| Honorific-Prefix: | Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun |
| Sulaiman Ninam Shah | |
| Honorific-Suffix: | SSM PMN PSM SPMJ SSIJ JMN PIS BSI JP |
| Office: | Deputy President of the Dewan Negara |
| Term Start: | 14 December 1982 |
| Term End: | 1 April 1985 |
| Predecessor: | Abdul Hamid Bidin |
| Successor: | Abang Ahmad Urai |
| Constituency Am1: | Parit Jawa |
| Assembly1: | Johore State Legislative |
| Majority1: | 7,020 (1959) |
| Term Start1: | 19 August 1959 |
| Term End1: | 25 April 1964 |
| Predecessor1: | Constituency created |
| Successor1: | Che Sairan Sabtu |
| Office2: | Member of the Johore State Council for Muar Coastal |
| Term Start2: | 10 October 1954 |
| Term End2: | 19 August 1959 |
| Predecessor2: | Constituency created |
| Successor2: | Constituency abolished |
| Birth Date: | 1920 1, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Kampung Sarang Buaya, Muar, Johor, British Malaya (now Malaysia) |
| Death Place: | Pantai Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur |
| Resting Place: | 6th Mile Muslim Cemetery, Jalan Bakri, Bukit Bakri, Muar, Johor |
| Citizenship: | Malaysian |
| Spouse: | Toh Puan Rose Othman |
| Children: | 6 sons and 3 daughters |
| Party: | United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) (1946-2003) |
Tun Sulaiman bin Ninam Shah (2 January 1920 – 5 July 2003)[1] was a Malaysian businessman and veteran politician. He was also former member of Johore State Council for Muar Coastal (1954–1959) and Johor State Legislative Assembly for Parit Jawa (1959-1964), former Senator (1979-1985) and the 6th Deputy President of the Dewan Negara (1982-1985). He was one of the founders of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and former Permanent Chairman of UMNO (1976-2003).[2]
Sulaiman was born in Kampung Sarang Buaya, Muar, Johor to a mix of Indian Muslim and Malay family.[3] He married Rose Othman in 1946 and the couple had six sons and three daughters named, Datin Faridah, Datuk Kadar Shah, Mohd Shah, Othman, Zainal Abidin, Mariam, Hassan, Mohd Nathir and Intaan Rogayah.
Sulaiman started his career as a police constable in Johor in 1939. Three years later when Malaya was under the Japanese occupation, he was promoted as the Police Vehicles Officer and later as the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) to work as the Police Chief of Muar district until the surrender of Japan in 1945. At the same time, Sulaiman started to become involved in business by opening a newspapers, magazines and books store in Muar. Sulaiman in the subsequent year he managed to get a tender contract to provide foods supplies to Muar Hospital. In the 1970s, he started a joint-venture company opening a palm oil estate in Segamat.
Sulaiman later successfully got elected as the chairman and director for companies such as Budget Rent-A-Car, Laksamana Tour, Top Coach Builder, Malacca-Singapore Ekspress, Pelaburan Johor Bhd., T & T Properties, Menara Landmark and also Bank Rakyat.[4]
Sulaiman was involved in politics since the foundation of UMNO in 1946. In the 1st general election of Malaya in 1954 before Independence, he contested as an Alliance Party candidate and won the Muar Coastal seat to be a member of Johore State Council. In the second Malayan general election in 1959, he contested again under Alliance Party and managed to defeat the Pan-Malayan Islamic Party (PMIP) candidate with 7,020 majority votes to be the Johor state assemblyman for Parit Jawa seat. However, he had a heart condition which caused him to retract from re-contesting in 1964 general election.
He maintained his position as Deputy Chairman of the Muar Division of UMNO until 1967. In the following year he was selected as the Permanent Chairman of UMNO Malaysia in 1976 before elected in 1978. He held the position until his death in 2003.
Sulaiman was also appointed senator in Dewan Negara for two terms from 1979 to 1985 which he was elected as the Deputy President in the second term.
On June 22, 2002, at 5:50 PM, as the UMNO assembly was nearing its conclusion, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad unexpectedly announced his resignation from the positions of UMNO president and prime minister, causing a strong reaction from everyone present. Sulaiman, who was presiding over the meeting, stood up to speak in an attempt to request everyone to remain calm. Subsequently, Sulaiman announced a 10-minute recess for the assembly.[5]
In June 2003, Sulaiman was unable to preside over the 54th UMNO assembly due to health issues.[6] This assembly marked the last one before Prime Minister and UMNO President Mahathir Mohamad was set to retire. Sulaiman expressed frustration and sadness at his inability to attend.[7] Mahathir later offered prayers for his swift recovery during the assembly.[8]
On 5 July 2003, Sulaiman, 83, died from leukaemia, at the Pantai Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. He was buried at 6th Mile Muslim Cemetery, Jalan Bakri, Bukit Bakri, Muar, Johor.[9] [10] After visiting the mourning house to offer condolences, Mahathir expressed high appreciation for his contributions to UMNO and the nation.[11] [12]
Malaysia : Several places were named after him, including: