Sha'ari bin Tadin (1932–2009), a Singaporean politician and educator, is recognised as the first Malay university graduate to serve as a Member of Parliament. Representing the People’s Action Party from 1968 to 1980, he was Parliamentary Secretary and later Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, where he promoted the arts, culture, sports, and youth development. After politics, he returned to education as a principal, and later obtained a master’s degree in sociology, continuing to contribute to academia and community leadership.
Sha'ari bin Tadin (2 August 1932 – 13 December 2009) was the first Member of Parliament (MP) of Malay descent who was a university graduate and scholar. He was highly regarded as Cikgu Sha'ari ("Teacher Sha'ari" in English), for his role as an educator and mentor. He served as a politician from 1968 to 1980.
Prior to his political life, he was a school teacher. Awarded the Colombo Plan Scholarship, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Malay Studies from the University of Malaya (UM) in Kuala Lumpur.
Upon his return to Singapore in 1965, he taught at Sang Nila Utama Secondary School and became its Acting Principal in 1967-1968. He was also president of Persatuan Persuratan Pemuda Pemudi Melayu (4PM) or the Malay Youth Literary Association in 1968–1969.
Sha'ari became Member of Parliament for Kampong Chai Chee in 1968 and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture. He was promoted to Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Culture) in 1972, and temporarily performed the duties of Parliamentary Secretary (Education) before the 1972 General Elections.
After 12 years in office, Sha'ari stepped down from politics. He was already seconded as Principal of Telok Kurau Secondary School. He rejoined the Ministry of Education, Singapore and was a visiting fellow at the Institute of South East Asian Studies (ISEAS). He obtained a master's degree in Social Sciences in Sociology from the National University of Singapore in 1987, at the age of 55.
After the war, Sha'ari came to Singapore. He retook his primary education at Outram School (now Outram Secondary School), completing it in less than three years. He had his secondary education at Victoria School.[1] On obtaining his Senior Cambridge Certificate, he joined the Teachers' Training College (now National Institute of Education) and started his teaching career in 1957.[2]
Career
Early Teaching Career
Sha'ari taught in various primary schools between 1954 and 1960, including Jalan Daud Primary School and Siglap Secondary School. In 1961, he taught Science to Malay-medium pupils at Siglap Secondary School.
Scholarship and Tertiary Education
A year later he was awarded the Colombo Plan Scholarship to study at the University of Malaya (UM) in Kuala Lumpur, leading up to a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Malay Studies.
While at UM, he was elected President of the Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM) or National Union of Federation Muslim Students from 1963 to 1965[3], as well as Executive Committee member of the Masjlis Belia Malaysia or Malaysian Youth Council (MYC) Executive Committee in 1963 and 1964. He was also Deputy Leader of UM's first Student Exchange Programme delegation to Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok in 1963; and part of MYC's delegation to the 5th General Assembly of the World Assembly of Youth (WAY) Conference at University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA.[4]
Teaching Career (resumed)
With a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Malay Studies, he returned to Singapore in 1965. He taught Malay and Economics (in the Malay language) to the first batch of pre-University Malay-medium pupils at Sang Nila Utama Secondary School, the first Malay secondary school in Singapore. He was also part of the Singapore delegation to the Third Asian Teachers' Leadership Seminar Committee, Permanent Congress of Malay Language and Culture in 1966. Within 2 years at Sang Nila Utama Secondary School, he became Acting Principal in 1967.[5]
Political Career
In the mid 1960s newly independent Singapore was facing problems such as high unemployment rate, shortage of public housing, and lack of land and natural resources. The Government's implementation of a large-scale public housing programme caused many residents from largely rural areas to be relocated to various parts of the island. There was a strong need to establish closer rapport with the people, especially in the Malay community and help them understand the need for better public housing.[6]
As one of the first few Singaporean Malay graduates and scholars in the 1960s,[7] Sha'ari was Acting Principal at Sang Nila Utama Secondary School in 1967[8] when he was approached by Lee Kuan Yew to join the People's Action Party (PAP) and to contest in the republic's general elections. Dedicated to teaching and his students, it took much persuasion before Sha'ari agreed to join politics. He strongly believed in a strong foundation in education among the younger generation of citizens, and being in Parliament would enable him to continue his work and do more for the nation.
In February 1968 Sha'ari retired temporarily from Government Service to enable him to stand as a PAP candidate for Kampong Chai Chee in the 1968 Singapore General Elections. Returning unopposed with over 75 percent of votes, Sha'ari became Member of Parliament for Kampong Chai Chee, [9] establishing various initiatives in line with the spirit of Chai Chee’s sense of community, while transitioning from kampongs to living in new HDB flats.[10]
In May 1968, Sha'ari was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture.[11] He spent time and energy with the people, grassroots leaders and residents in his constituency to better understand their concerns and to be able to help them understand the need for building a better future for Singapore. He was also concerned with problems faced by the Malay community and called for solutions from a national perspective.[12]
Within four years in office, Sha'ari he was promoted to Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Culture) in 1972.[11] He had also temporarily performed the duties of Parliamentary Secretary (Education) before the 1972 General Elections.[11]
Bedok became a constituency in 1976 under the charge of Sha'ari, who formed the Citizens' Consultative Committee. That same year he contested in the General Elections in Bedok constituency and was returned with a majority vote of nearly 75 percent.[13]
Contribution to the Arts
During his tenure at the Ministry of Culture, he was instrumental in the promotion of Singapore's arts and culture locally and overseas, asserting that the arts could play a vital role in nation-building.[14]
In 1969, he founded Majlis Pusat (Pertubuhan-Pertubuhan Budaya Melayu) or Central Council of Malay Cultural Organisations, and became its patron until 1987.
He helped to establish the National Dance Company (now Singapore Dance Theatre), which made its debut in the Adelaide Festival of Arts, Australia in 1972, thrilling local audiences with their music, costumes and dances representing Singapore's muticultural identity.[15]
He led cultural delegations to Indonesia, the Soviet Union, Tehran and South Korea and was leader of the Singapore contingent at the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran. He was also a special guest of the Governments of West Germany, Japan and France in 1972, 1974, 1975 respectively.
Chairman of Organising Committee, Summer Scholarship, Japan (Asian students), 1970s.
Founder, Chairman of Advisory Board & Patron, Majlis Pusat, 1969–1987.
President, Persatuan Persuratan Pemuda Pemudi Melayu (4PM) or the Malay Youth Literary Association from 1968-69.[21][22]
Post-Politics, Teaching Career (resumed again)
In February 1977, Sha'ari rejoined the Ministry of Education as an aided Education Officer. That same year he was seconded as Principal of Telok Kurau Secondary School, whilst still serving as a member of parliament. Under his leadership and guidance, the number of 'O' level passes increased at the school.
Upon retiring from politics Sha'ari was posted to the Ministry of Education, Singapore's Public Relations Unit in 1985 until 1987.
Research and Continuing Education
Sha'ari served as a visiting fellow at the Institute of South East Asian Studies (ISEAS) in December 1987. He obtained a Master's degree in Social Sciences in Sociology from the National University of Singapore in 1987, at the age of 56.[23]
Awards
In 1984, Majlis Pusat conferred Sha'ari with the Anugerah Jasawan (Meritorious Award). In the same year, the Singapore Government accorded him the Pingat Bakti Setia (Excellent Service Award) for his commitment and contribution to public service.
Death
Sha'ari died of heart failure on 13 December 2009, at the age of 77.
↑ "PKPIM - Presiden". Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia. Malaysia. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
↑ Morais, J. Victor, ed. (1969) [first edition published in 1956]. "The Who's Who, Malaysia and Singapore". The Who's Who in Malaysia & Singapore (7ed.). Kuala Lumpur: John Victor Morais. ISSN0083-9620.
↑ Masturah Sha’ari Tadin (2014). Chan Hai Ding, Rohan Khamis (ed.). We Also Served: Reflections of Singapore's former PAP MPs. Singapore: Straits Times Press. pp.108–117. ISBN9789814342650.
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