155 Facts About Mahathir Mohamad

Mahathir Mohamad was the country's longest-serving prime minister, serving for a cumulative total of 24 years.

Mahathir Mohamad was granted the soubriquet "Father of Modernisation" for his pivotal role in transforming the economy and infrastructure.

Mahathir Mohamad became active in UMNO before entering the parliament of Malaysia in 1964 as the Member of Parliament for Kota Setar Selatan, serving until 1969 amid losing his seat, subsequently falling out with Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and being expelled from UMNO.

When Tunku resigned, Mahathir Mohamad re-entered UMNO and parliament through Kubang Pasu constituency, and was promoted to Minister of Education from 1974 to 1978 and Minister of Trade and Industry from 1978 to 1981.

Mahathir Mohamad became deputy prime minister in 1976 and in other cabinet before being sworn in as prime minister in 1981.

Mahathir Mohamad was a dominant political figure, winning five consecutive general elections and fending off several rivals for UMNO's leadership.

Mahathir Mohamad centralised power through undermining judicial independence and supporting a constitutional amendment to remove legal immunity for royalty.

Mahathir Mohamad continued pro-bumiputera policies, and oversaw Malaysia's relatively fast recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Mahathir Mohamad resigned in 2003 after 22 years in office, but remained politically influential and was critical of his successors.

Mahathir Mohamad 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.

Mahathir Mohamad secured the pardon and release of Anwar Ibrahim.

Mahathir Mohamad was born at his parents' home in a poor neighbourhood at Lorong Kilang Ais, Alor Setar, in the capital of the Malay sultanate of Kedah under a British protectorate, on 10 July 1925.

Mahathir Mohamad was the first prime minister that was not born into the aristocracy or a prominent religious or political family.

Mahathir Mohamad's mother, Wan Tempawan Wan Hanapi, was a Malay from Kedah.

Mahathir Mohamad Iskandar was the principal of an English-medium secondary school, whose lower-middle-class status meant his daughters were unable to enrol in a secondary school.

Mahathir Mohamad once shared that he was bullied in his youth, recalling how he sold balloons for a small profit but was forced by a stronger peer to use his earnings to buy food for him.

Mahathir Mohamad began his education at Seberang Perak Malay Boys School, Alor Setar, Kedah in 1930.

Mahathir Mohamad studied medicine at what was then called University of Malaya, later renamed University of Singapore.

Mahathir Mohamad then resigned to open his private practice, named "Maha Klinik", while his wife worked as a government doctor for 25 years.

Mahathir Mohamad acquired the reputation of being a caring doctor, willing to make house calls at any hour, trudging across rice fields in the dark to treat patients.

Mahathir Mohamad was the town's first Malay physician and a successful one.

Mahathir Mohamad built a large house and employed a Chinese man to chauffeur him in his Pontiac Catalina.

Mahathir Mohamad served as President of the Kedah Tuberculosis Association, visiting Indian workers on rubber plantations to treat the disease, while she volunteered in the Kedah Family Planning Association.

Mahathir Mohamad helped found the Malay Chamber of Commerce and served as its director.

Mahathir Mohamad became politically activated by these changes, joining protests and activism against the new citizenship policies.

Mahathir Mohamad later argued for affirmative action for Malays at medical college.

For Mahathir Mohamad, this was a significant enough slight to delay his entry into national politics in protest.

Mahathir Mohamad contested in the following general election in 1964, and was elected as the federal parliamentarian for the Alor Setar-based seat of Kota Setar Selatan.

In 1965, Mahathir Mohamad stated in Parliament that Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, which grants special rights to Malays, was a source of shame for the community and would eventually be abolished.

Mahathir Mohamad attributed the loss of his seat to ethnic Chinese voters switching support from UMNO to PAS.

In 1968, Mahathir Mohamad had expressed concern over escalating racial tensions in two newspaper articles, and feared preventative measures would be needed to avoid violence.

Mahathir Mohamad saw Malays as typically avoiding hard work and failing to "appreciate the real value of money and property", and hoped this balance would rectify this.

Mahathir Mohamad criticised Tunku's government in the book, which led to it being banned in Malaysia.

In 1971, Mahathir Mohamad announced his plan to rejoin UMNO, stating he would make a formal statement at an appropriate time; that same year, he met Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein during a visit to Morib.

Around the same time, Mahathir Mohamad became the chairman of Food Industries of Malaysia Sdn.

In January 1973, as chairman of the FIMA, Mahathir Mohamad visited a government factory in Pekan Nanas.

Mahathir Mohamad faced peaceful protests from over 200 workers demanding better working conditions and wage improvements.

Mahathir Mohamad remained chairman of FIMA until 1981, when he became Prime Minister and was succeeded by Basir Ismail.

Mahathir Mohamad rose quickly in the Abdul Razak government, returning to UMNO's Supreme Council in 1973.

Mahathir Mohamad returned to the House of Representatives in the 1974 election, winning the Kedah-based seat of Kubang Pasu unopposed.

Mahathir Mohamad was appointed to Cabinet in September 1974 as the Minister for Education.

In 1975, Mahathir Mohamad ran for one of the three vice-presidencies of UMNO.

Mahathir Mohamad's rivals had significant political liabilities: Ghazali, having been defeated by others for the vice-presidency, lacked the support of UMNO members; Ghafar had no higher education and was not fluent in English; and Razaleigh was young, inexperienced, and unmarried.

The appointment meant that Mahathir Mohamad was the anointed successor to the prime ministership.

Mahathir Mohamad later warned that if the issue was not addressed, drug abuse could lead to the destruction of the nation.

Mahathir Mohamad is regarded as having been a successful Minister for Education and then Minister for Trade and Industry.

Mahathir Mohamad spent much of his time in the ministry promoting Malaysia through overseas visits.

In September 1978, Mahathir Mohamad launched the Central Unit of the Federal Industrial Development Authority, a streamlined "one-stop agency" aimed at simplifying the application process for licences, permits, and facilities.

In June 1979, Mahathir Mohamad led a 23-member delegation to Pyongyang to sign Malaysia's first trade agreement with North Korea, aimed at exploring opportunities to increase imports of North Korean products.

In December, Mahathir Mohamad launched the Manpower Development Board to improve manpower training and to help make the 1980s a decade of resource-based industries.

In 1981, facing health issues and advancing age, Hussein Onn decided to step down, paving the way for Mahathir Mohamad to take over.

Mahathir Mohamad was sworn in as Prime Minister on 16 July 1981 at the age of 56, making history as the first commoner to hold the office.

Mahathir Mohamad said effective implementation of the economic programme and strengthening of relations with the neighbouring Asean countries would be the priority items in his domestic and foreign policies.

Two days after his appointment, Mahathir Mohamad announced a cabinet reshuffle, including the appointment of Musa Hitam as Deputy Prime Minister.

Mahathir Mohamad implemented a new initiative to promote punctuality in the government by introducing a clock-in system for all ministers and senior officials.

Mahathir Mohamad later said he introduced the system because he noticed then that some civil servants left the office at 3pm.

Mahathir Mohamad approved a secretive stock market operation known as the "Dawn Raid" on the London Stock Exchange, enabling Malaysian agency Permodalan Nasional Berhad to regain majority control of Guthrie, a major British plantation company.

Mahathir Mohamad believed that the removal of various taxes under the 1982 Budget would stimulate Malaysia's commercial sector and strengthen its tourism industry.

On 31 December 1981, Mahathir Mohamad oversaw the introduction of Malaysian Standard Time, aligning the country's time zones and aiding regional economic integration.

Mahathir Mohamad's administration secured a resounding victory in the 1982 general election, further solidifying UMNO's dominance.

Mahathir Mohamad suffered a heart attack in 1989 but chose to undergo treatment locally, later leading to the establishment of the National Heart Institute.

Mahathir Mohamad recovered in time to lead Barisan Nasional to victory in the 1990 general election, although opposition gains in Kelantan signaled growing discontent.

In 1989, Mahathir Mohamad oversaw peace talks with the Communist Party of Malaya, resulting in the Hat Yai Agreement that ended the decades-long conflict.

In 1997, Mahathir Mohamad named the Malaysian flag the Jalur Gemilang, or Stripes of Glory on the occasion of the country's 40th independence celebration.

Mahathir Mohamad's administration responded to the 1997 Southeast Asian haze crisis with a cross-border firefighting initiative.

Mahathir Mohamad promoted national unity through the "Bangsa Malaysia" concept and slogans like Malaysia Boleh.

In 1998, Mahathir Mohamad rejected IMF prescriptions and implemented controversial capital controls: pegging the ringgit to the US dollar, banning offshore trading, and limiting capital outflows.

Mahathir Mohamad later described the currency peg as a decision that felt like "putting his head on the chopping block".

Mahathir Mohamad promoted international events such as the Formula One Grand Prix and founded institutions like the National Planetarium and Malaysia's first satellite program.

Last-minute appeals for clemency from Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Amnesty International were unsuccessful, with Hawke condemning the hangings as "barbaric", and Mahathir Mohamad responding, "You should tell that to the drug traffickers".

In 1987, Mahathir Mohamad was elected as the President of the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, where he chaired the plenary session.

In 1987, Mahathir Mohamad faced a serious challenge to his leadership when Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah contested the UMNO presidency, supported by former deputy Musa Hitam.

Mahathir Mohamad, backed by most party elites and the media, narrowly retained his position.

Mahathir Mohamad quickly formed UMNO Baru, sidelining his rivals who later formed Semangat 46 under Razaleigh.

In May and June 2002, Mahathir Mohamad made historic visits to the United States and the Vatican, respectively.

On 22 June 2002, Mahathir Mohamad unexpectedly announced his resignation during the UMNO general assembly.

On his retirement, Mahathir Mohamad was named a Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm, the highest honor in Malaysia, allowing him to adopt the title of "Tun".

Mahathir Mohamad pledged to leave politics "completely", rejecting an emeritus role in Abdullah's cabinet.

Mahathir Mohamad was the CEO and Chairman, and hence a senior adviser, for many flagship Malaysian companies such as Proton, Perdana Leadership Foundation and Malaysia's government-owned oil and gas company Petronas.

Mahathir Mohamad did not receive any remuneration for his advisory positions.

Mahathir Mohamad was made Universiti Teknologi Petronas Chancellor in 2004, succeeding the late Raja Mohar Raja Badiozaman.

In 2006, Mahathir Mohamad co-founded The Loaf bakery with Motoko Resources Sdn Bhd, opening its first store in Telaga Harbor, Langkawi, before expanding to 12 outlets in locations such as KLCC, Pavilion, Sogo, and Empire Shopping Gallery.

Proton's chief executive, a Mahathir Mohamad ally, had been sacked by the company's board.

Mahathir Mohamad criticised the awarding of import permits for foreign cars, which he claimed were causing Proton's domestic sales to suffer, and attacked Abdullah for cancelling the construction of a second causeway between Malaysia and Singapore.

Mahathir Mohamad complained that his views were not getting sufficient airing by the Malaysian press.

Mahathir Mohamad unsuccessfully sought election from his local party division to be a delegate to UMNO's general assembly in 2006, where he planned to initiate a challenge to Abdullah's leadership.

Mahathir Mohamad had previously missed the Umno General Assembly twice since 2006 for health reasons.

Mahathir Mohamad established the Kuala Lumpur Initiative to Criminalise War Forum in an effort to end war globally, as well as the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission to investigate the activities of the United States, Israel and its allies in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

In March 2015, Mahathir Mohamad attended a conference where he stated his belief in a "New World Order", where an elite would attempt rule the planet in a single world government, and exterminate billions of humans.

Mahathir Mohamad repeatedly called for prime minister Najib Razak to resign over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad corruption scandal.

In 2016, Mahathir Mohamad chaired the Malaysian Citizens' Declaration, which brought together several political figures and non-governmental organisations in calling for Najib's resignation.

Mahathir Mohamad left UMNO in 2016, and formed Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

The new party was officially registered on 9 September 2016, and Mahathir Mohamad became its chairman.

Negotiations then took place between different factions of the coalition for Mahathir Mohamad to become the chairman and prime ministerial candidate.

Mahathir Mohamad assumed the position of chairman on 14 July 2017, despite reservations from supporters of Anwar Ibrahim, who could not contest in polls himself while imprisoned.

In 2016, Mahathir Mohamad had his police outriders withdrawn after his privileges were revoked due to his participation in anti-government events.

In early 2018, Mahathir Mohamad was announced as Pakatan Harapan's prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming general election.

The National Palace of Malaysia subsequently confirmed Mahathir Mohamad would be sworn in as Malaysia's seventh prime minister, refuting any claims of delaying the appointment.

Mahathir Mohamad announced a two-day public holiday, adding: 'But there will be no holidays for the winners.

Mahathir Mohamad became the world's oldest serving state leader, and the first Malaysian prime minister not to represent UMNO.

Mahathir Mohamad was officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest serving prime minister.

Mahathir Mohamad promised to "restore the rule of law", and reopen investigations into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, telling the press that Najib would face consequences if found guilty of corruption.

Mahathir Mohamad instructed the Department of Immigration to bar Najib and his wife, the notoriously extravagant Rosmah Mansor, from leaving the country after they attempted to fly to Indonesia.

Mahathir Mohamad formed his cabinet of 29 ministers in June 2018.

Mahathir Mohamad abolished the unpopular Goods and Services Tax, reducing it from six to zero per cent.

Mahathir Mohamad implemented a "no gifts policy," stating that he would only accept food, flowers, and fruits, while prohibiting government officials from receiving any other gifts to prevent corruption.

On 20 June 2018, Mahathir Mohamad met the father of murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu and agreed that the case of her murder should be reopened.

Mahathir Mohamad announced the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 in October 2019, which set out for Malaysia to become a high income country by 2030.

Early in his second tenure, Mahathir Mohamad visited Japan and Indonesia to reaffirm good relations, and reignited a water dispute with Singapore.

Mahathir Mohamad met twice with president Rodrigo Duterte in his first year in office to strengthen cooperation with the Philippines on a broad range of security, economic and political issues.

Mahathir Mohamad again prioritised relations with Japan and strengthened economic and defence ties with Russia.

Mahathir Mohamad visited Vladivostok for a meeting of the Eastern Economic Forum in late 2019, where he cast doubt on the Joint Investigation Team's findings related to the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

Mahathir Mohamad called the murder charges brought to four Russians related to the flight "ridiculous", calling it "a political issue on how to accuse Russia of wrongdoing".

Mahathir Mohamad condemned the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018 and the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by the United States in 2020.

Mahathir Mohamad indicated that Malaysia would re-open its embassy in North Korea, which had remained closed since the 2017 assassination of Kim Jong-nam.

Mahathir Mohamad's administration committed to retaining good relations with China, but promised to review all Belt and Road Initiative projects in Malaysia that were initiated by the previous government.

Mahathir Mohamad's government suspended work on the East Coast Rail Link, which recommenced after terms had been renegotiated.

Mahathir Mohamad cancelled approximately $2.8 billion worth of deals with China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau altogether, citing high repayment costs.

On 13 February 2020, Mahathir Mohamad spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping to express solidarity and discuss cooperation in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Anwar and Mahathir Mohamad met to clarify the situation, where Mahathir Mohamad insisted he had no involvement in a new government.

Mahathir Mohamad, refusing to work with UMNO leaders, submitted his resignation to the Agong, Abdullah of Pahang, on 24 February 2020.

BERSATU President Muhyiddin Yassin declared the party's withdrawal from Pakatan Harapan; Mahathir Mohamad resigned from the party in response.

The next day, Mahathir Mohamad reported to work as usual in his new role as caretaker prime minister.

Mahathir Mohamad unsuccessfully attempted to challenge this with the Agong, but eventually left the prime minister's office an hour before Muhyiddin was sworn in.

Mahathir Mohamad formed the Homeland Fighter's Party in August 2020.

In June 2022, Mahathir Mohamad made irrendentist comments by stating that Singapore and the Riau Islands of Indonesia was once owned by Johor, and argued the state should claim them as part of Malaysia.

In September 2022, Mahathir Mohamad said he was open to becoming the prime minister for a third time if there were no other suitable candidates.

Mahathir Mohamad later said that his party's plans "had to be dropped" and he would shift his focus to writing about Malaysian history.

Later in 2023, Mahathir Mohamad began promoting a "Malay Proclamation", aimed at uniting Malays.

Mahathir Mohamad met with PAS and PN leaders to garner support for the 12-point document listing political, economic and social issues.

Mahathir Mohamad was questioned by police over this campaign under the Malaysian Penal Code, for carrying out "activities that undermine parliamentary democracy".

Mahathir Mohamad left GTA, criticising the coalition for its poor performance in the election.

Mahathir Mohamad supported Perikatan Nasional, the coalition that had ousted him in 2020, in six state elections and was named its "unofficial adviser" for the four state governments under its control.

On 31 August 2024, Mahathir Mohamad attended the Merdeka Day celebration in Putrajaya in his personal capacity, as he was not officially invited by the government.

Mahathir Mohamad stated that the exclusion contradicted the principles of the Rukun Negara, which emphasize courtesy and morality, and called for a clear explanation from the government.

Mahathir Mohamad is generally respected in developing and Islamic countries, particularly due to his oversight of Malaysia's economic growth and his support of liberal Muslim values.

Mahathir Mohamad has been described as a proponent of Malay nationalism.

Mahathir Mohamad has been described as anti-royalist by Liberation, owing to his efforts to oppose immunity for members of Malaysia's monarchies.

Mahathir Mohamad is a vocal critic of neoliberalism and the Western world.

In 2011, Mahathir Mohamad suggested that the September 11 attacks might have been staged by the United States government.

Mahathir Mohamad condemned the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1997, suggesting it be revised to place greater importance on economic growth over civil liberties.

In 2019, Mahathir Mohamad stated that Malaysians should learn from the hard work of China's citizens, which enabled their nation to achieve technological advancement within a few decades.

Mahathir Mohamad has advocated for a balance between environmental protection and natural resource use for economic growth in developing countries.

Mahathir Mohamad referred to the outcomes of the Earth Summit as "eco-imperialism", arguing that Global North countries put an undue burden on Global South countries for environmental degradation.

Mahathir Mohamad's speech was denounced by President George W Bush.

In 2001, Mahathir Mohamad said that any homosexual ministers from the United Kingdom would be barred from entering Malaysia.

Mahathir Mohamad's post was later circulated on his Twitter account, where it was labelled for "glorifying violence".

Mahathir Mohamad was criticised for stoking tensions and hatred by the former Australian ambassador to France Brendan Berne, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, and French secretary of state for digital affairs Cedric O Malaysian cleric and politician Fathul Bari Mat Jahya condemned Mahathir Mohamad's remarks.

Mahathir Mohamad responded that his comments were taken out of context and he was not "promoting massacre of the French".

Mahathir Mohamad has consistently maintained his weight at 62kg for many years.

Mahathir Mohamad's hobbies include sailing, horse riding, and carpentry, and he has built a functioning steam train and a boat.

Mahathir Mohamad met his wife, Siti Hasmah, during their medical studies, and they married in 1956.

Mahathir Mohamad is a fan of the song "My Way" and owns a stable of horses, most of which were gifted to him.

Mahathir Mohamad has been the target of security threats during his political career, though none have caused him serious harm.

Mahathir Mohamad received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Royal Family Order of Brunei, Order of Mubarak the Great, Honorary Ph.