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Ahmad Zaidi Adruce Muhammed Noor | |
|---|---|
| أحمد زيدي أدرس محمد نور | |
 Ahmad Zaidi Adruce in university convocation | |
| 5thYang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak | |
| In office 2 April 1985 – 5 December 2000 | |
| Chief Minister | Abdul Taib Mahmud |
| Preceded by | Abdul Rahman Ya'kub |
| Succeeded by | Abang Muhammad Salahuddin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1924-03-29)29 March 1924 |
| Died | 5 December 2000(2000-12-05) (aged 76) Subang Jaya,Selangor, Malaysia |
| Resting place | Samariang Muslim Cemetery,Kuching, Malaysia |
| Nationality | Malaysian |
| Political party | Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (until 1985) |
| Spouse(s) | Hamsiah Ismail (deceased) Rosmiati Kendati |
| Children | 12 |
| Education | Anglo-Chinese School Sultan Idris Training College |
| Alma mater | Robert Gordon University University of Edinburgh University of London |
| Occupation | Politician, educator |
| Profession | Teacher, lecturer |
Ahmad Zaidi Adruce bin Muhammed Noor (Jawi:أحمد زيدي أدروس بن محمد نور; 29 March 1924 – 5 December 2000) was a Malaysian politician, statesman, educator and nationalist who served as the fifthYang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) ofSarawak.[1] He was the longest-serving governor in Sarawak's history, holding office from 1985 until his death in 2000.[2] He is also remembered as the first Sarawakianbumiputera to earn aMaster of Arts degree from a British university, theUniversity of Edinburgh.[3]
Ahmad Zaidi Adruce bin Muhammed Noor was born on 29 March 1924 in Kampung Semop, near theRajang River in central Sarawak, to Mohammad Noor and Siti Saadiah. His father was a farmer, while his mother was a housewife.[4][5] He received a "relatively good" education for a native of Sarawak under British colonial rule.
During his early life, Ahmad Zaidi was adopted by descendants of the prominent Malay nobleman,Syarif Masahor. Sharifah Mai, a daughter of Syarif Masahor, had an unmarried daughter named Sharifah Dayang Aisah, who later adopted Ahmad Zaidi. Sharifah Mai also had a childless son, Wan Abu Bakar Adruce.[4]
At the age of five, Ahmad Zaidi Adruce was enrolled in two schools inSibu: Chung Hua Primary School and Abang Ali Primary School. It was during this time that he developed an interest inpoetry,gymnastics, andacting. At the age of 12, he passed his Standard Seven examination with "exemplary marks" — an exceptional achievement for a young man born and raised in Sarawak. Ahmad Zaidi was an outstanding student, consistently placing either first or second in his class throughout his primary and secondary education.
Following his Standard Seven examination, Ahmad Zaidi Adruce moved toKuching in 1936 to continue his studies at St. Thomas School, where he graduated with aJunior Cambridge qualification in 1938. Out of a class of 63 students, he was among only seven who passed — and the onlybumiputera among them. He later attended theAnglo-Chinese School inSingapore in 1938 and graduated in 1939, at the age of 15, with aCambridge School Certificate, becoming the onlybumiputera to attain such a distinction at the time.
In November 1940, Ahmad Zaidi Adruce enrolled atSultan Idris Training College inTanjung Malim,Perak (nowUniversiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris). He studied there until theJapanese invasion in 1941 forced him to flee to Singapore. In 1942, he was sent toJava to studyveterinary medicine at Buitenzorg College inBogor. However, his studies were disrupted by the end of theSecond World War and the subsequent political upheaval in Indonesia. Despite these challenges, he remained in Java and aligned himself with Indonesian republicans after the Dutch returned to reassert colonial control.
Between 1946 and 1947, Ahmad Zaidi Adruce became actively involved in theIndonesian National Revolution. He joined theIndonesian Navy's 4th Base (Pangkalan IV Angkatan Laut Republik Indonesia or ALRI) based inMojokerto,East Java. He was appointed as a captain and served as head of the Special Operations Intelligence (SOI) unit.
Ahmad Zaidi Adruce played a key role in covert military operations, which includedespionage,infiltration, and logistical missions. His knowledge ofKalimantan's geography and its people made him "a valuable asset" to Indonesian forces seeking to gain control in areas where Dutch colonial influence remained strong. He was also instrumental in recruiting local youths from Kalimantan, contributing to the formation of the ALRI Secret Battalion (Batalyon Rahasia ALRI).
One of his most important missions was in 1947 when he infiltrated the town ofKetapang to gather intelligence and coordinate resistance against the Dutch colonial authority, known as theNederlandsch-Indië Civil Administratie (NICA). His contributions during this time were later recognised by GeneralZaini Azhar Maulani of theIndonesian Army, who credited Ahmad Zaidi Adruce as a key figure in the early development ofKodam VI/Tanjungpura, the regional military command for Kalimantan.
In 1947, Ahmad Zaidi Adruce returned to Sarawak, where he was appointed a teacher at the Batu Lintang training centre. That same year, he founded the first Sea Scout movement in Borneo, taking his students on sailing expeditions as far as Tanjung Datu on the western tip ofBorneo Island and as far north as the Saribas River. This experience later enabled him to establish an intelligence and underground movement in support of Indonesia's guerrilla efforts against Dutch forces.
In 1949, the British government awarded Ahmad Zaidi Adruce a four-year colonial development and welfare scholarship to further his studies. He attendedRobert Gordon's Technical College inAberdeen before enrolling at theUniversity of Edinburgh. On 28 May 1953, he represented Sarawakian students at thecoronation ofQueen Elizabeth II, where he also met withJugah Barieng. In the same year, he obtained anMaster of Arts degree inpolitical economy from the University of Edinburgh and subsequently earned aCertificate in Education from theUniversity of London in 1955.
Upon returning to Sarawak, Ahmad Zaidi Adruce was promoted to the position of supervisor at a training college. In 1956, he became the acting president ofBarisan Pemuda Sarawak, an organisation dedicated to uniting thebumiputera population in the pursuit of Sarawak's independence. During this period, he met withGhazali Shafie and later withTunku Abdul Rahman to express his support for theformation of Malaysia.
Ahmad Zaidi Adruce had a turbulent political career. His involvement in politics began in earnest while he was studying atBuitenzorg College (CurrentBogor Agricultural University) in Bogor, then Japanese-occupiedNetherlands East Indies (present-dayIndonesia).[citation needed]
Ahmad Zaidi was opposed to colonialist ideology, and the experiences of being discriminated while in the United Kingdom did little to endear his feelings towards the colonial government that ruled over his people. The buildup for the movement towards independence had become so intense that there were even plots to either arrest or assassinate Ahmad Zaidi for being a very public rebel to the colonial government. He knew that at that stage even if Sarawak was able to attain independence, the machineries for the new Malaysian government will mostly be influenced by those Sarawakians who had worked for the colonial government. In the transition phase towards the formation of a new government, he received insider information that some of the expatriates who worked under the colonial administration preferred that he be eliminated for fear of revenge if Ahmad Zaidi became in control. He was dubbed a traitor by British authorities and supporters including many of the expatriates in the Sarawak government because of his strong influence and involvement inBarisan Pemuda Sarawak and suspected connection with Indonesia during theIndonesia-Malaysia Confrontation.[citation needed]
He was then abducted from Sarawak by his sympathizers and later went into self-exile in Indonesia until he was given amnesty by the Malaysian government in 1969, a move strongly supported by TunAbdul Rahman Ya'kub, where the latter was a federal minister at the time.[citation needed]
After exiled for six months in Jakarta, Indonesia, Ahmad Zaidi was convinced that his troubles had died down. On 12 May 1969, he telephoned Normah Abdullah, the wife of chief minister of Sarawak at that time,Abdul Rahman Ya'kub to go back to Kuala Lumpur. However, Normah warned Ahmad Zaidi of brewing racial riots in Kuala Lumpur. The racial riots later developed into13 May incident. Ahmad Zaidi returned to Kuching, Sarawak instead. Ahmad Zaidi also found that his step-father Wan Abu Bakar Adruce, Ahmad Zaidi's own son Bujang, and Anie Dhoby (brother ofRosli Dhoby) joinedSarawak National Party (SNAP).Stephen Kalong Ningkan, the former Sarawak chief minister and the leader of the SNAP party, invited Ahmad Zaidi to lead the Malay faction in the party. However, Ahmad Zaidi decided to retire from politics. Later, some members of the public still questioned him regarding his loyalty to Sarawak. Ahmad Zaidi again decided to take a break in theJava island, Indonesia.[4]
In 1970s, Ahmad Zaidi became uneasy with the governing style ofUnited Sabah National Organisation (USNO) on Sabah people. Ahmad Zaidi later developed good relationship withHarris Salleh, one of the leaders of theSabah People's United Front (BERJAYA party). One month before the1974 Malaysian general election, Ahmad Zaidi discovered a plot to kidnap Harris. Ahmad Zaidi informed Harris about the plot and the latter successfully escaped from the plot. In 1976 Sabah state election, although Ahmad Zaidi was a Sarawak cabinet minister, he openly campaigned for Harris's BERJAYA party. BERJAYA won the state election, ousting USNO from power. However, Harris involvement in Sabah politics gained animosity with several Sabah local leaders. They complained to chief minister of SarawakAbdul Rahman Ya'kub. Later, Ahmad Zaidi found himself sidelined from Sarawak state politics. There were also rumours where Ahmad Zaidi would be replaced in his ownKalaka state constituency.[4]
When theMing Court Affair was brewing in 1985,Abdul Taib Mahmud, the chief minister of Sarawak at that time, decided to remove the governorAbdul Rahman Ya'kub from office due dispute between them.Yang di-Pertuan Agong (king) of Malaysia at that time,Sultan Iskandar met Ahmad Zaidi privately. The king ordered Ahmad Zaidi to raise his hand to recite an oath of allegiance to the country.[4]
On 1 April 1985, Ahmad Zaidi Adruce was appointed as the fifthYang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak (Governor) Sarawak before the Speaker at theSarawak State Legislative Assembly.[4][6]
On 2 April 1985, he also took the oath of office in front of then king. He held the office for 15 years, the longest-serving governor in any Malaysian state without a hereditary ruler (in consecutive terms from a single appointment).[citation needed]
In 1974, while Ahmad Zaidi was taking a break in a family house in Bandung, Indonesia, he had a blackout and fractured hislumbar spine (lower backbone).[4]
Ahmad Zaidi Adruce served three terms before passing on peacefully on 5 December 2000, leaving behind a lasting legacy as a true nationalist and as his people's first scholar.[7] He was given a state funeral and was buried atSamariang Muslim Cemetery,Petra Jaya,Kuching.[8]
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | N21Kalaka | Ahmad Zaidi Adruce (PBB) | 3,163 | 62.75% | Senawi Sulaiman (SNAP) | 1,878 | 37.25% | 5,378 | 1,285 | 85.64% | ||
_-_1._Knight_Grand_Commander_(DP%2c_1970-1988).png)
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DP) –Datuk Patinggi (1985).png)
Knight Commander of theMost Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak (PNBS) – formerlyDato', nowDato Sri (1981)
Malaysia_-_SMN.svg)
Grand Commander of theOrder of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) –Tun (1989)[10][11]
Grand Commander of theOrder of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) –Tun (1987)[12][13]
Kedah.svg)
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Crown of Kedah (SPMK) –Dato' Seri (1997)[14]
Malacca
Knight Grand Commander of thePremier and Exalted Order of Malacca (DUNM) –Datuk Seri Utama (1987)
Penang
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Defender of State (DUPN) –Dato' Seri Utama (1990)
Sabah
Grand Commander of theOrder of Kinabalu (SPDK) –Datuk Seri Panglima (1996)
Selangor
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) –Dato' Seri (1994)
Terengganu
Member Grand Companion of theOrder of Sultan Mahmud I of Terengganu (SSMT) –Dato' Seri (1996)
Brunei.svg)
First Class of theOrder of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa (PSLJ) –Dato Paduka Seri Laila Jasa (1989)[15]
Indonesia
Second Class (Adipradana) of theStar of Mahaputera (1986)[16] Malaysia
Pingat Semangat Padi – 24 February 1990Several places were named after him, including:
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak 1985–2000 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
