Rahah Noah

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Rahah Mohamed Noah
راحة محمد نوح
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
In role
22 September 1970 – 14 January 1976
MonarchsAbdul Halim
Yahya Petra
Prime MinisterAbdul Razak Hussein
Preceded bySharifah Rodziah Syed Alwi Barakbah
Succeeded bySuhailah Noah
Spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
In role
31 August 1957 – 22 September 1970
MonarchsAbdul Rahman
Hishamuddin
Syed Putra
Ismail Nasiruddin
Abdul Halim
Prime MinisterTunku Abdul Rahman
DeputyAbdul Razak Hussein
Succeeded byNorashikin Mohd Seth
Personal details
Born(1933-06-11)11 June 1933
Muar, Johor, Unfederated Malay States, British Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died18 December 2020(2020-12-18) (aged 87)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Resting placeMakam Pahlawan, Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur
Spouse
(m. 1952; died 1976)
Children5 (including Najib Razak and Nazir Razak)
Parents
RelativesNazifuddin Najib (grandson)
Suhailah Noah (sister)
Abdul Rahman Ya'kub (affinal)
Nizar Najib (grandson)

Tun Hajah Rahah binti Mohamed Noah (Jawi: راحة بنت محمد نوح‎; 11 June 1933 – 18 December 2020) was the wife of the 2nd Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein (1922–1976) and the mother of former Prime Minister Najib Razak. She was the daughter of Mohamed Noah Omar (1898–1991), 1st Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat and also 3rd President of the Dewan Negara.

Biography[edit]

Rahah was born on 11 June 1933 in Muar, Johor. She was the youngest of Mohamed Noah Omar's ten children. While attending secondary school in Johor Bahru, Rahah was introduced to Abdul Razak Hussein, by then already an active member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), by Taib Andak, a friend of Abdul Razak while studying in London. They married on 4 September 1952.[1]

Abdul Razak became the second Prime Minister of Malaysia in 1970. As the prime minister's spouse, she served as President of the Girl Guides Association of Malaysia and patron of the Muslim Women's Action Organisation (Pertiwi).[1] In 1976, Razak died in office, leaving Rahah widowed at the relatively young age of 43.

She was the chancellor of Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, the university founded in honour of her husband.[1] Since Abdul Razak was the prime minister who established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, all PRC ambassadors made a courtesy call on Rahah upon arriving in Malaysia.[2]

In an interview conducted in 2011, Rahah said she spent most of her time attending religious classes with friends.[3]

Death[edit]

Tun Rahah died on 18 December 2020 at the Prince Court Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur following a short illness, at the age of 87.[4][5][6][7] Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad described Tun Rahah as among the last from the independence generation who contributed invaluable services and sacrifices to the country.[8] Mahathir was among the national leaders and acquaintances present to pay their last respects to Tun Rahah.[9][10]

She was laid to rest at the Makam Pahlawan (Heroes' Mausoleum) near Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur beside the grave of her sister Tun Suhailah Mohamed Noah, widow of third Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn, who died on 4 October 2014.[11][12][13]

Family[edit]

Abdul Razak and Rahah had five children:[1]

Rahah's sister, Suhailah, was married to Abdul Razak's successor as prime minister, Tun Hussein Onn.[16]

Honours[edit]

Honours of Malaysia[edit]

Places named after her[edit]

Several places were named after her, including:

In popular culture[edit]

Rahah has been portrayed in a documentary, theater and films. She was portrayed by Fauziah Latiff in the theater Tun Razak Musical (2010) and a film played by Faezah Elai in Tanda Putera (2013).

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Tun Rahah Noah". Ensiklopedia Bahasa Malaysia. JBDirectory. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  2. ^ "Malaysian PM's visit seeks more "vertical development" in ties with China". BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific – Political. 1 June 2009.
  3. ^ "Najib's an obedient child, always listen to advice – Tun Rahah". Bernama. 10 May 2011. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  4. ^ "Najib's mum Tun Rahah passes away at age 87". The Star. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Tun Rahah dies". New Straits Times. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Tun Rahah meninggal dunia pada usia 87 tahun". Bernama (in Malay). 18 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Tun Rahah meninggal dunia". Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 18 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Tun Rahah's demise prompts outpouring tributes". The Malaysian Reserve. 19 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Dr M pays last respect to Najib's mother". Malaysiakini. 19 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Death of Tun Rahah: Dr Mahathir, Mukhriz arrive at Ar-Rahah Mosque". New Straits Times. 19 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Tun Rahah laid to rest at Heroes' Mausoleum". Bernama. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Tun Rahah laid to rest at National Heroes Mausoleum". New Straits Times. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Jenazah Tun Rahah selamat dikebumikan". Harian Metro (in Malay). 19 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Najib Razak: Malaysian ex-PM gets 12-year jail term in 1MDB corruption trial". BBC News. 28 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Nazim to wed former Nona host Norjuma".
  16. ^ "Najib's three beloved 'swans'". The Malaysian Insider. 31 May 2010. Archived from the original on 9 August 2010.
  17. ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1976" (PDF).
  18. ^ Zainuddin Maidin (1997). Tun Razak : jejak bertapak seorang patriot. Kuala Lumpur: Lembaga Pemegang Amanah, Yayasan Tun Razak. p. 320. ISBN 967-61-0751-4. OCLC 38048384.
  19. ^ "Hussein and Rahah get top Sabah awards". New Straits Times. 14 September 1974. p. 1.