Tun Abdul Razak Chair in Southeast Asian Studies at Ohio University

In March of 1980, during the late Tun Dr. Hussein Onn's term as prime minister, the Tun Abdul Razak Chair in Southeast Asian Studies was established at Ohio University. Its creation was the result of the vision, leadership, and support of Tun Hussein, Datuk Sri Dr. Mahathir, Datuk Musa Hitam, and members of the family of the late Tun Razak, such as is son, Datuk Najib, the current Education Minister of Malaysia

This unique venture was the first of its kind by both Ohio University and the Malaysian government. The Razak Chair not only serves to honor permanently the memory of the late prime minister, but provides a new benchmark in the cordial bilateral relations between Malaysia and the United States. The Razak Chair has been praised by the president of the United States and the prime minister of Malaysia as making a unique contribution to Malaysian-American understanding.

The terms of this historic Razak Chair agreement provide for a series of prominent scholars, nominated by Malaysia, to travel to Ohio University to teach, to conduct research, to travel to academic meetings, to advise on library development, to serve as advisors and consultants to Malaysian and American students and scholars, in short, to serve as Malaysian intellectual envoys to the United States.

Since the chair's establishment, eight distinguished Malaysian scholars have been selected to s erve; and each has enhanced the level of Malaysian-American understanding in a significant way.

  1. Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, professor of Islamic literature, formerly of the National University of Malaysia, currently at the International Islamic University, wrote an important book during his tenure in the chair
  2. .Professor Fatimah Hamid Don, then the first female professor of education at the University of Malaya, brought the force of her expertise to bear on education and women's issues.
  3. Professor Zainal Abidin Abdul Wahid, then professor of history at the National University of Malaysia, contributed much through his scholarship, his previous experience as a foreign service officer, and his marvelous network of international friends in the diplomatic and scholarly communities.
  4. Dr. Abdullah Hassan, professor of Bahasa Malaysi a at the Science University of Malaysia, in his unassuming way, produced several books and articles and advanced our understanding of the issue of language in Southeast Asia.
  5. Professor Abu Baker, then professor of literature at the University of Malaya and currently director of the Writers' Academy of Malaysia, brought to us his skill as a former deputy vice chancellor and his expertise in literature.
  6. Professor Sham Sani, prominent geographer and now vice chancellor of the National University of Malaysia (UKM), as one of many strengths, brought to the chair splendid scholarship on the timely topic of the environment.
  7. Professor Ahmed Mahdzan Bin Ayub of the Agricultural University of Malaysia (UPM), is an agricultural economist and former dean of the graduate school. During his term he focused on the critically important topic of economic development, which is his specialty.
  8. Professor Mohammed Yusoff also from the Agricultural University of Malaysia recently completed is tenure in Athens, Ohio
  9. Professor Mohamed Sulaiman from the Science University of Malaysia Business School is the current Razak chair holder. Professor Mohammed can be reached at his office in Alden Library at Ohio University