First Rahman cabinet
formed the first Rahman cabinet after being invited to begin a new government following the 27 July 1955 general election in Malaysia. Upon receiving the assent of the Rulers of the Malay States, the composition of the cabinet was announced by the High Commissioner of the Federation of Malaya, Donald MacGillivray, from King's House on 4 August 1955. The cabinet was sworn on 9 August 1955, by the Chief Justice of Malaya, Prethaser.
The swearing in of this cabinet marked the first time the majority of the Executive were members directly elected by Malayans and this was also the last cabinet to hold office under the British protectorate. Only four portfolios, the Chief Secretary to the Government, Secretary of Finance, Attorney General and the Secretary of State, remained directly appointed by High Commissioner and were helmed by British officials.
The tenure of the cabinet extended beyond the independence of Malaya on 31 August 1957, although it was reshuffled with the addition of new portfolios following independence and was only dissolved with the first post-independence general elections was called on 19 August 1959.
This is a list of the members of the first cabinet of the first Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Composition
Full members
The federal cabinet consisted of the following ministers:Portfolio | Office Bearer | Party | Constituency | Term Start | Term End |
Chief Minister | Tunku Abdul Rahman | UMNO | Sungei Muda | 1955 | 1957 |
Prime Minister | Tunku Abdul Rahman | UMNO | Sungei Muda | 1957 | 1959 |
Deputy Prime Minister | Abdul Razak Hussein | UMNO | Semantan | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Home Affairs | Tunku Abdul Rahman | UMNO | Sungei Muda | 1955 | 1957 |
Minister of Foreign Affairs | Tunku Abdul Rahman | UMNO | Sungei Muda | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Education | Abdul Razak Hussein | UMNO | Semantan | 1955 | 1957 |
Minister of Education | Mohd Khir Johari | UMNO | Kedah Tengah | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Defence | Abdul Razak Hussein | UMNO | Semantan | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Home Affairs and Justice | Sulaiman Abdul Rahman | UMNO | Johor Bahru | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Finance | H. S. Lee | MCA | Nominated | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Natural Resources | Ismail Abdul Rahman | UMNO | Johore Timor | 1955 | 1957 |
Minister of Natural Resources | Bahaman Samsudin | UMNO | Telok Anson | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Transport | H. S. Lee | MCA | Nominated | 1955 | 1957 |
Minister of Transport | Abdul Rahman Talib | UMNO | Pahang Timor | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives | Abdul Aziz Ishak | UMNO | Selangor Barat | 1955 | 1959 |
Minister of Health | Leong Yew Koh | MCA | Ipoh-Menglembu | 1955 | 1957 |
Minister of Health | V. T. Sambanthan | MIC | Kinta Utara | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Works | Sardon Jubir | UMNO | Segamat | 1955 | 1957 |
Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications | Sardon Jubir | UMNO | Segamat | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Labour | V. T. Sambanthan | MIC | Kinta Utara | 1955 | 1957 |
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare | Ong Yoke Lin | MCA | Kuala Lumpur Barat | 1957 | 1959 |
Minister of Local Government, Housing and Town Planning | Sulaiman Abdul Rahman | UMNO | Johor Bahru | 1955 | 1957 |
Minister of Communications, Telecommunications and Posts | Ong Yoke Lin | MCA | Kuala Lumpur Barat | 1955 | 1957 |
Minister of Trade and Industry | Tan Siew Sin | MCA | Malacca Central | 1957 | 1959 |