“He wanted to have a close relationship, a
personal relationship, with other leaders,
especially the five founding fathers of
ASEAN,” former Malaysian Prime Minister
Najib Razak says of his late father.
Born in Pahang, a young Tun Abdul Razak
Bin Hussein first studied law in England –
where he was student leader of the Malay
Association of Great Britain – before returning
home and throwing himself into political
pursuits under the United Malays National
Organisation (until recently, Malaysia’s
dominant political party). He then helped to
secure Malaysian independence from British
rule. He was 45 when the Bangkok Declaration
was signed.
“I can still recollect that he was very excited
about ASEAN,” continues his son. “You could
see that he knew that this was the genesis
of something very exciting for the entire
region. He was a great believer in developing
friendship and cooperation.”
Abdul Razak went on to become Prime
Minister in 1970, but died in office from
leukaemia six years later, at the age of 53. agTun Abdul Razak (MALAYSIA)
“We, the nations and peoples of
Southeast Asia... should create a
deep awareness that we cannot
survive for long as independent
but isolated peoples, unless we
also think and act together”
Tun Abdul Razak
Above Tun Abdul Razak
(centre) welcomes New
Zealand Prime Minister
Walter Nash (left) to
Kuala Lumpur Airport
in 1960left Tun Abdul Razak
presents US President
John F. Kennedy with
a jewelled kris at the
White House in 1963DATA SOURCES: ASEAN SECRETARIAT, DR ADAM LEONG KOK WEY/THE DIPLOMAT, HISTORYSG, THE BRUNEI TIMES,
ASIAONE, KATERINA FRANCISCO/RAPPLER, RICHARD C. PADDOCK AND POYPITI AMATATHAM/NEW YORK TIMESPHOTO © ABBIE ROWE/WHITE HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHS/JOHN F.
KENNEDY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUMPHOTO © ARCHIVES NEW ZEALAND