Jugah Barieng

Jugah anak Barieng, also known as Tun Jugah, (1903 – 8 July 1981) was a Malaysian politician of Iban descent from the state of Sarawak.^[1][2] He was the Paramount Chief of the Iban people for more than 55 years.^[3] They affectionately called him "Apai" meaning "father" in the Iban language.

Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Datuk Patinggi Temenggong Jugah anak Barieng SSM PMN PPM DP SPDK PNBS
Minister of Sarawak Affairs
In office 1963–1974
Constituency	Hulu Rajang
1st President of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu
In office 30 April 1973 – 1975
Preceded by	Post created
Succeeded by	Abdul Taib Mahmud
Personal details
Born	1903 Kapit, Kingdom of Sarawak
Died	8 July 1981 (aged 78) Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Political party	Parti Pesaka Sarawak (1962-1973) Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (1973-1981)
Spouse	Toh Puan Tiong Anding (deceased)
Relations	Alexander Nanta Linggi (grandson)
Children	Sani Jugah (deceased) Anchang Jugah Siah Jugah Tan Sri Datuk Amar Leonard Linggi Jugah Edmund Erong Jugah (deceased)
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Tribal chief

Tun Jugah played a fundamental role in bringing the state of Sarawak into the formation of the Federation of Malaysia which materialized on 16 September 1963. He was the key signatory along with two others on behalf of Sarawak of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 in London. Sarawak had been made a British colony after the way and was granted self-government on 22 July 1963. Thus, Tun Abdul Rahman Ya'kub said that Tun Jugah was "the bridge to Malaysia," i.e. without his signature, there wouldn't be any Malaysia today. However, his candidacy as the first Sarawak Governor was rejected by Tunku Abdul Rahman on the basis that the posts of the Sarawak Chief Minister and the Sarawak Governor cannot be both held by Iban persons at the same time.

He was illiterate in term of Western education, like so many other Ibans during his time. He signed documents by stamping his thumb print. However, he managed to become a state leader, i.e. the first Sarawakian and then was appointed the Federal Minister in charge of Sarawak Affairs in the Cabinet of Malaysia. He was famous for his often-quoted reminder before the formation of Malaysia, "Anang Malaysia baka tebu, manis ba pun tang tabar ka ujung," i.e. "Let Malaysia not be like the sugar cane, sweet at the beginning but tasteless towards the end".^[3] He was elected a member of Parliament during Malaysia's first elections in 1963.^[3]

Tun Jugah, who was Sarawak's Affairs Minister, was appointed as the first president of the United Traditional Bumiputera Party or Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) until his death in 1981. The party was founded with the purpose of the improvement of the livelihood and protect the rights of the Sarawakian Bumiputera in many fields such as politics, economy and social.

PBB was formed from the combination of three parties in Sarawak; Parti Negara Sarawak (PANAS), Barisan Rakyat Jati Sarawak (BARJASA) and Parti Pesaka Anak Sarawak (PESAKA). Tun Jugah was one of the early members who instrumental in setting up Pesaka with other Iban Penghulus of Batang Rajang.

He died peacefully on 9 July 1981 at Kuching, leaving behind his wife Toh Puan Tiong anak Anding, his children and grandchildren.^[4]

His famous quote was "Anang aja Malaysia tu baka Tebu, Manis di pun, tabar Di ujung" (Let's hope that Malaysia will not end up as a sugarcane, sweet in the beginning, but turned less sweet in the end).^[5]

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

•  Malaysia :
  • Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (PMN) – Tan Sri (1964)^[6]
  • Recipient of the Malaysian Commemorative Medal (Gold) (PPM) (1965)
  • Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) – Tun (1981)^[7]
•  Sabah :
  • Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (1963)^[8]
•  Sarawak :
  • Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak (PNBS) – Dato' (1964)^[9]
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DP) – Datuk Patinggi (1977)^[10]

Honours of the United Kingdom

•  United Kingdom:
  • Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) (1961)

Places named after him

• Jalan Tun Jugah, a major road and flyover in Kuching, the capital of the state of Sarawak
• Tun Jugah Shopping Centre

Literature

• Sutlive, Vinston (1992): Tun Jugah of Sarawak: Colonialism and Iban Response. Kuching: Sarawak Literary Society. ISBN 967-65-1787-9

External links

• Homepage of the Tun Jugah Foundation

References

1. A. J. Stockwell; University of London. Institute of Commonwealth Studies (2004). Malaysia. The Stationery Office. pp. 674–. ISBN 978-0-11-290581-3.
2. Ooi, Keat Gin (11 May 2009). Historical Dictionary of Malaysia. Scarecrow Press. pp. 145–. ISBN 978-0-8108-6305-7.
3. Tun Jugah Foundation
4. Mathews, Philip (2014). Chronicle of Malaysia: Fifty Years of Headline News, 1963-2013. Editions Didier Millet. p. 154. ISBN 9789671061749.
5. Joe Fernandez (23 July 2014). "Sarawak PKR chief paints dismal picture of Sarawak". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
6. "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat".
7. "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1981" (PDF).
8. "Sabah's first honours". The Straits Times. 14 November 1963. p. 20.
9. "STATE'S HIGHEST HONOUR FOR 16". The Straits Times. 5 October 1964. p. 7.
10. "砂元首华诞 百七十一人 受封赐勳章" [171 received medals on the birthday of the Yang Di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak]. 星洲日報. 12 July 1977. p. 5.