Sardon Jubir

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Jubir is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name: Sardon. The Arabic-derived word 'bin' or 'binti' / 'binte', if used, means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun
Sardon Jubir
SMN PMN SPMK SPMJ DUPN
سعدون زبير‎
3rd Youth Chief of the
United Malays National Organisation
In office
1951–1964
President Tunku Abdul Rahman
Preceded by Abdul Razak Hussein
Succeeded by Senu Abdul Rahman
4th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang
In office
2 February 1975 – 30 April 1981
Chief Minister Lim Chong Eu
Preceded by Syed Sheh Hassan Barakbah
Succeeded by Awang Hassan
Minister of Communications
In office
1 January 1972 – 24 August 1974
Monarch Abdul Halim
Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein
Deputy Wong Seng Chow
Preceded by V. T. Sambanthan as Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications
Succeeded by V. Manickavasagam
Constituency Pontian Utara
Minister of Health
In office
4 June 1969 – 1 January 1972
Monarchs Ismail Nasiruddin
Abdul Halim
Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman
Abdul Razak Hussein
Preceded by Ng Kam Poh
Succeeded by Lee Siok Yew
Constituency Pontian Utara
Minister of Transport
In office
22 August 1959 – 3 June 1969
Monarchs Abdul Rahman
Hisamuddin
Putra
Ismail Nasiruddin
Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman
Preceded by Abdul Rahman Talib
Succeeded by V. Manickavasagam
Constituency Pontian Utara
Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications
In office
31 August 1957 – 21 August 1959
Monarch Abdul Rahman
Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman
Preceded by Himself as Minister of Works
Succeeded by V. T. Sambanthan
Constituency Segamat
Minister of Works
In office
9 August 1955 – 31 August 1957
Monarch Elizabeth II
Chief Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman
Assistant Minister Abdul Khalid Awang Osman
Preceded by Position Established
Succeeded by Himself as Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications
Constituency Segamat
Personal details
Born 19 March 1917
Rengit, Batu Pahat, Johor, British Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died 14 December 1985 (aged 68)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Resting place Makam Pahlawan, Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur
Spouse
Saadiah Abdullah
​
(m. 1944)​
Alma mater Victoria School
Inns of Court School of Law
Inner Temple

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.

Early life

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.

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

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

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

Death

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

Legacy

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

Honours of Penang

Honours of Malaysia