KUALA LUMPUR – As Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad marked his 100th birthday yesterday, few can rival the imprint he has left on Malaysia’s political and developmental landscape.
Serving twice as prime minister — from 1981 to 2003, and again from 2018 to 2020 — Mahathir’s legacy is woven into nearly every facet of modern Malaysian history.
Here’s a look back at some of the key policies, major events, and landmark contributions that defined his time in office:
1. Vision 2020 and the push for a developed Malaysia
Launched in 1991, Wawasan 2020 was Mahathir’s long-term ambition to make Malaysia a fully developed nation by the year 2020. It outlined nine strategic challenges — from building a united Bangsa Malaysia to fostering a scientific and progressive society — and shaped national discourse for decades.
2. Privatisation of state-owned enterprises
One of his earliest policy thrusts, Mahathir embarked on large-scale privatisation in the 1980s and 1990s. Key sectors like telecommunications (Telekom Malaysia), airlines (MAS), utilities (TNB), and highways (PLUS) were shifted to private ownership, with the aim of increasing efficiency and reducing government burden.
3. Heavy industrialisation and the creation of Proton
Mahathir’s Look East Policy (1982) encouraged emulation of Japan and South Korea’s work ethic and industrial model. This vision materialised in the form of Proton, Malaysia’s first national car, established in 1983 with Japanese technical collaboration — a symbolic milestone in his drive toward industrialisation.
4. Mega-projects that reshaped the skyline
Under Mahathir, the country witnessed a boom in infrastructure mega-projects, including:
- The North-South Expressway (PLUS)
- KL International Airport (KLIA)
- Putrajaya as the federal administrative capital
- The Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004
- The Kelana Jaya and Ampang LRT lines, launched in the late 1990s to address urban congestion and improve connectivity in the Klang Valley
These projects symbolised Malaysia’s modern ambitions, though not without controversy over cost and cronyism.
5. Handling of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis
In a defiant move against the IMF’s recommendations, Mahathir imposed capital controls and pegged the ringgit in 1998 — policies seen by critics as unorthodox but later credited by some economists for stabilising the Malaysian economy.
6. Education reforms and affirmative action
His administration expanded MARA institutions, upgraded technical and vocational training, and supported the growth of private higher education.
Mahathir also entrenched Bumiputera policies, including quotas and economic upliftment schemes under the New Economic Policy (NEP) framework, in the name of socio-economic restructuring — a policy that remains hotly debated to this day.
7. Operasi Lalang and the weakening of judicial independence
In 1987, a political crackdown known as Operasi Lalang saw the detention of over 100 individuals under the Internal Security Act (ISA). Around the same time, Mahathir’s government dismissed the Lord President, Tun Salleh Abas, and several top judges, significantly altering the judiciary's independence — a move widely condemned by civil society and legal circles.
8. Revival and resignation: The second premiership
At age 92, Mahathir made a stunning political comeback in 2018, leading Pakatan Harapan to an unprecedented victory that ended Barisan Nasional’s 61-year rule. His second term was marked by:
- The establishment of the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP)
- A renewed focus on anti-corruption (including the 1MDB-linked charges against Datuk Seri Najib Razak)
But his resignation in 2020 amid a political realignment abruptly ended this chapter, triggering the Sheraton Move and a period of political instability.
9. Global South diplomacy and outspoken leadership
Mahathir was a prominent voice for the Global South, criticising Western double standards, defending Palestine, and often speaking out against perceived imperialism. His blunt rhetoric — whether directed at the West, Israel, or even Asean — made him both respected and controversial on the global stage.
10. Lasting influence on Malaysian politics
Love him or loathe him, Mahathir remains a central figure in Malaysian politics. From mentoring successors like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Seri Najib Razak (both of whom he later opposed) to forming new parties and alliances, Mahathir’s ability to pivot — and provoke — has defined generations of political discourse.
From architect of modernisation to elder statesman-turned-dissident, Mahathir’s legacy remains as complex as it is monumental. As Malaysia continues to wrestle with many of the policies and paradigms he introduced, his impact is undeniable — and far from over. — July 11, 2025
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