It was during Tun’s time that Malaysia experienced rapid economic growth and achieve modernisation on par with some of the developed and industrial countries of the world. It soon proved that those mega projects were the ones which helped Malaysia achieve commendable progress. Though many initially criticised his many so called mega projects for development, they later had to swallow their words. Mahathir’s thoughts and ideas were put to the test. Under his leadership, the Barisan Nasional won landslide victories in the 1982, 1986, 1990, 19 General Elections.Īs prime minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir was appointed as a president of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), one of the ruling party of Barisan Nasional. Owing to his keen interest in the country’s education, he was appointed Chairman of the first Higher Education Council in 1968, Member of the Higher Education Advisory Council in 1972, Member of the University Court and University Malaya Council, and Chairman of the National University Council in 1974. However, he lost his seat in the subsequent General Election in 1969. It was inevitable that he eventually joined politics. A Doctor in the House is his memoir that was published in 2011. He continued writing throughout his career, and one of his most famous treatises, The Malay Dilemma (1970), influenced policy and policy makers in the aftermath of the 1969 racial riots. In the 1940s and ’50s, under the pen name “Che Det”, he actively wrote articles on Malay politics and economic issues, which were published in The Sunday Times. He worked as a government medical officer for a while but left in 1957 to set up his own practice in Alor Setar. He studied medicine at King Edward VII College in Singapore. He remains a strong believer in the power of science and innovation in nation building.īorn on, Tun is a son of a schoolmaster. Even to this day, his passion for science has not withered. Many scientific institutions were established during his term to help drive the country’s science and innovation agenda. The first Science Advisor was appointed during his time. It was during his tenure as Prime Minister that science assumed prominence in national planning. As an avid reader of a wide range of subjects, he was also passionate about science. His ideas have always been controversial and transformational. Mahathir Mohamad was Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003.

A doctor in the house mahathir