Yura Halim

Pengiran Muhammad Yusuf CBE (2 May 1923 – 11 April 2016), pen name Yura Halim, was a Bruneian nobleman, politician, civil servant, diplomat, and writer. He served as the Chief Minister (Menteri Besar) of Brunei from 1967 to 1972. Halim wrote the lyrics for Brunei's national anthem, "Allah Peliharakan Sultan," in 1947.[1] The song was adopted as the country's official national anthem in 1951, when it was still a British protectorate.[1] Halim was longtime member of the Legislative Council of Brunei, serving on the council until his death in 2016.[1][2]

In this Malay name, there is no family name. The name Abdul Rahim is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Pengiran Muhammad Yusuf. The Arabic-derived word "bin" or "binti"/"binte", if used, means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Setia Negara
Yusuf Abdul Rahim
DK SPMB DSNB CBE
Yura Halim in 1972
3rd Menteri Besar
In office
4 November 1968 – 1972
MonarchHassanal Bolkiah
DeputyIsa Ibrahim
Preceded byMarsal Maun
Succeeded byAbdul Momin Ismail
Other positions
Member of the Legislative Council
In office
1 June 2011 – 11 February 2015
State Secretary
In office
18 January 1964 – December 1966
MonarchOmar Ali Saifuddien III
Preceded byAzam Kamaralzaman
Succeeded byTaib Besar
Diplomatic positions
Brunei High Commissioner to Japan
In office
2001–2002
Brunei High Commissioner to Malaysia
In office
1995–2001
Personal details
Born
Pengiran Muhammad Yusuf

(1923-05-02)2 May 1923
Kandang, Tutong, Brunei
Died11 April 2016(2016-04-11) (aged 92)
Sengkarai, Tutong, Brunei
Resting placeSengkarai Muslim Cemetery
Children11
Alma materHiroshima University
International School Kokusai Gakuyukai
Sultan Idris Teachers College
ProfessionPolitician, diplomat, teacher and writer
Signature

Biography

Early life

Yura Halim was born in Tutong, Brunei, on May 2, 1923.[3] He began his education at Bukit Bendera Malay School in Tutong, which he attend from age 10 until he reached fifth grade.[1] In 1939, he became a trainee teacher, or student teacher, at Bukit Bendera Malay School, which is now known as Muda Hashim Secondary School, in Tutong.[1] He then enrolled in courses to become a teacher at Sultan Idris Teachers College in Perak, British Malaya, beginning in 1939.[1] Following the Japanese invasion of Malaya in 1941, Halim was transferred to Kita Bornei Kanri Yosei Jo in Kuching, Sarawak, to study the Japanese language.[1]

In 1944, Yura Halim enrolled in advanced Japanese studies at the International School Kokusai Gakuyukai in Tokyo.[1][2] Halim then studied at the Hiroshima University of Arts and Sciences, now known as present-day Hiroshima University, in April 1945, towards the end of World War II.[1][2] On August 6, 1945, Halim, who was a student in at the university, survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.[1][2] Yura Halim was one of only three Southeast Asian students who survived the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The other two survivors were Abdul Razak, who later became a professor of Japanese in Malaysia, and Hasan Rahaya, an Indonesian politician.[2]

Career

Yura Halim returned to Brunei following the end of World War II, where he worked as a teacher at Kuala Belait Malay School.[1] He also studied public administration at South Devon Technical College in Devon, England, United Kingdom, in 1954.[1] He was then appointed as an officer in the Information Office in 1957.[1] In 1962, he was further appointed as the Deputy State Secretary and Director of Broadcasting and Information, a position he held from 1962 to 1964.[1]

Yura Halim was elevated to the post of State Secretary of Brunei in 1964.[1] He was appointed acting Chief Minister of Brunei in 1965 and was confirmed to the office as permanent Chief Minister in 1967.[1] He held the office of Chief Minister, also known as Menteri Besar, from 1967 to 1972. In 1968, he was bestowed the title Pengiran Setia Negara, admitting him into the senior ranks of the Cheteria ministers. He retired from the Bruneian civil service in 1973.[1]

In 1995, Yura Halim was appointed High Commissioner of Brunei to Malaysia by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.[1] He was next appointed Ambassador to Japan in 2001.[1] From 1 June 2011 to 11 February 2015, he was among the appointed members of the Legislative Council.[4]

Death

Yura Halim, a resident of Sengkarai in Tutong District, died on April 11, 2016, at the age of 92.[1] He was survived by eight children, 38 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren.[1]

Books
  • Halim, Yura (1985). Mahkota Yang Berdarah. Brunei: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. ISBN 9789991767963.
  • Halim, Yura (2002). Ririsej Brunei Darussalam. Brunei: Brunei History Centre, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. ISBN 9789991702513.
  • Halim, Yura (1965). Sekayu Tiga Bangsi.
  • Halim, Yura (1947). Allah Peliharakan Sultan.
  • Halim, Yura (1958). Sejarah berunai. Brunei: Brunei Press.
  • Halim, Yura (2002). Barat-Timur Dan Bom Atom. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Honours
Yura Halim in full ceremonial dress, 1961.

Yura Halim was awarded an honorary doctorate from Hiroshima University for promoting peace and bilateral relations between Brunei and Japan on April 22, 2013.[1][2] He was the first Bruneian to receive such an honor.[1] The only two other Southeast Asian survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Hasan Rahaya of Indonesia and Abdul Razak of Malaysia, had previously been awarded honorary doctorates from Hiroshima University as well.[2] He has also received the following awards;[5][6]

Namesake
  • Pengiran Setia Negara Pengiran Mohd Yusof Primary School, school in Seria.[7]

National
Main article: Orders, decorations, and medals of Brunei

Foreign

References
  1. Hab, Rasidah (12 April 2016). "HM pays last respects to ex-chief minister". Brunei Times. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  2. Piri, Sally (23 April 2013). "Bruneian who survived Hiroshima bombings honoured". Brunei Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  3. Sidhu, Jatswan S. (2010). "Historical Dictionary of Brunei Darussalam - page 247". Google Books. ISBN 9780810870789. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  4. "Brunei Legislative Council, 2011-2015". Brunei Legislative Council, 2011-2015. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
  5. "YAM Pengiran Setia Negara Pengiran Dr. Haji Mohd Yusuf - Yura Halim". YAM Pengiran Setia Negara Pengiran Dr. Haji Mohd Yusuf - Yura Halim. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
  6. "AHLI RASMI YANG DI LANTIK (ORANG-ORANG BERGELAR)" (PDF). 21 March 2006. p. 243.
  7. "Sekolah Rendah Pengiran Setia Negara Pengiran Mohammad Yusof Lorong 3 Seria". Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  8. "D.Y.M.M. Mengurniakan Bintang2 Kehormatan Dan Pingat2 Pada Ari Jadi Baginda" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 1963-10-02. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  9. "Raja-Raja Dan Pembesar2 Tanah Melayu Mendapat Pingat Kehormatan" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 1958-10-01. p. 4. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  10. "65 Dapat Bintang Dan Pingat Hari Jadi" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 1959-10-07. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.