TAWARIKH: International Journal for Historical Studies, 3(2) 2012 Tun Mustapha: His Role and Contributions to the Development in Sabah, Malaysia Mat Zin Mat Kib ABSTRACT: Tun Mustapha is a renowned ϔigure in the history of Sabah, Malaysia. Having held the posts of Head of State or the TYT (Tuan Yang Terutama), Chief Minister, Minister at the Federal level, and a political leader involved in social, economic, and political developments, his role and contributions are of great signiϔicance. This paper discusses his role and contributions to the development of Sabah. Hailing from a poor family background and with little formal education, his rise to the much respected status as the “Father of Independence for Sabah” is a success story in its own right. This study has also been based on the write ups on his speeches in local newspapers of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as those found in annual reports. Nevertheless, Tun Mustapha realized the complexity and difϔiculty of the endeavor. Besides promoting Islam, as the Father of Sabah Independence, he struggled to unite its people who hailed from numerous ethnic backgrounds and religions for the sake of enjoying the fruit of his labor for an independent Sabah. He wanted his people to have freedom, peace, harmony, and happiness. KEY WORDS: Tun Mustapha, development, education, politics, economy, USNO, USIA, and Sabahan society. INTRODUCTION Sabah gained independence through Malaysia in 1963. After 49 years in the Federation of Malaysia (1963-2012), Sabah has experienced its own colorful share of the political and administrative antics. It has experienced many notable changes. Political awareness in this state came much later than its counterparts in the Peninsula. The signiicant beginning was when Tun Haji Mohd Fuad Stephens formed the United Kadazan Party (UKP) in August 1961 (Malakun, 1981:140; Ongkili, 1989:62; Luping, 1994:107; and Agus Yusoff, 2006:211) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mat Zin Mat Kib is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies UiTM (MARA University of Technology) Branch of Sabah, Locked Beg 71, 88997 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. He can be reached at: [email protected] 195 MAT ZIN MAT KIB, Tun Mustapha followed by the formation of the United Sabah National Organization (USNO) or Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Sabah Bersatu in December 1962 under the leadership of Tun Datu Hj. Mustapha Datu Harun (Malakun, 1981:142; and Luping, 1994:121) and the rest of the twenty one political parties. As a result, Sabah emerged as the state which had the most number of political parties in the Malaysian political system. The reason for this large number is due the numerous ethnic groups in Sabah (Mat Kib, 2003b:497). At one time, there were 72 ethnic groups in Sabah represented by ethnic-based political parties but this number has now to 41 (Mat Kib, 2003a:24).1 Sabah was also the only state in Malaysia which had been forced to practice the system of appointing a new Chief Minister every two years since 1994, when UMNO-BN (United Malays National Organization – Barisan Nasional or National Front) took over Sabah. This system was later abolished in 2004. Where the ruling party is concerned, Sabah is the only state which has experienced frequent change of government: The United Kadazan Party (UKP), 1963-1964; Sabah Chinese Association (SCA), 1964-1967; the United Sabah National Organization (USNO), 1967- 1976; the United People’s Party of Sabah or Parti Bersatu Rakyat Jelata Sabah (BERJAYA), 1976-1985; United Sabah Party or Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), 1985-1994; and the National Front or Barisan Nasional (BN), 1994- present. With regard to administration, Sabah has been helmed by nine Heads of State, Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Di-Pertuan Negeri Sabah: (1) Tun Datu Haji Mustapha Datu Harun, 1963-1965; (2) Tun Datuk Pengiran Haji Ahmad Raffae bin OKK Pengiran Haji Omar, 1965-1973; (3) Tun Haji Mohd Fuad Stephens, 1973-1975; (4) Tun Datuk Mohammad Hamdan Abdullah, 1975- 1977; (5) Tun Datuk Haji Ahmad Koroh, 1977-1978; (6) Tun Datuk Haji Mohammad Adnan Robert, 1978-1987; (7) Tun Datuk Haji Mohammad Said bin Keruak, 1987-1995; (8) Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Sakaran bin Dandai, 1995-2002; (9) Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah (2002-2010); and Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Juhar Mahiruddin (2010-present). Sabah has also been helmed by 13 Chief Ministers: Tun Haji Mohd Fuad Stephens (August 1963 to December 1964 and April 1976 to June 1976); Datuk Peter Lo Su Yin (January 1965 to April 1967); Tun Datu Haji 1The author is grateful to Mr. Sabki Hj. Suhaili and Dr. Arnold Puyok, lecturers at the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Branch of Sabah, Locked Beg 71, 88997 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, for the editing work. 196 TAWARIKH: International Journal for Historical Studies, 3(2) 2012 Mustapha Datu Harun (May 1967 to October 1975); Datuk Haji Mohammad Said bin Keruak (November 1975 to April 1976); Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh (June1976 to April 1985); Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan (April 1985 to March 1994); Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Sakaran bin Dandai (March 1994 to December 1994); Datuk Mohd Salleh bin Haji Mohammad Said (December 1994 to May 1996); Datuk Yong Teck Lee (May 1996 to May 1998); Tan Sri Bernard G. Dompok (May 1998 to March 1999); Datuk Osu Sukam (March 1999 to March 2001); Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat (March 2001 to March 2003); and Datuk Seri Musa Aman (March 2003 to present). In the context of the administration of Sabah, Tun Datu Haji Mustapha Datu Harun (henceforth referred to as Tun Mustapha) was a great leader. He was once the Head of State (Tuan Yang Terutama), the Chief Minister, a Federal Minister, and the leader of a political party. He was instrumental in the endeavor to achieve independence for Sabah through Malaysia. These contributions and the direct role that he played in the ight for independence earned Tun Mustapha the title “Father of the Independence of Sabah”. Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj, the irst Malaysian Prime Minister, was quoted as saying, “Tun Mustapha is an architect who has planned all the right moves to enable Sabah to join Malaysia” (Latif, 1981:vii). While Tun Haji Abdul Razak bin Datuk Hussein, the second Prime Minister, stated as follows: The State of Sabah is indeed fortunate to have a leader who is a true nationalist, honest, and dynamic in Tun Datu Haji Mustapha. He has sacriiced tremendously in the form of energy, ideas, and wealth for the sake of USNO [United Sabah National Organization] and Alliance Party. He has contributed immensely to the people, religion, and nation. His contributions are invaluable. Tun Datu Haji Mustapha is an incomparable nationalist and political leader who is strict, brave, honest, and loyal (cited by Hussin, 2003). HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF TUN MUSTAPHA Tun Mustapha was born on 31st June 1918 in the village of Limau- Limauan, Kudat, which was the irst centre of British administration in Sabah. He was the eldest of nine siblings of Datu Harun Datu Nasaruddin and Norani Hj. Abdul Rahim who were both of the Bajau-Suluk ethnicity. Tun Mustapha had another ive siblings from his father’s second marriage to Hajah Janzarah. His birth name was Datu Badiozaman. “Badiozaman” was the name of his ancestor, Sultan Badiozaman, the islands of Sulu and Mindanao. This clearly indicates that Tun Mustapha hailed from a family 197 MAT ZIN MAT KIB, Tun Mustapha of nobility from southern Philippines, where the designation “datu” was given to whoever became the Sulu Sultan. Datu Badaruddin, who was an ancestor from his father’s side, was the youngest brother of the Sultan of Sulu and Mindanao, the seventh son of Sultan Hisyamuddin who was the son of Badiozaman, the previous Sultan of Sulu (Hussin, 2003:13). Prone to ill health as a young boy, the elders, deeming his birth name as not auspicious/suitable, changed the name Datu Badiozaman to Datu Mustapha (JPPP, 2003:9; Aziz, 2005:61; and Osman, Ali & Basrah Bee, 2006:4). His father and both of his grandparents (Datu Nasaruddin and Hj. Abdul Rahim) were well acquainted with the British administrators as they had held the position of Native Chiefs during the administration of the Chartered Company of North Borneo (The British North Borneo Herald, 1886:215). Tun Mustapha received a formal education in 1932 from St. James’ School, a mission school in Kudat. A devout Muslim, Tun Mustapha had gone on pilgrimage to Mecca a few times. He had also helped the needy of Sabah out of his own pocket. He really wanted to see the uniication of the people of Sabah, not just in politics but in the social and cultural contexts. He believed that Islam was a strong unifying factor. Therefore, he was persistent in his call for the people of Sabah to embrace Islam. However, it is to be noted here that he had never once used force to this end. Tun Mustapha married Toh Puan Hajah Rahmah Zulkarnain (departed in 1991) and Toh Puan Meriam, who was his second wife. They had ten children. Tun Mustapha passed away on the 2nd of January 1995 at the Sabah Medical Centre, Kota Kinabalu. During this time Sabah was known as North Borneo and was ruled by the Chartered Company of North Borneo (SBBU, Syarikat British Borneo Utara) which was a British trade. In 1928, barely 10 years old, Tun Mustapha worked as an errand boy for Mr. E.W. Morrell, the Resident of Kudat. In 1932, he enrolled in St. James’ School in Kudat, but nine months later, following the death of his mother, quit school as his father who was also an employee of SBBU was transferred to another place.