Cover On Tun Mahathir Mohamad’s 100th birthday, we retrace the milestones of his illustrious yet controversial career as the former Malaysian prime minister for two non-consecutive terms (Photo: Paul Gadd/Corbis via Getty Images)
On Tun Mahathir Mohamad’s 100th birthday, we retrace the milestones of his illustrious yet controversial career as the former Malaysian prime minister for two non-consecutive terms (Photo: Paul Gadd/Corbis via Getty Images)
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On Tun Mahathir Mohamad’s 100th birthday, we retrace the milestones of his illustrious yet controversial life and career
Today marks an extraordinary milestone in political history—Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad celebrates his 100th birthday on July 10, 2025. As Malaysia’s longest-serving Prime Minister and the world’s oldest former head of government, Mahathir's century-long journey represents one of the most remarkable political careers in modern history.
His transformative leadership across two non-consecutive terms (1981-2003 and 2018-2020) fundamentally reshaped Malaysia’s trajectory from a developing nation to a regional economic powerhouse.
Born on July 10, 1925, Mahathir’s political longevity is unprecedented—spanning over 75 years of active engagement in Malaysian governance. Even at this venerable age of 100, the man known as the ‘Father of Modernisation’ (in some quarters, the ‘Father of Vision’) continues to influence Malaysia's political discourse through his writings and commentary.
As both Malaysia’s fourth and seventh Prime Minister, his career defied conventional political timelines and expectations at crucial junctures in the nation’s history.
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In conjunction of Tun M’s centenarian celebration, we look back at five illustrious career highlights that defined not only Mahathir's legacy but Malaysia’s modern identity.
From revolutionary economic policies to unprecedented political comebacks, these milestones reveal how one exceptional leader’s vision can transform an entire nation’s destiny.
The ‘Look East’ Policy Revolution (1981-1982)
Above Tun Dr Mahathir Bin Mohammad with wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, visiting a Malaysian arts exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, 24 November 1982 (Photo by Alex Bowie/Getty)
Tun Dr Mahathir Bin Mohammad with wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, visiting a Malaysian arts exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, 24 November 1982 (Photo by Alex Bowie/Getty)
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Just six months after becoming Prime Minister at age 55, Mahathir unveiled the ‘Look East Policy’ in July 1981. This policy represented more than economic strategy; it was a profound geopolitical realignment that sought to reduce Malaysia's post-colonial dependency on Western nations, particularly Britain.
The Look East Policy centred on emulating the rapid industrialisation models of Japan and South Korea, nations Mahathir believed had achieved success through superior labor ethics, high morale, and effective management capabilities. This initiative involved sending Malaysian students to Japanese universities and technical institutes, with trainees dispatched to Japanese industries to absorb not just technical skills but the discipline and work ethic characteristic of Japanese culture.
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The policy’s long-term effects on Malaysia’s economy shaped who we are today—resulting in stronger ties with Asian counterparts, reduced reliance on Western economic models and a foundation for what would become Malaysia’s signature approach to development—a blend of Asian values with modern industrial practices.
The policy also established Malaysia’s reputation as a young nation willing to chart its own course, independent of Western economic prescriptions—a theme that would recur throughout Mahathir’s career.
Vision 2020: The Blueprint for a Developed Malaysia (1991)
Who can forget Mahathir’s Vision 2020 (Wawasan 2020) policy initiative that made waves in 1991? This comprehensive national agenda aimed to transform Malaysia into a self-sufficient, industrialised, and developed nation by 2020. The vision projected an average annual GDP growth of approximately seven per cent over a 30-year period, targeting an eightfold increase in GDP by the target year.
Vision 2020 was underpinned by nine strategic challenges designed to guide Malaysia’s development, including fostering a united Malaysian nation conceptualised as 'Bangsa Malaysia,' establishing a mature democratic society, and ensuring an economically just society with equitable wealth distribution.
While Vision 2020 succeeded in driving significant economic growth and infrastructure development, it also revealed inherent contradictions in Mahathir’s governance philosophy. The vision called for a ‘mature democratic society’ and a ‘liberal and tolerant society,’ yet its implementation period often coincided with authoritarian measures, including the suppression of dissent and the centralisation of power within the executive branch of government.
This paradox was to create a fundamental tension in Mahathir’s leadership approach—the belief that rapid national development required strong, centralised control to manage Malaysia's multi-ethnic society effectively. Never in the history of our nation was there a leader so incredibly visionary, so widely criticised and so loyally supported in the same breath.
Building the Infrastructure of Modern Malaysia (1980s-1990s)
Mahathir’s first term—synonymous with spectacular economic development—earned the nation recognition as one of Southeast Asia's great success stories.
His industrialisation drive was exemplified by the establishment of Proton Holdings Berhad in 1983, Malaysia’s national car company. The Proton Saga, launched in 1985 as a joint venture with Mitsubishi, quickly became profitable and established Malaysia as a prominent carmaker in Southeast Asia by the decade’s end.
Above A then retired Tun Mahathir receiving Tatler Malaysia’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 Tatler Ball in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: Tatler Malaysia)
A then retired Tun Mahathir receiving Tatler Malaysia’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 Tatler Ball in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: Tatler Malaysia)
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Beyond industrialisation, Mahathir initiated major infrastructure projects in the 1990s, including the North–South Expressway connecting the Thai border to Singapore, the development of Langkawi as a duty-free island, and the creation of Putrajaya as the new administrative capital.
The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis tested Mahathir’s economic philosophy. His rejection of the International Monetary Fund recovery plan in favour of unorthodox measures like capital controls and fixed exchange rates proved effective, helping Malaysia weather the crisis as well as any regional nation.
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Pioneering the knowledge economy and transforming Malaysia into a technology hub (1996)
Above Mahathir’s first term—synonymous with spectacular economic development—earned Malaysia recognition as one of Southeast Asia's great success stories (Photo: Unsplash)
Mahathir’s first term—synonymous with spectacular economic development—earned Malaysia recognition as one of Southeast Asia's great success stories (Photo: Unsplash)
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In a forward-looking move to propel Malaysia into the information age, Mahathir launched the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) on February 12, 1996. This ambitious initiative aimed to accelerate Vision 2020’s objectives by transforming Malaysia into a modern, knowledge-based state.
The MSC spanned approximately 15 km by 50 km, stretching from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, encompassing the newly developed cities of Putrajaya and Cyberjaya.
The MSC offered attractive incentives including temporary tax breaks, state-of-the-art facilities with high-speed internet access, and strategic proximity to international transportation hubs. Mahathir personally promoted the MSC during a 1997 visit to the United States, successfully attracting interest from major technology companies including Intel and Oracle.
The MSC’s founding principles included an explicit guarantee that government internet censorship would not be permitted within the corridor. This represented a calculated liberalisation within Malaysia’s controlled media environment—a strategic exception designed to attract foreign technology investment and foster a vibrant digital ecosystem.
To many of his biggest critics, this approach demonstrated the premier’s understanding that economic imperatives could override ideological consistency.
From Retirement to World’s Oldest Head of Government: The unprecedented political comeback of 2018
Above A scene from ‘M For Malaysia’, a full-length feature documentary film in 2018 about Tun M’s return to power that year (Photo: M For Malaysia)
A scene from ‘M For Malaysia’, a full-length feature documentary film in 2018 about Tun M’s return to power that year (Photo: M For Malaysia)
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Perhaps the most remarkable achievement of Mahathir’s career occurred not during his prime but at age 92, when he engineered one of the most stunning political comebacks in modern history.
Driven by public anger over the 1MDB corruption scandal implicating former Prime Minister Najib Razak, Mahathir resigned from UMNO in 2016 and founded Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU), joining the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan.
In an extraordinary political maneuver, Mahathir forged an alliance with his former deputy and long-time rival Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, whom he had previously jailed on politically motivated charges. This unlikely partnership was united by a shared objective: to unseat Najib's government and address widespread corruption.
The 2018 general election delivered a stunning victory for the Pakatan Harapan coalition, ending the 60-year reign of Barisan Nasional. In May 2018, Mahathir was sworn in as Malaysia’s seventh Prime Minister, becoming the world’s oldest sitting head of government and marking Malaysia's first transition of power since independence.
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Mahathir's second term prioritised addressing Malaysia’s dire financial state, with national debt exceeding RM1 trillion. His administration also undertook comprehensive reviews of mega infrastructure projects, canceling or delaying several to reduce national liabilities.
In October 2019, Mahathir launched the ‘Shared Prosperity Vision 2030’ (SPV2030), aiming to position Malaysia as a new Asian Tiger while ensuring decent living standards for all Malaysians.
Above Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s legacy embodies both the transformative power of visionary leadership (Photo: Tatler Malaysia)
Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s legacy embodies both the transformative power of visionary leadership (Photo: Tatler Malaysia)
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As Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad celebrates his 100th birthday on July 10, 2025, his legacy embodies both the transformative power of visionary leadership and the complexities inherent in rapid national development.
His designation as the Father of Modernisation reflects genuine achievements in economic transformation, infrastructure development and the creation of a sizeable middle class that fundamentally altered Malaysia’s social fabric.
Yet this legacy also encompasses the tensions between rapid development and democratic institution-building, between strong leadership and civil liberties, between economic progress and political freedom. These complexities make Mahathir's career a compelling case study in the challenges facing developing nations seeking to balance modernisation with democratic governance.
As Malaysia continues to navigate an increasingly uncertain global landscape, the lessons from Mahathir’s century-long journey remain profoundly relevant. Despite his series of charged and often bizarre political statements made to the media in recent times—there’s no denying his remarkable print on the timeline of Malaysia’s past and modern identity.
His emphasis on economic independence, pragmatic policy-making, and the importance of national identity offers valuable insights for contemporary leaders facing similar challenges of balancing traditional values with modernisation imperatives. A look at Mahathir’s extraordinary political legacy reminds us of an arguably forgotten era of leaders who had the courage to pursue ambitious goals, even in the face of criticism and controversy—a skill that remains essential for nations seeking to secure their place in an ever-changing world.
Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
