Mahathir bin Mohamad is a Malaysian politician, author, and physician who served as the fourth and seventh prime minister of Malaysia. He held office from July 1981 to October 2003 and later from May 2018 to March 2020 for a cumulative total of 24 years, making him the country’s longest-serving prime minister.
How long was Mahathir Mohamad prime minister?
He held office from July 1981 to October 2003 and later from May 2018 to March 2020 for a cumulative total of 24 years, making him the country’s longest-serving prime minister. Before his promotion to the premiership, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and in other Cabinet positions.
With the help of former rival Anwar Ibrahim, Mr. Mahathir was voted in again as the country’s prime minister, while Mr. Najib was charged and eventually jailed on charges of money laundering and abuse of power.
But the alliance proved unable to withstand the weight of internal rivalries, and in February 2020 Mr. Mahathir found himself ousted.
The 97-year-old has a history of heart trouble and has had heart attacks and bypass surgeries. He was discharged from the hospital only last month after being admitted with Covid-19.