Tun Sardon bin Jubir (Jawi: سعدون بن زبير, Malay pronunciation: [sardon]; 19 March 1917 – 14 December 1985) was a Malaysian politician. He served as Minister of Health, Minister of Works and Communications and was the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Penang from 1975 to 1981.

Sardon Jubir
سعدون زبير
3rd Youth Chief of the
United Malays National Organisation
In office
1951–1964
PresidentTunku Abdul Rahman
Preceded byAbdul Razak Hussein
Succeeded bySenu Abdul Rahman
4th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang
In office
2 February 1975 – 30 April 1981
Chief MinisterLim Chong Eu
Preceded bySyed Sheh Hassan Barakbah
Succeeded byAwang Hassan
Minister of Communications
In office
1 January 1972 – 24 August 1974
MonarchAbdul Halim
Prime MinisterAbdul Razak Hussein
DeputyWong Seng Chow
Preceded byV. T. Sambanthan as Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications
Succeeded byV. Manickavasagam
ConstituencyPontian Utara
Minister of Health
In office
4 June 1969 – 1 January 1972
MonarchsIsmail Nasiruddin
Abdul Halim
Prime MinisterTunku Abdul Rahman
Abdul Razak Hussein
Preceded byNg Kam Poh
Succeeded byLee Siok Yew
ConstituencyPontian Utara
Minister of Transport
In office
22 August 1959 – 3 June 1969
MonarchsAbdul Rahman
Hisamuddin
Putra
Ismail Nasiruddin
Prime MinisterTunku Abdul Rahman
Preceded byAbdul Rahman Talib
Succeeded byV. Manickavasagam
ConstituencyPontian Utara
Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications
In office
31 August 1957 – 21 August 1959
MonarchAbdul Rahman
Prime MinisterTunku Abdul Rahman
Preceded byHimself as Minister of Works
Succeeded byV. T. Sambanthan
ConstituencySegamat
Minister of Works
In office
9 August 1955 – 31 August 1957
MonarchElizabeth II
Chief MinisterTunku Abdul Rahman
Assistant MinisterAbdul Khalid Awang Osman
Preceded byPosition Established
Succeeded byHimself as Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications
ConstituencySegamat
Personal details
Born(1917-03-19)19 March 1917
Rengit, Batu Pahat, Johor, British Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died14 December 1985(1985-12-14) (aged 68)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Resting placeMakam Pahlawan, Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur
Spouse
Saadiah Abdullah
(m. 1944)
Alma materVictoria School
Inns of Court School of Law
Inner Temple

Early life

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Sardon was born in Rengit, Batu Pahat, Johor on 19 March 1917. His father, Haji Jubir bin Haji Mohd Amin was a plantation owner and a kathi in Singapore.[1]

Sardon was educated at Victoria Bridge School and Raffles Institution in Singapore. At Raffles, he formed a Malay literary association with friends including Aziz Ishak, Abdul Hamid Jumat, and Ahmad Ibrahim and contributed articles on the Malays and their plight to Warta Malaya, a leading Malay newspaper in Singapore. This was done through Aziz's brother, Yusof Ishak who was already working as a journalist. Yusof later became the first President of Singapore.

After passing his Senior Cambridge examination, Tun Sardon pursued a career in law in London and qualified as a barrister from Lincoln's Inner Temple. He returned to Singapore in 1941 and had his practice in Singapore and later in Johor Bahru. He was called to the English Bar in 1938 at the same time as Tun Suffian Hashim who later retired as the Lord President

Political career

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Tun Sardon held the post of Minister of Health until 1972. He retired from politics in 1974 and was made Ambassador to the United Nations – a post then normally associated with retired politicians. In 1975, he was appointed as Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang.

Family

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Sardon married Toh Puan Hajjah Saadiah in 1944. They had three sons and two adopted daughters.

Death

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Sardon died on 14 December 1985 and was buried at Makam Pahlawan near Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur.

Legacy

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With the support from business and community leaders from Penang, the Tun Sardon Foundation was incorporated on 13 June 1978 as a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital under the Companies Act 1965 to carry out charitable objects, including giving relief to the poor and needy, in particular the widows and orphans, victims of fire, floods, famine or other calamity and to those in need of moral or social rehabilitation or welfare.

Several projects and institutions were named after him, including:


Honours

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Honours of Penang

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Honours of Malaysia

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References

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  1. ^ "About Tun Sardon". Tun Sardon Foundation. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  2. ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1961" (PDF).
  3. ^ "SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT". Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1976" (PDF).
  5. ^ Ministers head Sultan's awards list. New Straits Times. 16 November 1972.
  6. ^ "吉蘭丹蘇丹華誕臣民一百十四人膺勳" [The Sultan of Kelantan celebrates his birthday and 114 people are honored]. 南洋商报 (Nanyang Siang Pau). 11 July 1972. p. 17.
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Preceded by Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang
1975–1981
Succeeded by