Mahathir Mohamad
Malaysian physician and politician who was Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020.
Biography
Mahathir Mohamad trained as a doctor and practised in Kedah before entering politics with the United Malays National Organisation. He was expelled from the party in 1969 for criticising its leader, Tunku Abdul Rahman, but was readmitted and rose to deputy prime minister.
He became Prime Minister in 1981 and held the post for 22 years. His government drove rapid industrialisation, built landmarks such as the Petronas Towers, and imposed capital controls during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. He also sacked and jailed his deputy Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.
He retired in 2003 but returned in 2018 at the head of an opposition alliance that defeated his old party, becoming the world's oldest serving leader at 92. His second government collapsed in 2020.
Offices held
Hussein Onn Succeeded by
Muhyiddin Yassin
2 terms
- Jul 16, 1981 – Oct 31, 2003 Preceded by Hussein Onn Succeeded by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
- May 10, 2018 – Mar 1, 2020 Preceded by Najib Razak Succeeded by Muhyiddin Yassin
Affiliations
Party membership
- Jan 1, 1947 – Sep 26, 1969 UMNO
- Mar 7, 1972 – Feb 4, 1988 UMNO
- Feb 16, 1988 – May 19, 2008 UMNO
- Apr 4, 2009 – Feb 29, 2016 UMNO
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