Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Updated: Wikipedia source
Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi (Jawi: عبد الله بن احمد بدوي, Malay pronunciation: [/ʌbˈdʊlɑː ˈɑːhməd bɑːˈdɑːwi/]; 26 November 1939 – 14 April 2025), also known as Pak Lah, was a Malaysian politician and civil servant who served as the fifth prime minister of Malaysia from 2003 to 2009. A member of UMNO, he was the party's president from 2004 to 2009, and also led the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition during his premiership. Abdullah was granted the soubriquet "Father of Human Capital Development" ("Bapa Pembangunan Modal Insan") of Malaysia. Born in Bayan Lepas, Penang, Abdullah graduated from University of Malaya (UM). He starting his own career as a civil servant, served almost 14 years in the Malaysian Government as the Administrative and Diplomatic Officer (PTD) from 1964 until 1978. After he resigned from being PTD, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kepala Batas for eight consecutive terms from 1978 to 2013. He also served in various ministries such as Ministry of Federal Territories, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Minister of Education, Minister of Defence, Minister of Foreign Affairs, before he was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister by Mahathir Mohamad. After Mahathir resigned in 2003, Abdullah took over and selected Najib Razak as his deputy. Abdullah's premiership began with strong public support and was characterised by promises of institutional reform, anti-corruption efforts, and a vision of moderate Islam through his concept of Islam Hadhari. He led the Ninth Malaysia Plan to allocated substantial funds for national development, including RM10 billion for corridor initiatives, RM3 billion for food security, and RM2 billion for rural infrastructure. He launched major economic corridors such as the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) and the Sabah Development Corridor, aiming to boost regional development and create job opportunities. However, his later years in office saw declining approval due to economic concerns, including inflation and rising living costs, ultimately leading to significant electoral setbacks for the ruling coalition. Under his administration, he faced criticism for declining press freedom, with Malaysia's ranking dropping from 104th to 132nd in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index between 2003 and 2008. The government's control over media outlets and the use of laws like the Internal Security Act (ISA) to detain journalists and bloggers highlighted the limitations on media freedom during his tenure. However, he expanded democratic space by promoting dialogue and encouraging differing opinions, which contributed to a more vibrant political environment. In 2008, Abdullah announced the establishment of a Judicial Appointments Commission to ensure a more transparent and representative process for nominating, appointing, and promoting judges, acknowledging the need to restore public trust in the judiciary.