View source for Ong Yoke Lin

{{Short description|Malaysian politician (1917–2010)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Weng (surname)|Ong]]|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[Malay styles and titles#Honorary styles|Yang Amat Berbahagia]] [[Malay styles and titles#Tun|Tun]]
| name                = Omar Ong Yoke Lin
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=MYS|size=100|SSM|PMN|SPMS|SPDK|DPMS}}
| native_name         = {{nobold|翁毓麟}}
| native_name_lang    = zh
| image               = Omar Ong Yoke Lin.jpg
| image_size          = 
| order               = 5th
| monarch             = [[Abdul Halim of Kedah|Abdul Halim]] <br> [[Yahya Petra of Kelantan|Yahya Petra]] <br> [[Ahmad Shah of Pahang|Ahmad Shah]]
| term_start          = 23 February 1973
| term_end            = 30 December 1980
| predecessor         = Abdul Hamid Khan
| successor           = [[Ismail Khan Ibrahim Khan|Ismail Khan]]
| order2              = 
| monarch2            = 
| term_start2         = 
| term_end2           = 
| predecessor2        = 
| successor2          = 
| birth_name          = Ong Yoke Lin
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1917|7|23|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Selangor]], [[Federated Malay States]], [[British Malaya]] (now Malaysia)
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2010|7|1|1917|7|23|df=y}}
| death_place         = Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| resting_place       = [[Makam Pahlawan]], [[National Mosque of Malaysia|Masjid Negara]], Kuala Lumpur
| spouse              = {{marriage|Aishah Chan-Ong|1974}}
| children            = 3
| occupation          = 
| party               = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Malaysian Chinese Association.svg}} [[Malaysian Chinese Association]] (MCA)
| signature           = 
| module              = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes|hide=no
| c             = 翁毓麟
| p             = Wēng Yùlín
| poj           = Ong Io̍k-lîn
}}
| office              = President of the Dewan Negara
| primeminister       = 
| caption             = Ong in 1962
}}
'''Omar Ong Yoke Lin''' ({{lang-zh|翁毓麟}}; 23 July 1917 – 1 July 2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkib.gov.my/en/web/guest/tun-dato-haji-omar-ong-yoke-lin1|title=Tun Dato' Haji Omar Ong Yoke Lin|publisher=[[National Archives of Malaysia]]|access-date=2018-10-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkib.gov.my/web/guest/tun-dato-haji-omar-ong-yoke-lin1|title=Tun Dato' Haji Omar Ong Yoke Lin|publisher=[[National Archives of Malaysia]]|access-date=2018-10-02}} {{in lang|ms}}</ref> was a [[Malaysia]]n politician, diplomat and businessman. He was a founding member of the [[Malaysian Chinese Association]], and was a key figure in the country's road to independence. Ong served various positions in the government of [[Federation of Malaya|Malaya]] and Malaysia, as a Cabinet minister and ambassador.

He was a Chinese [[Muslim]] convert.

==Early life and education==
Ong Yoke Lin was born on 23 July 1917 in [[Kuala Lumpur]], he attended Pudu Girls' English School and later [[Victoria Institution]], where he was contemporaries of, among others, Yahya Abdul Razak, [[Lee Siew Choh]], [[Yaacob Latiff]] and Mahmood Ambak, the father-in-law of [[Abdullah Ahmad Badawi]], the fifth [[Prime Minister of Malaysia]]. He passed the London Matriculation in 1935 and trained as a chartered accountant. He intended to read law, but his studies were put on hold by the [[Japanese occupation of Malaya]].

==Politics==
Omar helped found and joined the [[Malayan Chinese Association]] (MCA) in 1949. As a prominent Chinese leader, Ong was selected by the [[List of High Commissioners from the United Kingdom to Malaya|British High Commissioner]] as a member of the then fully appointed [[Selangor State Assembly|Selangor State Council]] and [[Federal Legislative Council]].

In 1952, he and Yahya Abdul Razak mooted the idea of an alliance between MCA and the [[United Malays National Organisation]] (UMNO) for the [[Kuala Lumpur City Hall|Kuala Lumpur Municipal Council]] elections. This was the precursor to the formal [[Alliance Party (Malaysia)|Alliance Party]]. He contested and won a seat in that election, and was chosen as leader of the Alliance Party in the Municipal Council.

Omar went on to become MCA vice-president and the [[Dewan Rakyat|member of parliament]] for [[Hulu Selangor]].<ref name="passing">{{cite news |title=Omar Ong Yoke Lin: the passing of an era |url=http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/omar-ong-yoke-lin-the-passing-of-an-era/ |publisher=[[The Malaysian Insider]] |date=1 July 2010}}</ref>

In 1955, the Alliance Party won the [[1955 Malayan general election|first ever elections]] to the Federal Legislative Council under the leadership of [[Tunku Abdul Rahman]]. Omar was appointed Minister for Post and Telecoms in the Tunku's first Cabinet. Following the overwhelming support shown for the Alliance Party during the elections and the forming of the government, the Tunku led the Merdeka Delegation to [[London]] which successfully negotiated independence from the British. Omar joined the Tunku on his second trip to London in April 1957 to finalise the newly drafted [[Constitution of Malaya]].<ref name="passing"/>

===Independence and the formation of Malaysia===
On 31 August 1957, Omar was appointed to the [[first Rahman cabinet]] of the newly independent [[Federation of Malaya]], holding the Labour and Social Welfare portfolio. In 1959, he became health minister.

During negotiations to unite Malaya, [[Singapore]], [[Sarawak]] and [[British North Borneo]] (later known as [[Sabah]]), Ong was ambassador to the [[United Nations]] as Malaya focused on diplomacy amid regional tensions with [[Indonesia]] (''[[Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation|Konfrontasi]]'').

Following the proclamation of the Federation of [[Malaysia]], Ong continued to serve in the Cabinet as minister without portfolio until 1973. He served concurrently as High Commissioner to Canada in 1966 and as ambassador to Brazil from 1967 to 1972.

In 1973, he was elected [[President of the Dewan Negara]] and served until 1980.

==Personal life==
Tun Omar was married to Toh Puan Dr. Aishah Chan binti Abdullah, also a Chinese Muslim convert and had three children.<ref name="last">{{cite news|url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/1/nation/20100701130403&sec=nation|title=Tun Omar Yoke Lin Ong dies of old age|date=1 July 2010|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|publisher=Star Publications|access-date=1 July 2010}}</ref> He converted to [[Islam]] in 1961.<ref name="passing"/>

==Death==
Ong died on 1 July 2010 due to old age. He was 92. His body was laid to rest at [[Makam Pahlawan]] near [[Masjid Negara]], [[Kuala Lumpur]].

==Election results==
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ '''[[Federal Legislative Council (Malaya)|Federal Legislative Council]]'''<ref>{{Citation |title=TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS |date=2024-12-21 |url=https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/tree/main |access-date=2024-12-26 |publisher=TindakMalaysia}}</ref>
!|Year
!|Constituency
!colspan=2|Candidate
!|Votes
!|Pct
!colspan=2|Opponent(s)
!|Votes
!|Pct
!|Ballots cast
!|Majority
!|Turnout
|-
| rowspan=2|[[1955 Malayan general election|1955]]
| rowspan=2|'''[[Kuala Lumpur Barat (Federal Legislative Council constituency)|Kuala Lumpur Barat]]'''
| rowspan=2 {{party shading/Alliance Party (Malaysia)}} |
| rowspan=2|'''Ong Yoke Lin''' ([[Malaysian Chinese Association|'''MCA''']])
| rowspan=2 align=right|'''4,667'''
| rowspan=2|'''66.14%'''
|
|Abdullah Ibrahim (NEGARA)
| align=right|1,371
|19.43%
| rowspan=2|7,056
| rowspan=2|3,296
| rowspan=2|80.10%
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party of Malaya}} |
|Tan Tuan Boon ([[Labour Party of Malaya|Lab]])
| align=right|1,018
|14.43%
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ '''[[Dewan Rakyat|Parliament of the Federation of Malaya]]'''
!|Year
!|Constituency
!colspan=2|Candidate
!|Votes
!|Pct
!colspan=2|Opponent(s)
!|Votes
!|Pct
!|Ballots cast
!|Majority
!|Turnout
|-
|[[1959 Malayan general election|1959]]
|'''P078 [[Hulu Selangor (federal constituency)|Ulu Selangor]]'''
|{{party shading/Alliance Party (Malaysia)}} |
|'''Ong Yoke Lin''' ([[Malaysian Chinese Association|'''MCA''']])
| align=right|'''6,537'''
|'''56.07%'''
|{{party shading/Independent}} |
|Chai Yoke Kin ([[Independent politician|IND]])
| align=right|5,121
|43.93%
|11,801
|1,416
|82.67%
|}

==Honours==
* {{Flag|Malaya}} : 
** [[File:MY Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara (Defender of the Realm)- PMN.svg|50px]] Commander of the [[Order of the Defender of the Realm#Commander|Order of the Defender of the Realm]] (PMN) – '''Tan Sri''' (1959)<ref>{{cite news | url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/beritaharian19590831-1.2.7 | title=Lagi dua orang bergelar Tun | work=[[Berita Harian]] | date=31 August 1959 | pages=1}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Malaysia}} : 
** [[File:Malaysian Commemorative Medal ribbon.gif|50px]] Recipient of the [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Malaysia|Malaysian Commemorative Medal (Gold)]] (PPM) (1965)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|title=SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT|publisher=[[Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia)]]|access-date=12 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929181530/http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|archive-date=29 September 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[File:Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia - SSM.svg|50px]] Grand Commander of the [[Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia#Grand Commander|Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia]] (SSM) – '''Tun''' (1979)<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.istiadat.gov.my//wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1979.pdf|title=Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1979.}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Selangor}} :
** [[File:MY-SEL Order of the Crown of Selangor - Knight Grand Commander - SPMS.svg|50px]] Knight Grand Commander of the [[Order of the Crown of Selangor]] (SPMS) – '''Dato' Seri''' (1973)<ref>{{cite web|title=SPMS 1973|url=https://awards.selangor.gov.my/sublinkyear.php?cat=38&subcat=S.P.M.S.|website=awards.selangor.gov.my|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref>
** [[File:MY-SEL Order of the Crown of Selangor - Knight Commander - DPMS.svg|50px]] Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Crown of Selangor]] (DPMS) – '''Dato'''' (1971)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://awards.selangor.gov.my/sublinkyear.php?cat=39&subcat=D.P.M.S.|title=DPMS 1971|website=awards.selangor.gov.my|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Sabah|1963}} :
** [[File:MY-SAB Order of Kinabalu - SPDK.svg|50px]] Grand Commander of the [[Order of Kinabalu]] (SPDK) – '''Datuk Seri Panglima''' (1973)

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509104835/http://www.viweb.freehosting.net/OmarOng.htm Tun Omar Yoke-Lin Ong The Last Independence Fighter] (1999 interview), and "First step to independence", ''The Star'', 2 April 2001. Online at The Victoria Institution
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509154650/http://www.viweb.freehosting.net/OngYL.htm Catching up with... The Patriot with the golden heart], 17 December 2006, The Victoria Institution

{{First Rahman cabinet}}
{{Second Rahman cabinet}}
{{Third Rahman cabinet}}
{{First Razak cabinet}}
{{President of the Dewan Negara}}
{{Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm}}
{{Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ong, Yoke Lin}}
[[Category:1917 births]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:Converts to Islam from Buddhism]]
[[Category:Malaysian Muslims]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Malaysia]]
[[Category:Malaysian politicians of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:Malaysian Chinese Association politicians]]
[[Category:Permanent representatives of Malaysia to the United Nations]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Malaysia to the United States]]
[[Category:Malaysian expatriates in the United States]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Malaysia to Brazil]]
[[Category:Malaysian accountants]]
[[Category:Members of the Dewan Negara]]
[[Category:Members of the Dewan Rakyat]]
[[Category:High commissioners of Malaysia to Canada]]
[[Category:Kuala Lumpur politicians]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Hakka descent]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Dewan Negara]]
[[Category:Grand Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the Defender of the Realm]]
[[Category:Ministers of health of Malaysia]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor]]
[[Category:Grand Commanders of the Order of Kinabalu]]