Malay(a)sia in the 1950s until the 70's was a developing plural society with rising expectations, potential and promises. It was one of the Southeast Asia countries that had finally gained independence from the various European colonial powers.
Malay(a)sia’s ability to sustain itself as a relatively stable and democratic country can also be attributed to its political and administrative leadership. Prior to independence in 1957, a small group of Malay senior civil servants were already playing significant roles in charting the country’s direction, paving the way for future national development. Following its independence, the country was managed by administrative elites, comprising of mainly British and Malayan senior civil servants, who were committed to realising the national development agenda. With their counterparts in politics, many of these senior administrative officers had an aristocratic background and had been socialised within the British education system, with its values and norms. They possessed admirable traits and qualities, namely, integrity and altruism, which guided them well while serving their beloved nation. By the time of independence, the young country already had both Malay and non-Malay citizenry, many of whom became citizens as agreed in the constitution. It was this heterogeneity of the society that posed a real challenge to the government of Tunku Abdul Rahman and the successive governments of post-Merdeka Malay(a)sia.
Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin: The Pre-Merdeka and Early Merdeka Years
As a developing young nation inundated by many complex issues in nation-building, Malaysia was truly blessed with the availability of highly educated, talented and committed civil servants. Many of them had undergone similar experiences in education and political socialisation in colonial Malaya, among them were Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin and Abdul Razak Hussein. Both of them had met for the first time at Raffles College in Singapore and their friendship had blossomed and extended to the U.K. where both were students and active members of the Malay Society and the infant Malayan Forum.
Abdul Kadir’s journey as a young public servant began before World War II. Like many Malayans who had lived under the harsh Japanese military rule, the experience had influenced Abdul Kadir’s views on politics and governance of post-war Malaya. Working side by side with Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak and other members of the Merdeka delegation, the destiny of Abdul Kadir was set. He was destined to play a significant role, particularly in developing the public administration and governance of post-colonial Malay(a)sia. His significant deeds in the successful Merdeka mission, when he was the Principal Secretary of the Cabinet, attest to his brilliance, dedication, and patriotism.
Upon his return from Bristol, UK, in 1952, Abdul Kadir was assigned to serve in Pahang (1952-1953). While there, he contributed quite significantly to the development of the state as he worked alongside Tun Razak who was from Pekan, Pahang. Abdul Kadir’s brief stint in Kuala Lipis, the state capital of Pahang then, included providing leadership guidance in maintaining peace and security during the height of the communist insurgency in the state. As history portrays, Tun Razak would later become Abdul Kadir’s "political master", first at MINDEF, followed by Abdul Kadir’s appointment at the FEO and finally, as the fourth Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia (1970-1976). It is interesting to note that Abdul Kadir’s career in public service was closely associated with his excellent working relationship with Tun Razak, from the early 1950s, when the latter was State Secretary of Pahang (1952-1953).
Abdul Kadir’s service in the public bureaucracy is exemplary, worth noting by today’s officers and training institutions. He used every opportunity to improve himself educationally, and therefore, his services were intermittently "interrupted" by personal passion and interest of learning as much as possible in those early years, either to empower himself with new knowledge or other academic disciplines. He pursued Law at Bristol University (1948-1952), and later studied Politics at Yale University (1954-1955). His impressive academic specialisations and achievements in economics, law, defence, and politics were notable at various stages of his professional life. Abdul Kadir had proven himself from his younger days at Raffles College in colonial Singapore (1939-1941), his attachment at the War Office in London (1956) prior to Merdeka, followed by his post-graduate studies at the Imperial Defence College in London (1957). All these stages of his life had significantly contributed to his personal and professional development in public service.
Abdul Kadir had left a very significant mark on MINDEF, having served the important ministry for a total of twelve years (out of his 37 years in public service). As a very senior civil servant at MINDEF, he succeeded in addressing and managing a series of security threats and other related challenges throughout the 1960s. His resilience as a top-notch bureaucrat at MINDEF was continuously tested and challenged, during the Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation especially, and the widespread local communist insurgencies as well as the external communist threats in the region. There is no doubt that his capability in managing MINDEF had won the trust and respect of the outgoing British colonial authority as well as that of his contemporaries, peers and subordinates, and not forgetting the Tunku and Tun Razak.
After 12 years at MINDEF, Abdul Kadir had mastered and developed many management skills including the art of negotiation. He was entrusted with handling sensitive and difficult matters requiring statesmanship. Following his immense contributions to the development of MINDEF, Abdul Kadir was promoted to Principal Establishment Officer at the FEO in 1967. Within a short time, he initiated significant administrative changes in the whole organisation and transformed the overall public bureaucracy. he had earlier implemented a proposal from the DAU by establishing the training and career development division in the PSD, aimed at improving the government’s education and training programmes for all levels of the civil service. INTAN soon emerged as the country’s leading training institute for civil servants.
Abdul Kadir’s appointment as the fourth Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia (1970-1976) coincided with the rigorous implementation of the ground-breaking NEP introduced in the aftermath of May 13. The 1970s marked an important era in the Malaysian political and economic history. Apart from restructuring the economy and society, the Razak administration was also preoccupied with addressing quite a number of unresolved issues that had been simmering in society and the challenges that persist until today, particularly those pertaining to the creation of a more united and stable post-1969 Malaysia. Many new institutions were created, including having outreach programmes focusing on developing racial unity and national integration, through education and national culture. These institutions were introduced by the Razak government with the strong administrative support of Abdul Kadir and many other personalities mentioned throughout this biography. Tun Razak and Abdul Kadir worked as a team in formulating a series of new and bold policy initiatives and public programmes as well as campaigns, all aimed at rebuilding a fractured nation and guiding it towards a more united and progressive Malaysia, in the short time from 1970 until 1976 when Tun Razak died so early in life.
Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin and his untold deeds for the nation
The preceding chapters of this biography have clearly illustrated the outstanding and admirable characteristics and qualities of Abdul Kadir as a young public servant in pre- and post-independence Malaya. His administrative leadership capability was noticed from a very young age by the British colonial authority, and subsequently, endorsed by the Tunku, followed by the Razak government.
Throughout his public service career, Abdul Kadir was assisted by quite a number of remarkable senior civil servants who had undergone similar historical and socialisation processes of the defining decades of the 1940s up to the 1970s. With their strong sense of duty and commitment as well as shared common values and interests, they had wholeheartedly contributed as a team to nation-building.
It is within this rapidly changing Malaysian society and polity of the 1950s to 70's that we have to understand the dynamic and symbiotic relationship between Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin and Abdul Razak Hussein. Both were driven by the urgent need and desire to build Malaya from a young nation which had experienced a long British colonial rule to one that would be independent, stable, and vibrant. The historic Merdeka mission, followed by the fruits of Merdeka, witnessed the development of the close and enduring relationship between the two trusted friends who later became colleagues and compatriots.
Abdul Kadir was, undoubtedly, the right person for the tasks assigned to him. This was obvious from the day he joined MAS in 1952 and his quick promotion to Secretary for Defence (later, renamed Secretary General of MINDEF); leading a highly demanding and challenging ministry was not at all surprising. As the Secretary for Defence, he was entrusted with providing leadership for MINDEF.
However, by the late 1960s, the nation was deeply fractured by the rise of ethnic chauvinism and growing insecurity of the predominantly Malay population. At the same time, The Merdeka or social contract of 1957 was seriously challenged by certain quarters in the context of the nation’s changing political demography. Abdul Kadir and Razak had worked very hard to rebuild and transform Malaysian society for the betterment of the Malays and non-Malays, particularly after the traumatic May 13 episodes. Working closely together with politicians, scholars and public administrators including technocrats, Abdul Kadir was able to formulate the NEP for the country. His team consisting of mainly public administrators also succeeded in developing several public agencies aimed at realising the agenda of rebuilding and reengineering Malaysian society.
With his expertise as well as wealth of knowledge and experience and having the highly driven Tun Razak as his "political master", Abdul Kadir was inspired to deliver the best results for his country. He also assumed the highest position in the Malaysian civil service as the Chief Secretary to the Government in 1970. He also possessed the brilliance and tenacity in turning ideas into reality, as evident by his many remarkable deeds during the last decade of his government service. Together with Tun Razak and other senior government officials, Abdul Kadir not only formulated many ideas but also helped to galvanise those ideas into pragmatic public policies such as the NEP and build respectable institutions, namely, the PSD, NEB, PETRONAS, UPM, UKM, and INTAN.
Abdul Kadir’s profound ability to conceptualise, monitor and materialise ideas and projects was also the core that shaped Tun Razak’s visions into reality. Although Tun Razak was two years younger than him, Abdul Kadir still served the former with utmost loyalty and respect. The special bond of comradeship between Abdul Kadir the civil servant and Tun Razak the politician who would later become the country’s second Prime Minister is indeed an inspiring story to be shared with Malaysians, more so today when the country’s public governance has come under great scrutiny in the last 10 years or so.
Authors’ Reminiscences
One of the major observations of this biography is the instrumental role of the civil service, particularly senior bureaucrats who were highly educated, versatile, robust, and proactive. They were true patriots who dedicated their lives to serving the nation. They were the men and women who simply "did their work" for the rakyat without seeking gratification nor fame or glory. These silent heroes worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that all the visions and missions of the government would be executed efficiently and monitored diligently. Abdul Kadir and many of his peers and others before him started their career as civil servants in the colonial administration of British Malaya at a very young age. As young public officials, they were full of dynamism and passion, and guided by strong traditional values and wisdom to serve the people who yearned for a better quality of life. The nation owes it to these patriots for their bravery, dedication, and hard work in making the country what it is today. There is no doubt that the remarkable economic growth and prosperity particularly in the 1970s – which coincided with the robust politico-administrative leadership of Tun Razak-Abdul Kadir (1970-1976) – clearly illustrated the political will, wisdom, and courage of the two personalities in the history of Malaysian development.
Abdul Kadir and many of his peers as well as subordinates of that generation were always eager to learn and explore new things. The stories about the arduous yet exciting and challenging journey undertaken by Abdul Kadir and his fellow senior civil servants in advancing their education while already working in public service in itself is very inspiring and rewarding. In fact, the Malay(a)sian civil service was indeed very fortunate to have a set of highly educated senior civil servants who were always prepared and willing to enhance their knowledge, communication, and negotiation skills by pursuing their studies abroad. They valued the lifelong learning and training opportunities associated with their quest for more knowledge and real-life experiences.
Abdul Kadir was an institution builder who found great joy and satisfaction in building the foundations of numerous organisations for national interests. The visionary Abdul Kadir was always seeking the help of international agencies such as the World Bank and the Ford Foundation to not only empower the Malaysian civil service, but also the overall capacity building of the country. He was the "real" bureaucrat, putting the needs and interests of the nation as his top most priority.
The best practices by the bureaucratic elites of the 1950s throughout 1970s should be emulated by today’s generation of civil servants. For example, mentoring younger officers to take over key positions in certain strategic institutions or organisations of great importance should be strongly encouraged. Succession plans such as the grooming of Raja Alias by Taib Andak to succeed the latter at FELDA ensured the continuity and sustainability of the organisation in fulfilling its objectives in alleviating rural poverty and empowering the smallholders who had been marginalised by the lopsided British colonial policies. This mentoring system was critical in ensuring the continuation of the nation’s growth and success in the challenging decades of the 1960s and '70s.
Abdul Kadir also played a key role in promoting bilateral ties between Malaysia and the Republic of Indonesia. Again, his many visits to Indonesia were always multi-pronged; looking for opportunities to learn from the Indonesian nation-building experience and to explore new areas of cooperation and collaboration, particularly in higher education, that could benefit his people. As an astute diplomat, Abdul Kadir knew how to respect and appreciate immediate neighbours; balancing the issues and solutions of both developing and developed nations.
Despite his quiet demeanour, Abdul Kadir had also contributed to the strengthening of Malaysia’s diplomatic relations with the Republic of Indonesia through both interpersonal ties and professional networks. The important sociocultural element of serumpun between the two countries was accentuated and, subsequently, provided the basis for normalisation of bilateral relations between Malaysia and Indonesia post-Konfrontasi. As a man of deeds, there is no doubt that Abdul Kadir had succeeded in elevating Malaysia – Indonesia ties to include higher education and business as clearly illustrated in the founding of UKM and PETRONAS, respectively, both with the support of the government and people of Indonesia. Abdul Kadir who had proven himself as an unassuming diplomat, must also be credited for his role in enhancing Malaysia’s relations with a relatively unknown country in Europe – Norway – in the 1970s, through the strategic collaboration between PETRONAS and Statoil. The brilliant ideas of the Norwegian economist, Dr Just Faaland which became the basis for the NEP, were capable of being implemented mainly due to the strong support of abled administrators such as Abdul Kadir who was himself one of the key personalities during its early formulation and implementation.
The civil service could be regarded as a relatively independent entity in most of the 1960s and '70s. Abdul Kadir had an acute sense about the role of the civil servants and their relationship with the political masters. He contributed his vast knowledge and expertise from his long experience of working for and with the British colonial masters and imparted this invaluable knowledge and skills to his peers and younger colleagues. His key contributions could be seen in the official reports, such as the Five-year Plans and the documents on the NOC and NEP. It is unfortunate that several years after the untimely passing of Abdul Kadir, the civil service had become increasingly politicised and no longer regarded as equal partners to the politicians who helmed the ministries. Over the years, the civil servants have become more subservient to the political masters and would not disagree with the ministers. This was hardly the case before when the civil servants were quite free to express their concerns with the ministers in private.
Malaysians generally look back to the 1970s with great fondness and a deep sense of pride. Never in the history of politics and the public administration of Malaysia have we had such an ideal and rewarding working relationship and partnership between the country’s Prime Minister and the top civil servant, the Chief Secretary to the Government. Both were men of great ideas and vision and driven by the same sense of nationalistic purpose. Abdul Kadir had the special gift of articulating the inner thoughts and ideas of the unassuming and visionary Tun Razak. By formulating various public policies and establishing many important institutions, Abdul Kadir was, undoubtedly, an agent of change and transformation which was urgently needed for the post-1969 Malaysia. In effect, the Abdul Razak-Abdul Kadir team could be regarded as a catalyst for many bold and visionary ideas that shaped the nation even before and after Merdeka. The Razak-Abdul Kadir symbiotic relationship had brought about tremendous achievements in many aspects of the Malaysian political and socioeconomic development, particularly in the first decade of the NEP. They set much of the framework of the modern nation we have today and give meaning to the constitution in terms of reducing inequalities and promoting equitable growth.
Concluding Remarks
The sudden and untimely demise of Tun Razak in 1976, followed by that of Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin, two years later (November 1978) had sadly robbed the nation of its two most illustrious sons, known for their true spirit of patriotism, deep commitment, and dedication to public service. Throughout the years of working together, Tun Razak and Abdul Kadir had inspired and motivated one another in ensuring that the socioeconomic needs of the people were fulfilled. The two patriots introduced many groundbreaking and transformative public policies and programmes for the people.
Despite his high intellect, wealth of experience, position as senior ranking public bureaucrat, and his very close rapport with the Prime Minister who was known to respect his ideas and decisions, Abdul Kadir remained true to himself and continued to serve as an exemplary officer and a gentleman with utmost sincerity and humility. If only the nation had a few more years of Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin to continue to work for and lead the public administration of the country well into the 1980s and beyond.
As poignantly encapsulated by Usman Awang
(Petaling Jaya, October 1991):
Meskipun tegas dalam menjalankan tugas negara
Hatinya mulia dan sifatnya terlalu terbuka
Sebagaimana rapatnya dengan kehidupan rakyat
Begitulah akrabnya dengan pucuk kepimpinan negara
Sehingga segala sesuatu terlaksana lancar
Tersempurnalah tugas yang selalu mencabar.
