VIEWS OF TUN DR MAHATHIR

Father of modernization who is also known as Tun Dr

Mahathir was born on Friday 10 July 1925. The son of a
schoolmaster . He is the Prince of the pair Mohamad bin
Iskandar and Wan Tempawan binti Wan Hanafi was born
in house number 18, Ice Factory Lane, adjacent to Road
Officer, Silver Cross, Alor Setar, Kedah. He was the
youngest among nine siblings, Dr Mahathir started
school at Silver Cross Malay School in 1930 for two
years. He furthered his secondary education at the
Goverment English School, Alor Setar, and now it's known as the Sultan Abdul Hamid
College. He graduated with excellent results of Senior Cambridge in 1945.
In 1947, after graduating from secondary school level, Dr.Mahathir has offered a
scholarship to Kedah to study medicine at King Edward VII College of Medicine, Singapore.
While in College, he was a student who works hard and diligently in school, active in rugby
and always concerned about the welfare of other students. In 1953, he was awarded a
Doctor of

Medicine (MBBS) from University of Malaya. Armed with the approval of Dr.

Mahathir has started its services in the government by becoming a trainee doctor at the
Penang General Hospital. In 1954, Dr Mahathir was appointed as Medical Ofiicer in Alor
Setar Genaral Hospital to meet the scholarship contract.
Discussion with a girl from Punjab named Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali (now Tun Dr. Siti
Hasmah) pursuing the same at King Edward VII Collage of Medicine continue until they
finish their studies. The close relationship forged during the Singapore again familiaried both
married as husband and wife in August 1956. This happy couple have been blessed with a
baby of seven who are Marina (now Datin Paduka Marina), Mirzan, Melinda, Mokhzani (now
Datuk Mohzani), Mukriz (now Datuk Mukhriz), Maizura and Mazhar.
In 1957, upon completion of his contract with the government, Dr. Mahathir in
cooperation with Dr. Siti Hasmah has opened a private clinic called MAHA Clinic at Jalan
Tunku Ibrahim, Alor Setar. MAHA Clinic is the first clinic in the state of Kedah Malay. Apart
from medical services, clinics MAHA has also become the stage for him to carry out the
activities of the local community services.

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POLITICAL YEARS
Mahathirs political career began when in the 1964 election, he was elected into
Parliament as a member of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO). During that
same year, he represented Malaysia at the World Assembly of Youth conference in Amherst,
Massachusetts. Unfortunately, Mahathir lost his Parliamentary seat in the 1969 elections,
followed by the racial riots of May 13, 1969. The riots led Mahathir to write a letter to the first
Prime Minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman asking for Tunkus resignation based on
the reason that Tunku did not handle racial matters adequately.
Consequently, he was expelled from UMNO on September 26, 1969. His concern for
Malaya economic and political problems expressed in the form of articles published by the
Sunday Times under the pen name "CHE DET" between the years 1946-1950. Writing is
one of interest in Dr. Mahathir until today. In 1945, when he was study at school, Dr.
Mahathir has been the editor of Vatican City, the official magazines of the Sultan Abdul
Hamid College of output. He also served as editor of magazine published by the Medical
College where he studied. Persistence and determination to voice their opinions through
writing has led him to produce a variety of publications including the book "The Malay
Dilemma" which published in 1970.
In The Malay Dilemma , former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad examines and
analyses the make-up of the Malays and the problem of racial harmony in Malaysia . First
published in 1970 , the book seeks to explain the cause for the 13 May 1969 riots in Kuala
Lumpur . Dr.Mahathir sets out his view as to why the Malas are economically backward and
why they feel they must insist upon immigrants becoming real Malaysians speaking in due
course nothing but Malay , as do immigrants to America or Australia speak but the language
of what the author calls the infinitive people. He argues that the Malays are the rightful
owners of Malaya . He also argues that immigrants are guest until properly absorbed and
that they are not properly absorbed until they have abandoned the language and culture of
their past .
On March 7, 1972, Mahathir was readmitted into UMNO. Subsequently, he was
appointed an UMNO Supreme Council Member and in 1973 he became a member of the
Senate. He was also designated the Ministry of Education on September 6, 1974, and was
elected as one of the vice presidents of UMNO in 1975. On March 6, 1976, Tun Hussein
Onn - the third Prime Minister of Malaysia appointed Mahathir as the new Deputy Prime
Minister. Later on, he was given the post of Minister for Trade and Industry in 1978 and
represented the Prime Minister at the Islamic Nations Conference in Taif, in 1981.

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PREMIERSHIP
As Tun Hussein Onns health deteriorated, he decided to retire. Thus, Mahathir became
the Prime Minister of Malaysia on July 16, 1981 at the age of 55. In April 1987, Tengku
Razaleigh Hamzah challenged Mahathir in the UMNO presidential election, the first time in
12 years that an incumbent President was challenged. Shortly after vote-counting was
completed, rumors spread that Razaleigh had won. However, the official results declared
Mahathir as the winner, with 761 votes to Razaleigh's 718. Alleging that the election had
been rigged, 12 UMNO members filed a lawsuit in the High Court, seeking to void the
election results and pave the way for a fresh election.
In February 1988, the Kuala Lumpur High Court declared UMNO "an unlawful society",
after it discovered the presence of several unregistered branches. Mahathir immediately
assured UMNO members that as the decision was based on minor "technicalities", the party
could easily be restored as a lawful society. He also reminded the public that his status as
Prime Minister was not threatened, claiming that only a no-confidence vote could lawfully
remove him from power.
Nine days later, Mahathir formed UMNO (Baru) (New UMNO). How a new political entity
could rule in a democracy without a mandate from the electorate is anybody's guess.
Mahathir then proceeded not only to transfer the assets of the "old" UMNO to the "new"
UMNO,but also decided that the word "Baru" ("New") was superfluous and officially dropped
it from its name.He also consolidated his power by excluding those who had previously
challenged his authority within the party.
The UMNO 11 pursued their case to the highest court in the land, still seeking to hold
new elections for the "old" UMNO and having its lawful status restored. Just before the
Supreme Court was about to decide on the case, Mahathir was believed to have engineered
the dismissal of Tun Salleh Abas, the Lord President of the Supreme Court. The series of
incidents in 1988 has been widely viewed as the end of Malaysia's judiciary's independence
from the executive.
During the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, Mahathir defied international pressure and
introduced the currency peg, together with other controversial new controls. After the crisis,
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank acknowledged that Mahathir's
approach had worked.

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ACHIEVEMENTS OF TUN DR MAHATHIR

YEAR
2008

2007

NAME OF AWARD

STATE
WILAYAH

DARJAH SERI UTAMA MAHKOTA WILAYAH (SUMW)

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP FROM IIUM ALUMNI
CHAPTER OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

2006

MOTHER TERESA AWARD

2006

ANUGERAH

PERSEKUTUAN
BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA
INDIA

MINDA AGUNG

From

Malaysian

MALAYSIA

Invention and Design Society

2005

GADDAFI INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FROM HUMAN

LIBYA

RIGHTS
2004

DOCTOR

OF

ISLAMIC

THOUGHT

HONORARY

DEGREE From University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur

2003

THE FATHER OF MODERN MALAYSIA From

UNIVERSITY
OF MALAYA

MALAYSIA

Malaysian Government
1996

FELLOWSHIP OF THE INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE

MALAYSIA

OF SURGEONS
1985

FAR, FATHER OF MODERN DEVELOPMENT BY THE

PASIR SALAK

PASIR SALAK UMNO DIVISION

1976

THE SECOND TUN ( DR ) ISMAIL ORATION

MALAYSIA

ACADEMY OF MEDICAL
1965

PINGAT PERAK

PERAK

CONTRIBUTIONS OF TUN DR MAHATHIR AS PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

Dr Mahathir has campaigned resolutely to maintain and strengthen racial harmony
within Malaysia and to improve the position of the Malays in business and other matters in
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order to preserve a balance of opportunity for all. (Robin Adshead, Mahathir of Malaysia
Statemen and Leader)
In the field of national development, Dr M has successfully created a paradigm shift in
the structure of the economic system in Malaysia. Dr M has transformed Malaysia from a
country that depended so much on self-subsistence agriculture, cultivation of rubber and tin
mining, into a vibrant economic based on trading and industrialization. Malaysia now have
heavy and high technology industries that have become developed and competitive and at
par with other developed countries in the world.
In the late 1990s, Dr Mahathir has taken steps to enable Malaysia to face the future by
establishing the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), which emphasizes Information
Technology (IT) as very important asset for the country in the new millennium.In 1982 Dr
Mahathir first announced the National Car Project, which is one of the many important
developments as Malaysians forges ahead in achieving Vision 2020. It first started as joined
venture between Perusahaan Outomotivle National Berhad, Proton, Hicom Berhad,
Mitsubishi Motor Corporation.
In the field of literature, Dr Mahathir has contributed greatly since his schooling days.
Due to his great interest in writing Dr M was an editor of the Darulaman magazine, published
by the Sultan Abdul Hamid College. While studying at the University, he was the editor of
the magazine published by the Medical College of Singapore. Among his works are The
Monetary Crisis of Malaysia: How and Why It Happened, A New Deal for Asia, The Way
Forward, The Voice of Asia: Tow Leaders Discuss the Coming Century, The Malaysian
System of Government, Menerangi Kemiskinan: Peladang, Penternak dan Nelayan,
Regionalism, Globalism and Spheres of Influence, The Challenge, Guide for Small
Businessmen, Malay Dilemma, Warisan Kepimpinan and Menghadapi Cabaran.
In the field of telecommunications industry, during Dr Mahathir government, Telekom
Malaysia has 3.8 million fixed line customers and 1.8 million mobile phone users in Malaysia.
Banking system embarked on the extensive use of modern information technology. All
schools are being equipped with computers.

Information Technology specific training

institutions and universities are being established and knowledge workers encouraged to
participate fully in economy.(MSC, 1998)

REFERENCES

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http://www.msafoundation.org/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=53
http://malaysiafactbook.com/Tun_Dr._Mahathir_Mohamad_-_Biography
http://www.biography.com/people/mahathir-mohamad-9395417
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~teh20y/classweb/worldpolitics/Bio.html
http://alagendra.blogspot.my/2008/04/tun-dr-mahathir.html
http://maszriah-yana.blogspot.my/2012/02/tun-dr-mahathir-mohamadbiography.html
http://belleroseengol.blogspot.my/2009/12/tun-dr-mahathir-mohamadfourth-prime.html
http://www.networkmalaysia.com/subtitle/people/Tun
Mohamad

Dr.

Robin Adhshead, Mahathir of Malaysia: Statemen and Leaders, 2002.

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Mahathir