Mahathir Mohamad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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مَحاضر محمد | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Mahathir in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 10 May 2018 – 24 February 2020 Interim: 24 February – 1 March 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarchs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Najib Razak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Muhyiddin Yassin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 16 July 1981 – 31 October 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarchs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Hussein Onn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ministerial roles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1974–1978 | Minister of Education | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1976–1981 | Deputy Prime Minister | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1978–1981 | Minister of Trade and Industry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1981–1986 | Minister of Defence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1986–1999 | Minister of Home Affairs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1998–1999 | Minister of Finance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2001–2003 | Minister of Finance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2020 | Acting Minister of Education | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other roles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2003 | Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Mahathir bin Mohamad 10 July 1925 Alor Setar, Kedah, Unfederated Malay States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Malaysian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other political affiliations |
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Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 7, including Marina, Mokhzani and Mukhriz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parents |
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Relatives | Ismail Mohamed Ali (brother-in-law) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence(s) | No. 58, Mines Resort City, Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education | Sultan Abdul Hamid College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | King Edward VII College of Medicine (MBBS) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation |
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Awards | Full list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | thechedet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Prime Minister of Malaysia
Political parties UMNO (1964–2016)
Alliance Party (1964–1974) Related |
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Mahathir bin Mohamad (Jawi: مَحاضر بن محمد;[1] IPA: [mahaðɪ(r) bɪn mohamad]; born 10 July 1925) is a Malaysian politician, author, and doctor who served as the fourth and seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held office from 1981 to 2003 and later from 2018 to February 2020 for a cumulative total of 24 years, making him the country's longest-serving prime minister. Before becoming premier, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and in other cabinet positions. He was a Member of Parliament for Langkawi from 2018 to 2022, Kubang Pasu from 1974 to 2004, and Kota Star Selatan from 1964 to 1969. His political career spanned more than 75 years, from joining protests opposing citizenship policies for non-Malays in the Malayan Union in the 1940s to forming the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition in 2022.
Born and raised in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir excelled at school and became a physician. He became active in the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) before entering the parliament of Malaysia in 1964. He served one term before losing his seat, subsequently falling out with Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and being expelled from UMNO. In 1970, he released the book The Malay Dilemma. When Abdul Rahman resigned, Mahathir re-entered UMNO and parliament, and was promoted to Minister of Education from 1974 to 1978 and Minister of Trade and Industry from 1978 to 1981. He became deputy prime minister in 1976 before being sworn in as prime minister in 1981, succeeding Hussein Onn.
During Mahathir's first tenure, Malaysia underwent modernisation and economic growth, and his government initiated widespread industry privatisation and a series of bold infrastructure projects. Mahathir was a dominant political figure, winning five consecutive general elections and fending off several rivals for UMNO's leadership. He centralised power through undermining judicial independence and supporting a constitutional amendment to remove legal immunity for royalty. He continued pro-bumiputera policies, and oversaw Malaysia's relatively fast recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In 1987, he detained various activists and religious figures under Operation Lalang, and in 1998 had his deputy Anwar Ibrahim arrested. His record of authoritarianism and curtailment of civil liberties strained relationships with the West. As prime minister, he was an advocate of Asian values and development models, and was particularly prominent across the Muslim world.
Mahathir unexpectedly stepped down in 2003, but remained politically influential and was critical of his successors. He quit UMNO over the 1MDB corruption scandal in 2016, joining BERSATU and leading the Pakatan Harapan opposition coalition to victory in the 2018 general election. During his second tenure as prime minister, he pledged to investigate the 1MDB scandal, combat corruption, and cut spending on large infrastructure projects. He also secured the pardon and release of Anwar Ibrahim. Mahathir resigned in 2020 amidst a political crisis.[2][3] Despite losing his parliamentary seat in the 2022 general election, he remained active in politics and shifted party affiliation several times.
Mahathir's political views have shifted throughout his life, and are shaped by his Malay nationalism and Islamic religious beliefs. Initially, he was aligned with Third-Worldism in the 1980s and later advocated for "Asian values" and globalization. He has consistently maintained Islamic political views. He has been a longstanding critic of neoliberalism and Western influence, and has also been accused of antisemitism throughout this career. He has also advocated for a balance between natural resource extraction and environmental protection.
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