Fuad Stephens

Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji
Muhammad Fuad Stephens
SMN PSM SPDK PNBS
محمد فؤاد ستيفنس
1st & 5th Chief Minister of Sabah
In office
18 April 1976 – 6 June 1976
GovernorMohd Hamdan Abdullah
DeputyHarris Salleh
Preceded byMohammad Said Keruak
Succeeded byHarris Salleh
In office
16 September 1963 – 31 December 1964
GovernorMustapha Harun
DeputySamson Sundang Gunsanad
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byPeter Lo Sui Yin
3rd Yang di-Pertua Negara of Sabah
In office
16 September 1973 – 28 July 1975
Chief MinisterMustapha Harun
Preceded byPengiran Ahmad Raffae
Succeeded byMohd Hamdan Abdullah
6th Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia
In office
1968–1973
Preceded byMohamed Baba
Succeeded byAwang Hassan
Personal details
Born
Donald Aloysius Marmaduke Stephens

(1920-09-14)14 September 1920
Kudat, British North Borneo (now Sabah, Malaysia)
Died6 June 1976(1976-06-06) (aged 55)
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Resting placeMakam Pahlawan, Masjid Negeri Sabah, Kota Kinabalu
Political partyUnited National Kadazan Organisation (UNKO)
United Pasokmomogun Kadazan Organisation (UPKO)
Sabah People's United Front (BERJAYA)
Spouse(s)Ida (married 1950–1957)[1]
Rahimah Stephens (Cecilia June Lutter)[2]
ChildrenJohari (John Benedict; adopted–1952–1976)[3]
Affendi (Richard Bernard; 1958–2009)
Asgari (James Denis; born 1960)
Faridah (Jean Heather; born 1962)
Fauziah (Elma; adopted–born 1958)[4]
Parents
  • Jules Pavitt Stephens, Snr. (1896–1944) (father)
  • Edith Margaret Laura Mary Cope (1898–1976) (mother)

Muhammad Fuad Stephens, (born Donald Aloysius Marmaduke Stephens; 14 September 1920 – 6 June 1976)[5] was a Malaysian politician who served as the 1st and 5th Chief Minister of Sabah from September 1963 to December 1964 and again briefly from April 1976 to his death in June 1976, 3rd Yang di-Pertua Negara of Sabah from September 1973 to July 1975, 6th High Commissioner of Malaysia to Australia from 1968 to 1973. In addition, he also served as the 1st Huguan Siou or Paramount Leader of the Kadazandusun community. He played a role in bringing Sabah into the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. While he was initially against the idea of Sabah joining in the Federation, given British concerns about the stability of the region and their move to relinquish all their colonies in the post WWII era, he was gradually convinced to work towards it. He held the chief minister's post from 16 September 1963 until 31 December 1964 when he was forced to resign; and again in 1976 for 54 days from 15 April.

During his second term as Chief Minister (which began on 15 April 1976) he died in a controversial accident on 6 June 1976 dubbed Double Six Crash, in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah. He was a passenger in an Australian made Nomad aircraft which crashed and killed everyone on board, including his son Johari. His body was buried at the State Mausoleum near the Sabah State Mosque, Kota Kinabalu.

  1. ^ P. J. (1999), p. 70, 77
  2. ^ P. J. (1999), p. 95
  3. ^ P. J. (1999), p. 78
  4. ^ P. J. (1999), p. 218
  5. ^ Biodata Tun Haji Mohd. Fuad Stephens