisher=New Straits Times|date=3 November 1973}}
50px Knight Grand Companion of the Order of Loyalty of Sultan Ismail of Johor (SSIJ) – Dato' (1977)
50px First Class of the Sultan Ibrahim Medal (PIS I) (1982){{Cite news |title=Musa Receives Johor Ruler's Award |pages=1 |date= 9 April 1982 |work=New Straits Times}}
{{Flag|Malacca}} :
50px Knight Grand Commander of the Premier and Exalted Order of Malacca (DUNM) – Datuk Seri Utama (1982){{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FOhLAAAAIBAJ&dq=Malacca+awards+list&pg=PA3&article_id=5457,1823182|title=Musa gets state's highest award|publisher=New Straits Times|date=9 June 1982}}
{{Flag|Negeri Sembilan}} :
50px Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (SPNS) – Dato' Seri Utama (1982){{cite book|url=|title=Negeri Sembilan Award for Musa|publisher=New Straits Times|date=10 May 1982}}
{{Flag|Sabah}} :
50px Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (1984){{Cite news |title=Sabah's highest award for Mariam Robert |pages=4 |date=11 September 1984 |work=New Straits Times}}
{{Flag|Selangor}} :
50px Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (1982){{cite web|title=SPMS 1982|url=https://awards.selangor.gov.my/sublinkyear.php?cat=30&subcat=S.P.M.S.|website=awards.selangor.gov.my|access-date=14 November 2021}}

=Foreign honour=

{{Flag|Japan}} :
50px Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2018){{Cite web|title=The Conferment Ceremony of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun on Tun Musa Hitam, Former Deputy Prime Minister|url=https://www.my.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/newinfo_21062019.html|access-date=27 January 2021|website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan}}

Notes and references

External links

[http://www.felda.net.my FELDA Official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604102736/http://www.felda.net.my/ |date=4 June 2020 }}

{{succession box

|before=Mahathir Mohamad

|title=Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia

|years=1981–1986

|after=Ghafar Baba

}}

{{Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia}}

Category:1934 births

Category:Alumni of the University of Sussex

Category:Deputy prime ministers of Malaysia

Category:Government ministers of Malaysia

Category:Living people