ABSTRACT: Tun Mustapha is a renowned figure in the history of Sabah, Malaysia. Having held the posts of Head of State or the TYT (Tuan Yang Terutama), Chief Minister, Minister at the Federal level, and a political leader involved in social, economic, and political developments, his role and contributions are of great significance. This paper discusses his role and contributions to the development of Sabah. Hailing from a poor family background and with little formal education, his rise to the much respected status as the “Father of Independence for Sabah” is a success story in its own right. This study has also been based on the write ups on his speeches in local newspapers of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as those found in annual reports. Nevertheless, Tun Mustapha realized the complexity and difficulty of the endeavor. Besides promoting Islam, as the Father of Sabah Independence, he struggled to unite its people who hailed from numerous ethnic backgrounds and religions for the sake of enjoying the fruit of his labor for an independent Sabah. He wanted his people to have freedom, peace, harmony, and happiness.

KEY WORDS: Tun Mustapha, development, education, politics, economy, USNO, USIA, and Sabahan society.

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About the Author: Assoc. Prof. Mat Zin Mat Kib is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies UiTM (MARA University of Technology) Branch of Sabah, Locked Beg 71, 88997 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. He can be reached at: mzmkib@yahoo.com

How to cite this article? Mat Kib, Mat Zin. (2012). “Tun Mustapha: His Role and Contributions to the Development in Sabah, Malaysia” in TAWARIKH: International Journal for Historical Studies, Vol.3(2) April, pp.195-210. Bandung, Indonesia: ASPENSI [Asosiasi Sarjana Pendidikan Sejarah Indonesia] and UVRI [Universitas Veteran Republik Indonesia], ISSN 2085-0980.

Chronicle of the article: Accepted (February 9, 2012); Revised (March 12, 2012); and Published (April 28, 2012).

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