Biography - Introduction
Tun Dr Mahathir was born on 10th July, 1925 (his official birth date is recorded as 20th
December 1925) in Kampung Seberang Perak, Alor Setar, Kedah, described by Tun himself
as "the poorer quarters" of town. Tun Mahathir's parents were Mohamad bin Iskandar and
Wan Tempawan binti Wan Hanafi and Tun was the youngest of nine siblings.
CHRONOLOGY
1925 December 20 - Born in Alor Star, Kedah; the youngest of nine siblings
1931 Attended the Seberang Perak Malay School
1933 Attended an English school which was later named Sultan Abdul Hamid College
1942-1945 Education interrupted by the Japanese occupation of Malaya. Dropped out of school to sell food in Pekan Rabu to support the family
1945 Became politically aware and actively participated in various political organisations such as the Kedah Malay Union, Saberkas, and UMNO, to oppose the Malayan Union
1947 Earned a place at King Edward VII Medical College in Singapore to pursue medical studies as a government scholar
1953 Graduated as a doctor and served as Medical Officer in the Alor Setar General Hospital
1956 Married Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Hj Mohd Ali
1957 Left government service to set up Maha Clinic in Alor Setar
1964 Stood for elections in Kota Setar Selatan and won
1965 Elected to the UMNO Supreme Council
1969 Stood for elections in Kota Setar Selatan but lost this time to a PAS candidate
1969 Following the riots of May 13, wrote a letter criticizing the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Expelled from UMNO
1970 Wrote "The Malay Dilemma" which was subsequently banned in Malaysia
1970 Tunku Abdul Rahman resigned as Prime Minister, and Tun Abdul Razak Hussein became Malaysia’s second Prime Minister
1972 Tun Mahathir returns to UMNO, and is appointed Senator
1974 Won the Kubang Pasu parliamentary seat unopposed, and is appointed Minister of Education
1976 March 5 - Appointed as Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of International Trade and Industry by Tun Hussein Onn
1981 June 28 - Elected as President of UMNO unopposed at the 32nd UMNO General Assembly
1981 July 16 - Officially installed as the fourth Prime Minister at 55 years and 7 months old
1987 April 24 - Re-elected as President of UMNO after defeating Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in party elections by 43 votes
1995 May 4 - Victory for the ruling coalition in the 9th General Elections
1998 September 7 - Took over the Finance Minister portfolio, upon the sacking of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister
1999 January 8 - Appoints Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Deputy Prime Minister.
2002 June 21 - Announces resignation from party and government at the UMNO General Assembly.
2003 October 31 - Steps down as Prime Minister. Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi becomes Malaysia’s fifth Prime Minister
2009 April 3 - Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak becomes the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia
2016 Leaves Umno in protest against Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's leadership
2016 Sets up Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) that later joined the opposition coalition to establish Pakatan Harapan
2017 Re-enters politics as Opposition leader
2018 Announces candidacy for Langkawi parliamentary seat for the 14th General Election
2018 Wins the 14th General Elections and becomes Malaysia’s 7th Prime Minister
