Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz, The First Menteri Besar of Perak
The Menteri Besar of Perak is the most respected and revered leader in the state. Upon assuming the top position in the state of Perak, there are many responsibilities to shoulder in leading the state's progress across various sectors involving numerous factors. This time, let's get to know the first Menteri Besar of Perak.
Do you know who the first Menteri Besar of Perak was? If you don't, he was a remarkable individual named Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz. Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz served as the Menteri Besar of Perak from February 1, 1948, until August 1, 1957, before our country achieved independence.
For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz came from Perak nobility, specifically from the four great chiefs of Perak, and he was the son of the first Malay dignitary to pursue studies in England. Our first Menteri Besar of Perak was certainly no ordinary man, was he? He was born on May 4, 1905, in a small village on the banks of the Perak River, located in Sayong, Kuala Kangsar. His mother, Teh Halimah, was the only child of Dato Setia Bijaya Jeragan Abdul Syukor from his first wife. His father, Toh Muda Abdul Aziz, and his grandfather, Haji Mahmud Taib, both held the title of Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang. Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz was the second of 14 siblings. From a young age, he lived with his grandfather in Ipoh. He received his early education at the Pekan Baru Malay School in Ipoh. Interestingly, for you loyal readers of orangperak.com, he managed to skip to the fourth grade within just three years.
As a teenager at the age of 10, he continued his studies at Anderson School. Everyone knows that Anderson School is a great and prestigious school highly regarded in the state of Perak. He passed his Cambridge examinations with flying colors in May 1925, specializing in literature and English. Due to his excellent academic achievements, he was eligible to pursue higher education at a university abroad. While studying abroad at the Inner Temple, University of London, he chose to study law and was very active in student associations. He became the chairman of the Malay Students Association of Great Britain in 1928. Thanks to his tireless efforts in seeking knowledge, he frequently passed every examination with distinction and was often granted access to observe full court proceedings in England as a reward. Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz returned to his homeland after passing his Bar Final Examination at the prestigious London university. His contemporaries who studied in London included Tunku Abdul Rahman, Raja Muda Raja Haji Bot from Selangor, Nik Ahmad Kamil from Kelantan, Abdul Hamid Mustafa, and Syed Syeikh Barakbah from Kedah.
Upon his return to Malaysia after completing his studies, Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz underwent six months of chambering at the High Court of Malaysia. He then worked with lawyer J. Dunford Wood in Ipoh. Abdul Wahab opened his own law firm at No. 21, Jalan Hale (Jalan Bandaraya), Ipoh. Additionally, he founded the Perak Malay Drivers Association (PDMPK) in 1930. In 1936, Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz received the title of Dato Panglima Bukit Gantang from the Sultan of Perak. He was chosen to replace his grandfather as Dato Panglima Bukit Gantang after his father and grandfather passed away in succession. This led to his immediate appointment as Dato Panglima Bukit Gantang without needing to serve as Toh Muda first, according to tradition. Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz was also appointed as a member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) in 1937, given his high level of education. He founded the Perak Malay League on January 27, 1946, to fight for the independence of Malaya. He also played a crucial role in the efforts to establish the UMNO party in 1946 alongside Dato Onn Jaafar from Johor.
Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Haji Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz served as the Menteri Besar of Perak from February 1, 1948, until August 1, 1957. As mentioned earlier, he was appointed as the first Menteri Besar of Perak before Malaysia achieved independence. He officially resigned from his position as Menteri Besar on July 31, 1957, due to poor health.
