Hussein bin Onn (1922-1990) was the third prime minister of Malaysia. He held the office from 1976 to 1981. Hussein was born on Feb. 12, 1922, in Johor Bahru, Johor. His father and grandfather were both chief ministers of Johor. Hussein was educated at the English College in Johor Bahru and later attended a military academy in India. In 1942, he joined the Indian Army. He served in the Middle East during World War II (1939-1945).
He joined the British forces to liberate Malaya from the Japanese in 1945. Both Hussein and his father Onn bin Ja’afar played an important part in the formation of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in 1946. They fought against British proposals to form a Malayan Union, which would have made Malaya a British colony. Onn Ja’afar became president of UMNO, and Hussein was its secretary-general and youth leader.
In 1951, Hussein and Ja’afar resigned from UMNO because of policy differences. Hussein then left for London to study law. He returned as a barrister (a lawyer who can argue cases in all British courts). Hussein rejoined the party in 1968. In 1969, he was elected to parliament. From 1973 to 1976, he served under Abdul Razak bin Hussein as deputy prime minister. When Abdul Razak died in 1976, Hussein became prime minister. Hussein died on May 28, 1990.
