Two-time prime minister Dr M turns 100
PETALING JAYA : Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad turned 100 years old today, reaching a century of life marked by decades of political influence.
Mahathir, the youngest of nine siblings, was born on July 10, 1925 in Alor Setar, Kedah.
He led the Barisan Nasional (BN) government from 1981 to 2003 and held the top post again from May 2018 to February 2020 under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration, after helping to topple BN from power.
He is known as Malaysia's 'Father of Modernisation' for the initiatives he carried out as fourth prime minister, including iconic infrastructure projects like the Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower, KLIA, and Putrajaya as the nation's administrative hub.
Mahathir also oversaw the launch of Malaysia's first carmaker, Proton Holdings Bhd, and introduced the Look East Policy, promoting education and business ties with nations like Japan and South Korea.
During his first tenure as prime minister, Mahathir presided over the rise of the Malaysian economy as an 'Asian Tiger', pushing industrialisation to drive the economy.
He also promoted the extensive privatisation of the economic sector, including many government-owned companies like Tenaga Nasional Bhd and Telekom Malaysia Bhd.
He was seen as key in navigating the Asian financial crisis, choosing bold measures like capital controls and pegging the ringgit to the US dollar instead of seeking help from the International Monetary Fund.
Mahathir, now an adviser to the PAS-led state governments of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis, remains a divisive figure in Malaysian politics.
He has been openly critical of his former deputy, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as well as PH and Umno, a key component in the unity government.
He and his wife, Dr Hasmah Ali, 98, have seven children: Marina, Mirzan, Melinda, Mokhzani, Mukhriz, Maizura and Mazhar.
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