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Ridzwan Dzafir

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In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Haji Dzafir is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Ridzwan.
Ridzwan bin Haji Dzafir
PJG BBM PPA(E) PPA(P) PBS
Born(1927-03-27)27 March 1927
Singapore, Straits Settlement, British Malaya
Died28 September 2011(2011-09-28) (aged 84)
Singapore
Alma materUniversity of Malaya in Singapore (BA)
Raffles Institution
SpouseMushrifah Abdul Aziz (m. 1956)
Children5

Ridzwan bin Haji Dzafir PJG BBM PPA(E) PPA(P) PBS (27 March 1927 – 28 September 2011) was a Singaporean civil servant who was known for his extensive experience in promoting Singapore through trade missions and meetings, earning him the nickname "Mr ASEAN". [1]

Ridzwan served as director general of the Trade Development Board from 1983 to 1999, while serving concurrently as Singapore's first roving ambassador from 1986 to 1997.[2]

Early life and education

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On 27 March 1927, Ridzwan was born in Singapore to a Baweanese family, and shortly after, his family moved to a rented room in a pondok. His father, Dzafir Abdul Karim, moved to Singapore from Bawean in the early 1900s, and his mother, Rugayah Khodri, was born in Singapore to a Madurese family.[3][4]

Ridzwan attended Kampong Gelam Malay School, Kota Raja Malay School and Geylang Malay School, before attending Telok Kurau English School (now known as Telok Kurau Primary School). Subsequently, Ridzwan studied at Raffles Institution (RI) for his secondary education, but was soon forced into digging tunnels at Pasir Panjang Hill under the Japanese Occupation. After the war ended, he returned to RI and graduated with a Senior Cambridge in 1947.[4][5][6]

Upon graduation, Ridzwan was awarded a Raffles College scholarship worth S$1,200, but the scholarship was withdrawn after he failed his first year of studies. Ridzwan secured a government bursary and financial assistance from his professor, Alexander Oppenheim, to continue funding his studies, and eventually graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics.[3][4][7][8]

Career

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In October 1952, Ridzwan joined the Customs Department (now known as Singapore Customs) as a junior customs officer, before being recruited to work in the trade division under the Ministry of Finance in 1961.[8][9]

In 1970, Ridzwan was promoted to serve as the director of trade under the Ministry of Finance. On 14 December 1970, Ridzwan and his colleague, Athsani Karni, presented a joint paper titled "Singapore Malays and Employment", appealing to non-Malay businesses to provide more job opportunities to Malays. In the paper, Ridzwan and Athsani also suggested that there should be policies enacted to give assistance to Malays, and that these policies should be temporary and not permanent special privileges for the Malays.[10] During his tenure, Ridzwan lead envoys to Japan, United States and Europe, with the aim of creating export opportunties for companies in Singapore.[11][12][13][14]

On 1 January 1983, Ridzwan was appointed as director general of the Trade Development Board (TDB), continuing the agenda of negotiating with other countries to provide economic opportunities for Singapore.[15][16] On 24 January 1986, Ridzwan was also appointed as Singapore's first roving ambassador to Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Panama, holding the position till 1996.[2][17][18] On 4 April 1997, Ridzwan was appointed as high commissioner to Bangladesh.[2][19]

From August 1986 to January 1991, Ridzwan also served as the president of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS). Initially, Ridzwan requested for a term of 18 months instead of the usual three years, citing his existing responsibilities as director general of TDB and roving ambassador.[20] However, his term was renewed three times, and eventually Ridzwan served for a total of four years and five months.[21] During his term, Ridzwan improved the quality of operations, reorganised and corporatised the structure of MUIS.[22][23] Subsequently, Ridzwan was appointed as chairman of Mendaki.[24] With critical issues such as drug taking among Malay youths, higher failure rates of Malay pupils in school, and concentration of Malays in less-skilled jobs, Ridzwan suggested a complete restructuring of Mendaki, with proper resources and staff to establish programmes aimed at tackling these issues.[25][26]

In 1999, Ridzwan stepped down as director general of TDB, while continuing to participate in trade missions and meetings.[1] In total, he participated in 60 trade missions, and represented Singapore at more than 500 international conferences and meetings, earning him the nickname "Mr ASEAN".[9]

Personal life

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In 1954, while Ridzwan was volunteering in the rescue section of the Civil Defence Force (CDF), he met Mushrifah Abdul Aziz, a widow with three children who was a typist at CDF. In 1956, despite objections from family members, Ridzwan married Mushrifah, and together, they had another two children.[4][9][27]

On 28 September 2011, Ridzwan died of a heart attack after complications arising from kidney failure.[1]

Bibliography

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  • Ridzwan Dzafir (2009). From Pondok Boy to Singapore's 'Mr ASEAN'. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet. ISBN 978-9-8142-1760-6.

Awards and decorations

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Toh, Elgin (29 September 2011). "Former high-ranking civil servant Ridzwan dies". The Straits Times. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "APPOINTMENT OF MR RIDZWAN DZAFIR AS HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH". www.nas.gov.sg. 4 April 1997. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Be more ambitious, like our migrant forefathers". The Straits Times. 20 March 2010. p. 38. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e Ridzwan Dzafir (2009). From Pondok Boy to Singapore's 'Mr ASEAN'. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet. pp. 16–19, 27–37, 48–51, 63–67, 73–75. ISBN 978-9-8142-1760-6.
  5. ^ "Cambridge Results: S'pores Successes". Malaya Tribune. 10 May 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  6. ^ "CAMBRIDGE EXAMINATION RESULTS". Morning Tribune. 10 May 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  7. ^ "31 NAMED FOR HIGHER POSTS". Singapore Standard. 12 November 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  8. ^ a b Saadon Ismail (2 September 1986). "Ridzwan sets priorities for Muslim council". The Straits Times. p. 15. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Wong, Kim Hoh (1 July 2009). "Ridzwan to Malays: Relish competition". The Straits Times. p. 8. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Crutches to aid Malays get on their feet". The Straits Times. 14 December 1970. p. 6. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  11. ^ Soh, Tiang Keng (23 December 1970). "S'pore set to woo Japanese market". The Straits Times. p. 5. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  12. ^ "S'pore trade team to visit Japan". New Nation. 8 May 1973. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Larger US textile quota for Singapore?". The Straits Times. 13 January 1971. p. 5. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  14. ^ "S'pore team off to boost textiles trade". New Nation. 26 February 1974. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Men at the helm". The Straits Times. 23 December 1982. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  16. ^ "Chandra Das named trade board chairman". The Straits Times. 23 December 1982. p. 9. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Our first roving ambassador". The Business Times. 25 January 1986. p. 12. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  18. ^ "APPOINTMENT OF MR RIDZWAN DZAFIR AS SINGAPORE'S FIRST ROVING AMBASSADOR TO ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, CHILE AND PANAMA" (PDF). www.nas.gov.sg. 24 January 1986. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  19. ^ a b c "S'pores new high commissioner to Bangladesh". The Straits Times. 5 April 1997. p. 32. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Ridzwan now Muis president". The Straits Times. 24 August 1986. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  21. ^ "Muis looks for new Islamic leader". The Straits Times. 24 August 1990. p. 31. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  22. ^ Loong, Swee Yin (10 September 1986). "Mattar: Muis needs to be more dynamic". The Straits Times. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  23. ^ "Pak Wan snows mettle as leader". The Straits Times. 10 January 1999. p. 34. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  24. ^ Ahmad Osman (22 July 1988). "Muis president elected Mendaki exco chairman". The Straits Times. p. 42. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  25. ^ "New Mendaki to be run by professionals: Sidek". The Straits Times. 5 April 1989. p. 13. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  26. ^ "Mendaki II: The next step for Malays". The Straits Times. 13 May 1989. p. 20. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  27. ^ Sulaiman Jeem; Abdul Ghani Hamid (1997). Aktivis Melayu/Islam di Singapura. Singapore: Persatuan Wartawan Melayu Singapura. pp. 32–35. ISBN 9810089198.
  28. ^ Chew, Xiang (9 August 2006). "Top honours for Philip Yeo and Lim Siong Guan". The Business Times. p. 7. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  29. ^ Chang, Ai-Lien (9 August 2006). "A*Star chief lauded for putting S'pore on world science map". The Straits Times. p. 9. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  30. ^ "PMO | Recipients". Prime Minister's Office. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  31. ^ a b "President Wee's Advisers sworn in: THE 5 MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL". The Straits Times. 28 December 1991. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  32. ^ Bala, K. (9 August 1981). "New millitary honours for outstanding SAF officers". The Straits Times. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  33. ^ "Memories of knife-wielding durian hawkers". The Straits Times. 17 December 1994. p. 26. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  34. ^ "ENVOY'S AWARD". The Straits Times. 16 March 1996. p. 33. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
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