Jaafar Haji Muhammad
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Dato Jaafar Bin Haji Muhammad (born 1838, died 1919) was the first and longest serving Dato' Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Johor, an office he held until his death. He took office when Temenggung Abu Bakar made himself Sultan and formulated a new constitution and administrative framework for Johor in 1885. He is according to some sources believed to have Circassian ancestry.[citation needed] His residence for most of the latter part of his life was Istana Bukit Senyum which was built in 1883 and a high school behind the palace, Sekolah Dato Jaafar is named after him. Three of his sons were also Menteri Besar after him, including the father of modern Malay nationalism, Dato Onn Jaafar.
