Perdana Leadership Foundation
Today on 10th July marks Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad’s 100th birthday. For those who do not know our fourth and seventh Prime Minister, we share a capsule of his humble beginnings and his long career in politics and government.
Prime Minister of Malaysia’s Myanmar Politics Interview with ‘me’
မလေးရှားဝန်ကြီးချုပ်ဟောင်း တွန်မဟာသေး မိုဟာမက် နှင့် မြန်မာပြည်နိုင်ငံရေး ဆွေးနွေးခြင်း
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was born on 10th July 1925 in Kampung Seberang Perak, Alor Setar, Kedah, to Mohamad bin Iskandar, and Wan Tempawan binti Wan Hanafi, and is the youngest of nine siblings.
He received his early education at Sultan Abdul Hamid College where his father is the headmaster. His education was briefly interrupted during the Japanese Occupation, when he resorted to selling food in Pekan Rabu to support his family. In 1947, he obtained a scholarship to further his studies at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore. It was there that he met the love of his life, Siti Hasmah binti Hj Mohd Ali, also a medical student. Three years after his graduation in 1953, Tun Mahathir and Tun Siti Hasmah were married in a ceremony in Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur. Together they would raise seven children.
Tun became politically active during the 1964 Election when he won the Kota Setar seat. Within a year, he was elected as a member of UMNO Supreme Council. Then in 1974, Tun Mahathir was appointed as the Minister of Education. Two years later, he took on the role as the Minister of International Trade & Industry, and Deputy Prime Minister. In 1981, he became Malaysia’s fourth Prime Minister when his predecessor Tun Hussein Onn stepped down. Tun Mahathir’s 22 years tenure as PM saw Malaysia developing at a rapid pace, and for his contributions to Malaysia’s industrialisation, he is known as Malaysia’s Father of Modernisation. In 2003, he stepped down from office and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became Malaysia’s fifth Prime Minister.
But Tun Mahathir’s ‘retirement’ from the political scene was never destined to last; in 2018, Tun Mahathir led the opposition’s political coalition, Pakatan Harapan, to a historic win over Barisan Nasional, thus ending Barisan Nasional’s 61 years in power. He became Malaysia’s seventh Prime Minister, but this tenure was short-lived due to the fallout within his coalition.
Five years on from his resignation as Malaysia’s seventh PM, Tun Mahathir continues to speak out on Malaysian and international issues close to his heart. He writes for his blog Chedet, speaks to local and international audiences, and maintains an active lifestyle through his regular bicycle rides and walks in Putrajaya.
To live to 100 years old is an achievement in itself, but Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also dedicated his life to public service, and in uplifting Malaysia and Malaysians.
Thank you, and Happy Birthday, Tun.
For more info on Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, visit our website here: https://bit.ly/TunMahathirBiography
‘Semoga panjang umur’: Singapore’s Hsien Loong congratulates Dr Mahathir on a century of birthdays
KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — Singapore’s Senior Minister Datuk Seri Lee Hsien Loong today congratulated Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on his 100th birthday, while also extending early wishes to his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah for her upcoming 99th birthday.
Lee praised the former Malaysian prime minister as a “seminal leader” who transformed Malaysia into a modern, globally connected, and successful nation through his decades of public service.
The Singapore leader highlighted Dr Mahathir’s regional contributions, particularly his championing of Asean unity and his recognition that Southeast Asian nations must stay together to maintain and benefit from their hard-won independence.
Reflecting on Singapore-Malaysia relations, Lee noted that while the two countries have not always agreed on every issue, they have consistently worked together to overcome differences and find common ground.
Lee said that the collaborative work between the two nations will continue under their successors, underscoring the enduring nature of Singapore-Malaysia cooperation.
The statement concluded with birthday wishes in Malay: “Selamat Hari Lahir Tun dan Tun Dr Siti Hasmah. Semoga panjang umur, terus sihat dan ceria selalu serta dikurnia kasih sayang bersama keluarga dan insan-insan yang dikasihi.”
