View source for Abang Openg

{{Short description|Malaysian politician (1905–1969)}}
{{Malay name|Abang Openg|Abang Sapiee|note=on}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[Malay styles and titles#Honorary styles|Yang Amat Berbahagia]] [[Malay styles and titles#Tun|Tun]] [[Malay styles and titles#State titles|Dato']]
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=MYS|size=100%|SMN|PNBS|PPM}} {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}}
| name                = Abang Openg Abang Sapiee
| native_name         = {{lang|ms|{{Script|Arab|ابڠ حاج اوڤيڠ ابڠ شافعي}}}}
| image               = Potret Tun Abang Haji Openg.jpg
| order               = 1st [[Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak]]
| term_start          = 16 September 1963
| term_end            = 28 March 1969
| 1blankname          = [[Chief Minister of Sarawak|Chief Minister]]
| 1namedata           = [[Stephen Kalong Ningkan]]<br/>[[Tawi Sli]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date|df=y|1905|10|07}}
| birth_place         = [[Kuching]], [[Raj of Sarawak]], [[British Empire]]
| death_date          = {{death date and age|df=y|1969|03|28|1905|10|07}}
| death_place         = Kuching, [[Sarawak]], Malaysia
| predecessor         = ''Position established''
| successor           = [[Tuanku Bujang Tuanku Othman]]
| spouse              = Dayang Masniah Abdul Rahman
| children            = 10 (including [[Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg|Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari]])
| relatives           = [[Datu Patinggi Ali]] (great-grandfather)
| nationality         = [[Malaysian people|Malaysian]]
}}
'''Abang Openg bin Abang Sapiee''' ({{langx|ms-Arab|ابڠ حاج اوڤيڠ بن ابڠ شافعي|label=[[Jawi alphabet|Jawi]]}}; 7 October 1905 – 28 March 1969)<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=9WWLDgAAQBAJ&dq=Abang+Haji+Openg+October+7,+1905&pg=PT60 Profile of Abang Haji Openg]</ref> was a [[Malaysian people|Malaysian]] [[politician]] who served as the first [[Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak]] from September 1963 to his death in March 1969. He assumed the newly established post following Sarawak's independence from [[Great Britain]] and the formation of [[Malaysia]] in 1963. He is the father to [[Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg]], the current [[Premier of Sarawak]].

== Early life and education ==
Abang Openg was born on 7 October 1905 in Kampung Bandarsah, [[Kuching]], [[Sarawak]], during the [[White Rajahs]] of Brooke dynasty's rule.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sarawak.gov.my/web/home/article_view/234/245/|title=The Brooke Era (1841 - 1941)|author=[[Government of Sarawak]]}}</ref> He came from a Malay family with historical involvement in local leadership. His ancestry includes [[Datu Patinggi Ali]] and Datu Patinggi Abdul Ghafur, who held leadership positions during the Brooke administration in Sarawak..<ref>{{cite book |last=Chon |first=Ho Ah |date=16 November 1992 |title=Tun Haji Openg bin Abang Spi'ee S.M.N., P.N.B.S., O.B.E. – First Malaysian Governor of Sarawak |url=https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/p-library/singapore-malaysia/Ho%20Ah%20Chon/Tun%20Haji%20Openg%20Bin%20Abang%20Spi'ee%20%281790%29/Tun%20Haji%20Openg%20Bin%20Abang%20Spi'ee%20-%20Ho%20Ah%20Chon.pdf |location=[[Kuching]], [[Sarawak]] |publisher=[[See Hua Daily News]] |page=iv }}</ref>

Growing up in an era when educational opportunities for Bumiputeras were scarce, Abang Openg faced the challenge of limited formal schooling. Despite these obstacles, he attended the Government Malay School in Kuching.<ref name="51 years"/> At that time, [[formal education]] opportunities for Bumiputera were limited.<ref name="51 years">{{cite news|url=https://suarasarawak.my/2020/03/tun-openg-dalam-kenangan-selepas-51-tahun-permergiannya/|title=Tun Openg dalam kenangan, selepas 51 tahun permergiannya|date=29 March 2020|accessdate=29 December 2021|language=ms|publisher=Suara Sarawak|author=James Ritchie}}</ref>

== Early career ==
At the age of 19, in 1924, Abang Openg started his career in public service as a government clerk. He was later transferred to the Office of Native Affairs, a department responsible for the administration and welfare of indigenous communities.<ref name="51 years"/> He subsequently received a promotion.

In 1932, Abang Openg was appointed as a government officer in Sarikei.<ref name="51 years"/> While working in there, he attended night classes at St. Anthony's School, taking Junior Cambridge lessons to further his education.

By 1940, Abang Openg held the position of Native Officer, which included the powers of a Class III Magistrate with legal authority in local governance. In 1941, [[Charles Vyner Brooke]] appointed him as a member of the Council Negeri (State Council), the legislative body of Sarawak. He served in this role until 1963.

Abang Openg chose to be loyal to the Brooke rule until the Japanese surrender in September 1945.<ref name="51 years"/> When Vyner decided to cede Sarawak to Britain,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/10/741159/fascinating-sarawak-tales-long-ago|title=Fascinating Sarawak tales from long ago|date=30 October 2021|accessdate=29 December 2021|publisher=[[New Straits Times]]|author=Alan Teh Leam Seng|quote=... Rajah Vyner Brooke, faced with a series of family disputes concerning succession, made the difficult decision to cede sovereignty of Sarawak to the British Crown.}}</ref> Abang Openg and several other Brooke officials opposed the decision.<ref name="51 years"/>

== Honours ==
=== Honours of Malaysia ===
* {{Flag|Malaysia}} :
**[[File:MY Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara (Defender of the Realm) - SMN.svg|50px]] Grand Commander of the [[Order of the Defender of the Realm]] (SMN) – '''Tun''' (1964)<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/v8/images/stories/1964.pdf|title=Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1964}}</ref>

*{{flag|Sarawak}}:
**[[File:MY-SAR Order of the Star of Sarawak - 2 ribbon PNBS -JBS-PBS-ABS-BBS.svg|50px]] Knight Commander of the [[Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak]] (PNBS) – '''Dato,'''' now '''Dato Sri''' (1954)

=== Foreign honour ===
*{{flag|United Kingdom}}:
**[[File:Order of the British Empire (Civil) Ribbon.svg|50px]] Officer of the [[Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) (1962)

== Namesakes ==
Several places were named after Abang Openg, including:

* Tun Abang Haji Openg Digital Centre (TAHODC) in [[Universiti Malaysia Sarawak|UNIMAS]] Samarahan, the main centre for information and communication technology (ICT) in the university <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newsarawaktribune.com.my/unimas-opens-tahodc-to-honour-late-visionary/ |title=UNIMAS opens TAHODC to honour late visionary |date=4 August 2023 }}</ref>
* SMK Tun Abang Haji Openg, a secondary school in Kuching
* Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg in Kuching
* Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg in Sibu
* Jalan Tun Openg in Tanjung Kidurong, Bintulu
* Jalan Abang Haji Openg in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur

==References==
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak]]|years=1963–1969}}
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{{Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm}}
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[[Category:Malaysian Muslims]]
[[Category:Grand Commanders of the Order of the Defender of the Realm]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Star of Sarawak]]
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:Malaysian politicians of Malay descent]]
[[Category:1969 deaths]]
[[Category:Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak]]
[[Category:People from Kuching]]