KUCHING: A biography of a former Sarawak chief minister entitled ‘Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub: The Leader of the Three Ages’ will be released soon.
Its author, Dr Jeniri Amir, who is also a Senior Fellow of the Council of National Professors, the biography is in the final process of editing and will be published early next year.
“Tun Rahman’s great services and contributions should be recorded in the form of a biography, including how he established the Sarawak Foundation, his role in elevating the Malay language in the national education system after the May 13, 1969 events and strategies against the communist threat in Sarawak,” he said.
He further said that while holding the post of Minister of Education, the late Tun Rahman was known through the ‘Rahman Report’ which brought many transformations to the field of national education.
“All this needs to be understood and known by the current and future generations,” said Dr Jeniri, who once interviewed Tun Rahman.
Dr Jeniri, who is also an Adjunct Professor at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), said the study and writing of the book was done using archival materials in London, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Kuching.
“Many of his life stories and colourful political experiences are recorded in the biography,” he said.
Tun Rahman was the third chief minister and the fourth Head of State of Sarawak.
Born on January 3, 1928 in Kampung Jepak, Bintulu, Tun Rahman went through an interesting episode in his political life and career.
Soon after becoming the Head of State, he established Permas and opposed the leadership of his nephew, Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud.
This was followed by a political event known as the Ming Court in Kuala Lumpur which saw several ministers and assemblymen leaving the party to support him and oppose Chief Minister Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud.
The Maju group led by Tun Rahman lost in a fierce competition and bitter campaign at the hands of Taib in the state election in 1987.
Tun Rahman, 87, breathed his last at Normah Medical Center, Kuching at 9.40pm on Jan 9, 2015.
Dr Jeniri had also written biographies of Tun Abang Salahuddin Abang Barieng, Tun Abang Haji Openg, Hasbie Sulaiman as well as Rosli Dhoby.
