Zainon Munshi Sulaiman

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Pontian Selatan
In office
1959–1964
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byAli Ahmad
Personal details
Born
Zainon binti Munshi Sulaiman

(1903-01-22)22 January 1903
Malacca, Straits Settlements, British Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died2 April 1989(1989-04-02) (aged 86)
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Resting placeMahmoodiah Muslim Cemetery, Johor Bahru
Spouse
Amin Ahmad
​
​
(m. 1934; died 1945)​
Children3 (including Adibah Amin)

Zainon binti Sulaiman (22 January 1903 – 2 April 1989), sometimes known as Zainon Munshi Sulaiman because her father was a language teacher or "munshi", also called Hajjah Zain or Ibu Zain, was a Malaysian educator and politician.[1][2] Born in Malacca, the sixth of eight children, she received a good education through the efforts of her father, Munshi Sulaiman.[3] In 1909 she became a pupil at the Methodist Girls' School, Tengkera, going on to Tengkera School for her secondary education in 1913. By the age of seventeen, she was running her own informal kindergarten at Pasuh Jaya Waras in Negeri Sembilan.

In 1921, she became a teacher at Bandar Maharani Girls' School in

Jawi publication for women teachers, as counterpart to Majalah Guru, a similar periodical intended for men teachers. She became its manager and editor, using it to draw attention to the position of women, with the stated aims of "assisting fellow women, whether those working at home or those working outside" and bringing "enlightenment to the Malay world".[4]

During the Japanese occupation of Malaya, she attended Japanese classes, organized by the Japanese administration and made compulsory to all teachers. She welcomed this opportunity of being able to communicate with the enemy. After the occupation she organised support activities and rehabilitation for women whom the Japanese soldiers had used as their 'comfort' women.[1]

She was a founder member of UMNO (United Malays National Organisation) which was formed in 1946 and became an independence campaigner. In 1948 she was appointed to the Johor State Council. In 1950, she became a member of the UMNO General Assembly as leader of the Kaum Ibu or Women's Wing of the party. In 1959, in the first general election after Malaya became independent, she was elected to represent Pontian Selatan.

She married Amin bin Ahmad in 1934.[5] He died of tuberculosis in 1945, just before the Japanese Occupation ended. Their eldest daughter, Adibah Amin (born 1936), became a teacher, journalist and writer. They also had another daughter, Fadzilah, who became a university lecturer and a son, Sulaiman Shakib, who worked in a bank.[5] Ibu Zain died aged 86, and was buried at the Mahmoodiah Cemetery in Johor Bahru.

Awards and recognitions

Honour of Malaysia

Places named after her

Several places were named after her, including:

  • Kolej Ibu Zain, a residential college at
    Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
    , Bangi, Selangor

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-979-561-430-2
    .
  2. ISBN 978-967-461-093-7
    .
  3. ^ a b "ainun Sulaiman (Mother Zain)". Wanita UMNO (in Malay). Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Women's Magazines in Malaysia". Sejarah Wanita. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Tan Sri Hahah Zainun bt Munshi Sulaiman". National Archives of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat".
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