Mahathir Mohamad

Mahathir bin Mohamad (Jawi: محاضير بن محمد; born July 10, 1925) is a distinguished Malaysian politician, author, and physician who made history as the fourth and seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia. His tenure spanned from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020, totaling an impressive 24 years, which makes him the longest-serving prime minister in the nation's history. Mahathir’s political journey began in the 1940s, where he protested against citizenship policies affecting non-Malays, and led to his involvement with the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

Raised in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir excelled academically and pursued a career in medicine before entering politics. He became a member of Parliament in 1964, though his early career was marked by setbacks, including a brief expulsion from UMNO. His significant work, "The Malay Dilemma," published in 1970, explored the challenges faced by the Malay community.

During his first term as Prime Minister, Mahathir spearheaded modernization efforts, economic reform, and significant infrastructure projects, successfully navigating Malaysia through the 1997 Asian financial crisis. However, his leadership was often controversial, marked by a concentration of power and incidents like the detention of political opponents under Operation Lalang.

After a surprising resignation in 2003, Mahathir remained influential in Malaysian politics, returning to prominence by leading the opposition coalition to victory in the 2018 general election. His second term focused on combating corruption and addressing the infamous 1MDB scandal. Although he resigned in 2020 amid political turmoil and lost his parliamentary seat in 2022, Mahathir continues to play a role in shaping Malaysia’s political landscape, driven by his Malay nationalist and Islamic beliefs.