The Most Famous

POLITICIANS from Malaysia

This page contains a list of the greatest Malaysian Politicians. The pantheon dataset contains 19,576 Politicians, 28 of which were born in Malaysia. This makes Malaysia the birth place of the 84th most number of Politicians behind Guatemala, and Somalia.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Malaysian Politicians of all time. This list of famous Malaysian Politicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Malaysian Politicians.

1. Mahathir Mohamad (b. 1925)

With an HPI of 71.73, Mahathir Mohamad is the most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 129 different languages on wikipedia.

Mahathir bin Mohamad (Jawi: محاضير بن محمد; IPA: [mahaðɪ(r) bɪn mohamad]; born 10 July 1925) is a Malaysian politician, author, and doctor who served as the fourth and seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held office from 1981 to 2003 and later from 2018 to February 2020 for a cumulative total of 24 years, making him the country's longest-serving prime minister. Before becoming premier, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and in other cabinet positions. He was a Member of Parliament for Langkawi from 2018 to 2022, Kubang Pasu from 1974 to 2004, and Kota Star Selatan from 1964 to 1969. His political career spanned more than 75 years, from joining protests opposing citizenship policies for non-Malays in the Malayan Union in the 1940s to forming the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition in 2022. Born and raised in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir excelled at school and became a physician. He became active in the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) before entering the parliament of Malaysia in 1964. He served one term before losing his seat, subsequently falling out with Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and being expelled from UMNO. In 1970, he released the book The Malay Dilemma. When Abdul Rahman resigned, Mahathir re-entered UMNO and parliament, and was promoted to Minister of Education from 1974 to 1978 and Minister of Trade and Industry from 1978 to 1981. He became deputy prime minister in 1976 before being sworn in as prime minister in 1981, succeeding Hussein Onn. During Mahathir's first tenure, Malaysia underwent modernisation and economic growth, and his government initiated widespread industry privatisation and a series of bold infrastructure projects. Mahathir was a dominant political figure, winning five consecutive general elections and fending off several rivals for UMNO's leadership. He centralised power through undermining judicial independence and supporting a constitutional amendment to remove legal immunity for royalty. He continued pro-bumiputera policies, and oversaw Malaysia's relatively fast recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In 1987, he detained various activists and religious figures under Operation Lalang, and in 1998 had his deputy Anwar Ibrahim arrested. His record of authoritarianism and curtailment of civil liberties strained relationships with the West. As prime minister, he was an advocate of Asian values and development models, and was particularly prominent across the Muslim world. Mahathir unexpectedly stepped down in 2003, but remained politically influential and was critical of his successors. He quit UMNO over the 1MDB corruption scandal in 2016, joining BERSATU and leading the Pakatan Harapan opposition coalition to victory in the 2018 general election. During his second tenure as prime minister, he pledged to investigate the 1MDB scandal, combat corruption, and cut spending on large infrastructure projects. He also secured the pardon and release of Anwar Ibrahim. Mahathir resigned in 2020 amidst a political crisis. Despite losing his parliamentary seat in the 2022 general election, he remained active in politics and shifted party affiliation several times. Mahathir's political views have shifted throughout his life, and are shaped by his Malay nationalism and Islamic religious beliefs. Initially, he was aligned with Third-Worldism in the 1980s and later advocated for "Asian values" and globalization. He has consistently maintained Islamic political views. He has been a longstanding critic of neoliberalism and Western influence, and has also been accused of antisemitism throughout this career. He has also advocated for a balance between natural resource extraction and environmental protection.

2. Tunku Abdul Rahman (1903 - 1990)

With an HPI of 64.86, Tunku Abdul Rahman is the 2nd most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 48 different languages.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah (Jawi: ‏تونكو عبد الرحمن ڤوترا الحاج ابن سلطان عبد الحميد حليم شاه; 8 February 1903 – 6 December 1990) was a Malaysian statesman and lawyer who served as the first prime minister of Malaysia and the head of government of its predecessor states from 1955 to 1970. He was the first chief minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955 to 1957. He supervised the independence process that culminated on 31 August 1957. As an independent Malaysia's first prime minister, he dominated the country's politics for the next 13 years. In 1963, he successfully incorporated the Federation of Malaya, British North Borneo (renamed Sabah), Sarawak, and Singapore into the state of Malaysia. However, tensions between the Malay and Chinese communities resulted in Singapore's expulsion in 1965. His poor performance during race riots in Kuala Lumpur in 1969 led to his resignation in 1970. Commonly known simply as "Tunku" (a Malay royal title), Abdul Rahman is widely regarded, even by his critics, as Malaysia's "founding father", the architect of Malayan independence and of the formation of Malaysia. As such, he is often referred to as Father of Independence (Bapa Kemerdekaan) or Father of Malaysia (Bapa Malaysia).

3. Abdullah of Pahang (b. 1959)

With an HPI of 60.78, Abdullah of Pahang is the 3rd most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 44 different languages.

Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah (Jawi: السلطان عبدﷲ رعاية الدين المصطفى بالله شاه ابن المرحوم سلطان حاج أحمد شاه المستعين بالله; ; born 30 July 1959) is the Sultan of Pahang since ascending to the throne following the abdication of his father in 2019. He was the sixteenth Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia), from 2019 to 2024, being sworn in just a few weeks after ascending to the throne as Sultan of Pahang. Abdullah played an unusually prominent role domestic politics, particularly during the 2020–2022 Malaysian political crisis and the intricate negotiations that followed the 2022 general election, which resulted in a hung parliament. As a result of this, he is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who had the most prime ministers during his tenure (Mahathir Mohamad, Muhyiddin Yassin, Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Anwar Ibrahim). Beyond his royal responsibilities, Abdullah was actively engaged in international sports governance, serving as a distinguished member of the FIFA Council from 2015 to 2019.

4. Anwar Ibrahim (b. 1947)

With an HPI of 60.61, Anwar Ibrahim is the 4th most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 50 different languages.

Anwar bin Ibrahim (Jawi: انور بن ابراهيم‎, IPA: Malay pronunciation: [anwar ɪbrahɪm] ; born 10 August 1947) is a Malaysian politician who is the 10th and current Prime Minister of Malaysia since 2022. He served as the 12th and 16th Leader of the Opposition from 2008 to 2015, and again from 2020 to 2022. He has been the chairman of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition since 2020, the second President of the People's Justice Party (PKR) since 2018 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tambun since November 2022. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister and in many other Cabinet positions in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from 1982 to his removal in 1998. A University of Malaya graduate, Anwar started his political career as President of the Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM) and was one of the founders and 2nd President of the youth organization Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM). After joining the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the major party in the long-time ruling BN coalition, Anwar held several cabinet positions in successive governments in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the deputy prime minister and Finance Minister during the 1990s and was prominent in Malaysia's response to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In 1998, he was removed from all posts by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, and went on to spearhead the Reformasi movement against the government. Anwar was jailed in April 1999, until his release in 2004 after his conviction was overturned. He made a comeback as Leader of the Opposition from 2008 to 2015 and coalesced opposition parties into the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition, which unsuccessfully contested in the 2008 and 2013 general elections. He disputed the results of the 2013 elections and led a protest in response. In 2014, Anwar's attempt to become Selangor head of government in the 2014 Kajang Move led to a nine-month political crisis, which ended when he was sentenced to another extensive five years imprisonment after a second sodomy conviction in 2015. While still in prison, Anwar re-joined Mahathir Mohamad in the new Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in absentia, which went on to win the 2018 general election. Mahathir outlined a plan for Anwar to take over from himself as prime minister after an unspecified interim period. Anwar received a royal pardon from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Muhammad V and was released from prison in May 2018. He returned to parliament in the 2018 Port Dickson by-election while his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail served as the Deputy Prime Minister in the PH administration. The collapse of the coalition during the 2020–22 Malaysian political crisis led to the new Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition under Muhyiddin Yassin being sworn in and Anwar becoming Leader of the Opposition for the second time in May 2020. After leading Pakatan Harapan to win a plurality of seats at the 2022 Malaysian general election, Anwar was sworn in as the tenth Prime Minister of Malaysia on 24 November 2022. On 2 December 2022, Anwar appointed various members of Parliament from Pakatan Harapan, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), and UMNO to serve as ministers in the cabinet of the newly formed unity government. Anwar named himself as the Finance Minister. During his tenure, he and his government faced criticism for implementing numerous conservative policies, as well as the discharge not amounting to the acquittal of current Malaysian deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who faced corruption charges. Moreover, former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak also saw his prison sentence halved and fine reduced during Anwar's tenure, sparking further controversy. Anwar, a liberal reformer and intellectual, has advocated for Islamic democracy and hopes Malaysia will become an example of democratic practices in the Muslim world. He supports the Islamic concept of Ummah as a framework for democracy in Muslim countries and calls for judicial independence, good governance and rejection of authoritarianism. He was a youth activist in the 1960s who initially supported affirmative action policies for Malays due to concerns about the dominance of Malaysian Chinese in businesses. However, after leaving prison, he considered "Ketuanan Melayu" a major problem and called for transitioning to "affirmative-action policies premised on need instead of race" and providing government support to those living in poverty. Many people and scholars describe him as a "uniting figure" for the opposition in Malaysia during his imprisonment and trials. As prime minister, he has emphasized for fiscal responsibility, implementing measures such as diesel subsidy cuts.

5. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (b. 1939)

With an HPI of 60.47, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is the 5th most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 46 different languages.

Tun Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi (Jawi: عبد الله بن احمد بدوي, Malay pronunciation: [abdullah]; born 26 November 1939) is a Malaysian retired politician who served as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2003 to 2009. He was also the sixth president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the largest political party (at the time) in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional (BN) parliamentary coalition. He is informally known as Pak Lah, Pak meaning 'Uncle' or 'Sir', while Lah is taken from his name 'Abdullah'. He was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kepala Batas for eight consecutive terms, from 1978 to 2013. During the later part of Abdullah's administration, his government faced criticism for economic policies and performance, including concerns about inflation and the rising cost of living.

6. Abdul Halim of Kedah (1927 - 2017)

With an HPI of 60.33, Abdul Halim of Kedah is the 6th most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 42 different languages.

Al-Mu’tassimu Billahi Muhibbuddin Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah (Jawi: المرحوم السلطان المعتصم بالله محب الدين توانکو الحاج عبدالحليم معظم شاه ابن المرحوم سلطان بدلي شاه; 28 November 1927 – 11 September 2017) was the 28th Sultan of Kedah from 1958 until his death in 2017, and served twice as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1970 to 1975 and from 2011 to 2016. He was the first and only ruler to reign as Yang di-Pertuan Agong twice, as well as the oldest elected to the office. Prior to his death, he was the second longest-reigning living monarch in the world after Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

7. Abdul Razak Hussein (1922 - 1976)

With an HPI of 58.64, Abdul Razak Hussein is the 7th most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 36 different languages.

Tun Haji Abdul Razak bin Dato' Haji Hussein (Jawi: عبد الرزاق بن حسين; 11 March 1922 – 14 January 1976) was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who served as the second prime minister of Malaysia from 1970 until his death in 1976. He also served as the first deputy prime minister of Malaysia from 1957 to 1970. He is referred to as the Father of Development (Bapa Pembangunan). Abdul Razak was the figure responsible for setting up Barisan Nasional (BN), which is the ruling coalition of political parties that held power in Malaysia. Abdul Razak is also renowned for launching the Malaysian New Economic Policy (MNEP). His eldest son, Najib Razak, became the sixth prime minister in 2009; Najib is the first prime minister of Malaysia to be a descendant of a former prime minister.

8. Najib Razak (b. 1953)

With an HPI of 58.04, Najib Razak is the 8th most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 66 different languages.

Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak (Jawi: محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق, Malay pronunciation: [muhammad nadʒɪb]; born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2009 to 2018. In 2020, he was convicted of corruption in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, one of the largest money-laundering and embezzlement scandals in history. He is the son of former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein. Najib Razak was the chairman of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition from April 2009 to May 2018 and the president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) from November 2008 to May 2018, which had maintained control of Malaysia's government with a parliamentary majority for more than sixty years until the coalition's defeat in the 2018 general election. Najib was elected to the Parliament of Malaysia in 1976, at the age of 23, replacing his deceased father in the Pahang-based seat of Pekan. In the same year, he was appointed the head of UMNO Youth's Pekan branch and became a member of the youth wing's Executive Council. In the early years of his political career, Najib took on a deputy minister role in 1976, and between 1982 and 1986, he was the Menteri Besar of Pahang. Thereafter, until 2009, he was rotated throughout the Cabinet of Malaysia, taking on various ministerial portfolios in defence, education, culture, youth and sports, and finally finance. Between 1993 and 2009, Najib was a vice-president of UMNO. Najib's tenure as prime minister, between 2009 and 2018, was marked by economic liberalisation measures, such as cuts to government subsidies, loosening of restrictions on foreign investment, and reductions in preferential measures for ethnic Malays in business. After the 2013 election, his government pursued a number of its critics on sedition charges, the imprisonment of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim following a conviction for sodomy and the implementation of a Goods and Services Tax (GST). He was Prime Minister during the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disaster and a dispute with North Korea following the assassination of Kim Jong-nam. In 2015, Najib became implicated in a major corruption scandal involving state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) which led to rallies calling for his resignation, spearheaded by the grassroots movement Bersih. These protests culminated in the Malaysian Citizens' Declaration by Mahathir Mohamad, Pakatan Harapan and NGOs which sought to oust Najib. Najib's response to the corruption accusations was to tighten his grip on power by replacing then-deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, suspending two newspapers and pushing through parliament a controversial National Security Council Bill that provides the prime minister with unprecedented powers. Najib's various subsidy cuts have contributed to soaring living costs, while fluctuating oil prices and the fallout from the 1MDB scandal led to a depreciation of the Malaysian currency. These ended with BN's loss in the 2018 general elections. Najib then conceded defeat and promised to help facilitate a smooth transition of power. On 3 July 2018, Najib was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which investigated how RM42 million (US$10.6 million) went from SRC International, a company related to 1MDB, into Najib's bank account. In the process, the police seized a number of fashion accessories worth $273 million while searching through his properties. Najib was subsequently charged and convicted by the High Court on abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust, becoming the first Prime Minister of Malaysia to be convicted of corruption, and was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment and fined RM210 million. The sentence was upheld by the Federal Court on 23 August 2022. He is currently serving his sentence in Kajang Prison.

9. Iskandar of Johor (1932 - 2010)

With an HPI of 57.70, Iskandar of Johor is the 9th most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Sultan Iskandar ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail (Jawi: المتوكل على ﷲ سلطان إسكندر الحاج ابن المرحوم سلطان إسماعيل الخالدي; 8 April 1932 – 22 January 2010) was Sultan of Johor, succeeding his father Sultan Ismail upon the latter's death in 1981. He reigned as the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional monarch of Malaysia, from 1984 to 1989. Sultan Iskandar's reign as Sultan of Johor lasted almost 29 years until his death in 2010. His children are married into the different royal houses of Malaysia. His eldest daughter Tunku Kamariah married the Tengku Laksamana of Selangor, Tengku Sulaiman Shah. His successor and eldest son Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar married Raja Zarith Sofiah of the Perak Royal Family. His daughter Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah married the heir apparent of Pahang, now Sultan Abdullah. His younger son Tunku Abdul Majid married a member of the Kedah Royal Family, Tunku Teh Mazni. As was the case with his grandfather, Sultan Ibrahim, Sultan Iskandar's independent mindset resulted in strained relations with the Malaysian federal government on numerous occasions. This was most prevalent during his time as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as there were a number of notable public incidents involved Sultan Iskandar. Nevertheless, Sultan Iskandar was reputed to show great concern to his subjects, and was held in high esteem by many of his subjects–particularly the Malays and Orang Aslis. His time as the Sultan of Johor was marred by accusations of violence and brutality. Sultan Iskandar was notorious for his bad temper which often resulted in violent episodes of rage and brutality to members of his staff and the general public. The 1992 Gomez incident surrounding the Sultan eventually culminated in the removal of "legal immunity" for members of the royal family. Sultan Iskandar is reputed to have been a staunch disciplinarian, with willingness to occasionally voice personal opinions on governmental issues. On the personal side, subjects who approached the Sultan in his later years described him as a person with a warm and generous personality. However, past critics had also argued that Sultan Iskandar was a person with a turbulent temper. These claims were made by citing records of notorious incidents, which include an experience of being disinherited from being the Tunku Mahkota of Johor (or Crown Prince in English) by his father, in 1961, as well as a series of alleged criminal acts occurring between the 1970s and the 1990s which were published in the press and provoked widespread moral outrage within the Malaysian public. During his younger days as a prince, Iskandar was commonly known by his first name, "Mahmood" or his full name "Mahmood Iskandar". He largely discontinued the use of his first name after he became Sultan in 1981, although some people occasionally referred to him by his full name. Sultan Iskandar (known as Tunku Mahmood Iskandar[γ] until 1981) was the third and eldest surviving son of Sultan Ismail, (he had two older brothers, both of whom died in infancy) and was born on at 11:30 a.m. 8 April 1932 in the Istana Semayam, Johor Bahru. Mahmood received his primary and lower secondary education in Ngee Heng Primary School and the English College Johore Bahru (now Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar) in Johor Bahru. In 1952, he was sent to Australia for higher secondary education at Trinity Grammar School. After completing high school in 1953, Mahmood travelled to the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, where he was enrolled in the Upper Chine School for three years. Mahmood returned to Malaysia in 1956 upon completing his studies, and briefly served as a cadet officer in the Johor Civil Service, taking charge of affairs in District Affairs, Land and Treasury departments until his appointment as the Tunku Mahkota of Johor in May 1959. Mahmood was appointed the Tunku Mahkota of Johor from 1959 to 1961, and Raja Muda of Johor from 1966 to 1981, by Sultan Ismail. On 29 April 1981, he was re-appointed as the Tunku Mahkota shortly before his father's death. On 10 May 1981, Mahmood was appointed as the Regent of Johor following the death of his father, and was sworn in as Sultan a day later, shortly before his father was buried. In turn, his younger brother, Tunku Abdul Rahman (not to be confused with Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first prime minister), formerly the Tunku Mahkota of Johor for twenty years under Sultan Ismail, was demoted to a lower position, the Tunku Bendahara of Johor, a post which he held until his death in 1989. In the same year on 12 December, Sultan Iskandar was appointed as the Chancellor of the University of Technology Malaysia. Unlike the other preceding Sultan of Johors who had their own coronation ceremony, he did not have one. Under the council of rulers, the elective monarchy system of Malaysia, Sultan Iskandar was elected on 9 February 1984 as the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, shortly before his predecessor's term expired on 26 April 1984. He succeeded the Sultan of Pahang as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong on 26 April. A royal investiture was held shortly after that, in which he donned the traditional suit of the Agong, whereby he was officially installed. Sultan Iskandar served in the capacity as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong until 1989, being succeeded by the Sultan of Perak. As the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Iskandar was automatically designated under constitutional provisions as the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, holding the rank of the Marshal of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Malaysian Navy and Field Marshal of the Army. On 8 April 2006, the Sultan appointed his grandson Tunku Ismail Idris—the son of the Tunku Mahkota then—as the Raja Muda during an investiture in conjunction with his birthday. The rank of Raja Muda denoted that Ismail Idris was second in the line of succession to the Johorean royal throne. Sultan Iskandar held annual open house events either at the Istana Bukit Serene, his official residence, or at the Istana Besar. On these days, the Sultan and his eldest son, the Tunku Mahkota, held special sessions whereby Johoreans came up to pay their respects to him. The Sultan also bestowed honorary awards on distinguished Malaysians from his annual birthday honours list on his birthday. As a matter of convention, the state government made 8 April a state public holiday to mark his birthday. Shortly before he became Agong in April 1984, Sultan Iskandar issued a proposal for the Orang Aslis to be referred to as the "Bumiputera Asli" (literally, Original Sons of the Soil). The proposal was made as Sultan Iskandar suggested that the Orang Aslis maintained a distinct identity from the Malays as the majority of them were not Muslims. The proposal was subsequently scrapped, and the government made subsequent attempts to assimilate the Orang Aslis with the mainstream Malay society. After his inauguration as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, he donated his Agong's salary to various scholarship boards that were open to Malaysians of all races. Sultan Iskandar issued a decree in 2007 which only allowed residences and properties owned by the Sultan and the Tunku Mahkota to be called Istana, while properties belonging to other members of the royal family are to be known as "Kediaman". The terms "Istana" and "Kediaman" are translated as "Palace" and "Residences" in English, respectively. The following December, Sultan Iskandar gave his endorsement for the state government to pass a law which would ban Muslims in the state from practising Yoga, citing that Hindu elements in the exercise went against Islamic teachings. Applications to seek the Sultan's consent came from the state religious council, who acted under the instructions of the National Fatwa Council. Sultan Iskandar graced the official landmark opening of the Sultan Iskandar customs, immigration and quarantine complex on 1 December 2008, in the presence of the Tunku Mahkota and several key cabinet ministers. The complex was named in honour of the Sultan, who expressed optimism for its success during his opening speech. Since his ascension to the throne, Sultan Iskandar fostered particularly close ties with Singapore, by developing a personal rapport with top Singaporean leaders. This practice was also taken up by his sons, the Tunku Mahkota and Tunku Aris Bendahara. Media reports highlighted the particularly warm reception which leaders of both countries received whenever they visited each other's domains, particularly in July 1988, when Sultan Iskandar's visit to Singapore marked the first official visit by any Yang di-Pertuan Agong since 1957. Between these years, Sultan Iskandar has been awarded or been given the following awards by Singaporean political leaders: 1988: Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong received the Dato' Paduka Mahkota Johor (Kehormat) from the Sultan. 2007: Sultan Iskandar was presented with the Honorary Master Parachutist Wing by Singapore Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean. 2007: Conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by the National University of Singapore. Relations with Singapore soured after the International Court of Justice ruled in Singapore's favour following a long legal battle over the sovereignty of Pedra Branca. At the inaugural session of the 12th Johor State Assembly in 2008, the Sultan stated his continued support of Malaysia's claim to Pedra Branca, and vowed to find legal means to retrieve the island's sovereignty. Sultan Iskandar also fostered a fairly close relationship with the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, particularly during his days as the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. In 2006, they were again seen together in public, after Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah made a state visit to Johor to express his interest in the Iskandar Development Region. Prior to being the Sultan or Agong, and even during the 1980s and early 1990s, Mahmood's reputation was marred by a number of controversial incidents which received occasional attention from the media. One of these earliest incidents was the loss of his status as Mahkota in 1961—a position which his father, Sultan Ismail, appointed him to two years earlier, citing reasons of alleged misbehaviour after confidential reports accusing him of incarcerating a policeman reached the Sultan. Iskandar's younger brother, Abdul Rahman (Tunku Mahkota of Johor) was appointed as the Tunku Mahkota in favour of him. Nevertheless, in 1966, Mahmood Iskandar was appointed the Raja Muda—which put him second in line to the throne. In April 1981, Mahmood was reinstated as Mahkota shortly before his father's death the following month and was subsequently installed as the Sultan of Johor, under the orders of his father. However, some eyewitnesses challenged the legitimacy of Mahmood's reappointment as the Mahkota, by arguing that they witnessed Sultan Ismail already having lapsed into coma at the time of his appointment as the regent. Records stated that Sultan Ismail lapsed into a coma on 8 May, three days before his death. Relations with the Menteri Besar of Johor, Othman Saat deteriorated when the latter questioned Iskandar's legitimacy to the throne, which led to an incident which saw the Sultan issuing an order to the Menteri Besar to vacate his office within 24 hours, shortly after Sultan Ismail's death, citing that he needed that office space for himself. The Menteri Besar heeded his order, though the Sultan did not move in as he had said. Othman Saat subsequently resigned the following year as the Menteri Besar. In 1972, Mahmood was charged with assault for using chemical mace on two men for overtaking his car and was convicted for his offence the following year. A year later, reports surfaced of another similar attack on a young couple, when Iskandar, together with his bodyguard, attacked them after they allegedly offended him. Another incident took place at about this time when Mahmood restrained two policemen in a dog kennel for a day after they had angered him. Five years later, Mahmood was charged and convicted for manslaughter for shooting and killing a man near his private helicopter, whom he took to be a smuggler. In both cases, his father, Sultan Ismail, intervened and granted official pardons to Mahmood. Similarly, his eldest son, Tunku Ibrahim Ismail, was convicted in the 1980s for shooting a man to death in a nightclub during a feud, but was quickly pardoned. In 1987, Sultan Iskandar was further accused of causing the death of a golf caddy in the Cameron Highlands by assault, following an incident in which the golf caddy laughed when the Sultan missed a shot. Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first Prime Minister, pointed out that the Sultan, at the time serving as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, could not be prosecuted due to immunity that was accorded to rulers, while at the same time condemning Sultan Iskandar's actions. Eventually, the matter passed without much further public attention. The brother of the caddy – who also suffered injuries during the incident, being distressed from what he saw, subsequently ran amok in Kuala Lumpur and had to be quarantined in a mental hospital. In late 1992, two separate assault cases by the Sultan as well as his younger son, Tunku Abdul Majid Idris, on hockey coaches culminated in the stripping of immunity of rulers from prosecution. Both cases received considerable attention in the local and international news which was dubbed as "The Gomez Incident". The incident was kicked off on 10 July 1992, when Sultan Iskandar's second son, the Tunku Bendahara– Tunku Abdul Majid Idris, lost his temper during a hockey match with the Perak hockey team after Perak won the match by a penalty stroke, and assaulted the Perak goalkeeper, Mohamed Ja'afar Mohamed Vello. The goalkeeper later lodged a police report on 30 July. The incident received public attention, especially when the matter was debated in parliament. The incident resulted in the Malaysian Hockey Federation issuing Majid — then second-in line to the throne after his elder brother — a ban of five years from participating in any tournaments following investigations. Tunku Abdul Majid was later convicted of assault in January 1993, of which the chief justice sentenced him to a year in prison, on top of a RM 2,000 fine. He was released on a bail, and these charges were later dropped on grounds of immunity, which was still applicable at the time when the act was committed. The Sultan responded to the ban by putting pressure on the state authorities to pull Johorean hockey teams from all national tournaments. In November 1992, Douglas Gomez, a coach for the Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar field hockey team, expressed his displeasure at being called to withdraw from a semi-final national hockey match by the Director of the Johor Education Department. The incident attracted the attention of the Sultan, who personally summoned Gomez to his palace, the Istana Bukit Serene, where he was promptly reprimanded and assaulted by the Sultan. Following Gomez's meeting with the Sultan, Gomez sought treatment to his face and stomach. Subsequently, he lodged a police report against the Sultan for assault. Gomez elaborated that the Sultan's bodyguards and members of the Johor Military Force present were merely onlookers, and that the Sultan was solely responsible for the injuries. The assault resulted in a public outcry over the event which pressured all levels of the government up to the top ranks of the federal government to investigate into the matter. In the closing months of 1992, and also the opening months of 1993, dozens of articles mentioning misdeeds by the royal families of several states–but in particular Sultan Iskandar himself were published. A good deal of these alleged misdeeds that were mentioned included the charging of exorbitant fines–way above the prescribed legal limits–upon offenders who had obstructed the Sultan's car, amongst others. Sultan Iskandar, bore the brunt of the backlash by the numerous references centred towards alleged acts of criminal wrongdoings even though many of the listed acts were committed by other members of the royal family. The criticisms roused by the press prompted Members of Parliament of the Dewan Rakyat to convene a special session on 10 December 1992. All 96 parliamentarians present passed a unanimous resolution which called for action to curb the powers of the rulers if necessary. During the special meeting, parliamentarians disclosed past criminal records of Sultan Iskandar and his two sons, all of whom had been involved in a total of at least 23 cases of assault and manslaughter, five of which were committed by the Sultan after 1981, two by the Mahkota and three by the Bendahara. A bill was passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara on 19 and 20 January 1993 respectively. The bill, which proposed to remove legal immunity was approved by six out of nine sultans—but saw stiff opposition from three, two of which included Sultan Ismail Petra of Kelantan and the Sultan Iskandar himself. Sultan Iskandar took up the initiative to obtain more royal support to stall the implementation of the proposed bill. The bill, which proposed to strip rulers and members of the royal families of legal immunity, would make them prosecutable by the law in any cases of proven criminal wrongdoings. Sultan Iskandar organised a rally which was to be held outside the palace with the aim of garnering public support to stall the bill's implementation. However, this was cancelled after intense pressure from the government. A report made during the rally quoted Sultan Iskandar calling upon all local civil servants to boycott state and federal functions in a show of support for his motion. Meanwhile, the federal government continued to pressure the rulers into assenting to the bills, which they did after several revisions of the bill were made by the government. Following which, the proposed bill was enshrined into the Federal Constitution in March 1993. The bill allowed rulers who violated the laws to be prosecuted, while the Sedition Act of 1948 was also amended to allow public criticism of the rulers. A special court was created–presided by the Lord President of the Federal Court–to empower and prosecute members of the rulers and immediate members of the royal household. Sultan Iskandar and his family members were not prosecuted for their past violations of the law on grounds that the royal immunity was still applicable when those incidents occurred. Nevertheless, shortly after the incident, Sultan Iskandar was prompted to take steps to rehabilitate his public image, which was more or less tarnished by the incident. In a public speech shortly after the episode, the Sultan was noted to have somewhat toned down his hardline image and appeared to be somewhat more humble, appealing to Johoreans to maintain their loyalty to him. The Gomez incident also led to a review and proposal by the Federal Government in August 1993 to disband the Johor Military Forces (JMF). However, the bill to disband the JMF was subsequently repealed by parliament. Shortly before his election as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong in 1983, a spate of reports alleging Sultan Iskandar's intention to launch a coup d'état by launching a state of emergency to overthrow the government circulated within political circles, which reached Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad. The Sultan reportedly fostered close relations with several key military personnel, including the Army chief Jeneral Zain Hashim. The government subsequently took action to curb constitutional loopholes within the constitution and took to task of reducing the power of the royal veto in passing legislation, culminating in a constitutional crisis in late 1983. Nevertheless, during his inaugural speech as the Agong in 1984, about a month after the constitutional amendments were passed in parliament, Sultan Iskandar voiced public support for the revised constitution and pledged to act in accordance to the Prime Minister's advise. A diplomatic scandal between the United Kingdom and Malaysia broke out in 1984, when several British newspapers published pieces on Sultan Iskandar's coronation, citing the headlines such as "Killer becomes King" and "King a Killer", which enraged the Malaysian government, who demanded an apology from the British government. The British government refused to apologise on behalf of the newspapers, triggering tensions between the two countries. Two months later, in June 1984, Sultan Iskandar in his capacity as the Agong, surprised the Malaysian public when he publicly called upon Deputy Prime Minister, Musa Hitam, to make a public apology in front of the entire congregation present at the National Mosque. Sultan Iskandar, on his part, was angry over remarks which Musa made during the course of the 1983 constitutional crisis that he deemed to be disrespectful. Musa abided to the Agong's demand and boldly came forward to make the apology, which was greeted by a thunderous applause from the entire congregation. The event, which was broadcast live throughout the nation on Malaysian Radio (although the television stations abruptly terminated its broadcast halfway), was seen by many observers as an act of confrontation by the Agong to put Musa in his place. In 1988, also serving in his capacity as the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong, the Lord President of the Federal Court Tun Salleh Abas was sacked by the Agong in what led to the 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis. However, observers suggested a remarkably warm relationship between Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and the Agong, both of whom shared common resentment towards the chief justice, Salleh Abas. In 1973, Iskandar was convicted of assault and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, to which Salleh Abas served as the public prosecutor hearing the case. As the public prosecutor, Salleh had appealed to the chief justice, Raja Azlan Shah, for handing down a heavier sentence for Iskandar, which earned his wrath. The sacking of the Lord President, was however not without controversy, given the alleged manner in which the Agong and Prime Minister had handled the matter–including an incident which the Agong had refused to forgive the Lord President in spite of Salleh's willingness to offer his apology to the Agong, which he turned down. Sultan Iskandar's public call to support Abdullah Badawi's administration in October 2006 created a minor stir among Mahathir's supporters, when he remarked that "Mahathir should act like a pensioner". The call came at a time when Mahathir's spate of criticisms against Abdullah's was at its most intense. The Sultan was the first state ruler to publicly defend the policy of the government during the period of Mahathir's criticisms against the Abdullah administration. Earlier sources however, noted Sultan Iskandar's concerns with the deepening rift between Mahathir and Abdullah and had asked to be photographed together with the two leaders during the United Malays National Organisations (UMNO) 60th anniversary celebrations in Johor Bahru. A month later, in November 2006, another small stir erupted during the launching ceremony of the Iskandar Development Region, when Sultan Iskandar voiced his opinion that the Causeway, which connects Johor and Singapore, should be removed to allow ships to pass through to promote development of the state. He also remarked that the people should be wary of all foreigners as they were "vultures" and also urged the people not to hold them in high regard, citing his displeasure that his ancestors were "deceived" by dirty tactics employed by colonialists to build the Causeway. At the inaugural 12th Johor State Assembly Seating in April 2008, a minor controversy erupted when one opposition state assemblyman (ADUN), Gwee Tong Hiang, flouted dress regulations by appearing in a lounge suit and tie instead of the usual official attire and songkok. This resulted in him being dismissed from the assembly chamber shortly before the Sultan's arrival. Gwee, a Democratic Action Party (DAP) ADUN, reportedly argued that there was no stated order to wear the official attire and songkok and stated his desire to wear a western suit, promptly drew flak from other ADUNs and the Menteri Besar, Abdul Ghani Othman who had earlier on met to agree to don in the official attire and songkok prior to the assembly, whereby Gwee was absent. The Sultan, apparently angry at Gwee, sharply criticised him two days later and publicly called upon Gwee to seek an audience with him. During his time as the Agong, Sultan Iskandar was often seen in public carrying a pistol in his waistband, which drew considerable concern and discomfort from the Malaysian public due to his past record of criminal offences. He was also reputed to have led a flamboyant lifestyle, which also drew similar criticism. He was also known to be a motorbike enthusiast; documentaries on national patriotism would feature Sultan Iskandar, the then-Agong, riding out on a police motorbike and his flamboyant appearance during a few public ceremonies. These documentaries drew criticisms from the Malaysian public, who felt that the television clips of Sultan Iskandar were inappropriate for its theme and national image. In 1956, Mahmood married Josephine Ruby Trevorrow, from Cornwall, United Kingdom, with whom he had four children, including his successor, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor, King of Malaysia (as of 31 Jan 2024), and Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. The marriage ended in divorce in 1962. He married again in 1961 – shortly before his divorce to Trevorrow, to Tengku Zanariah, who came from the Kelantan royal family. Tengku Zanariah had six children with the Sultan. Analysts such as Kate Wharton have observed that any literal references to Trevorrow's association with Sultan Iskandar were carefully omitted in all official biographies. As a youth, Mahmood qualified as a pilot, having trained in handling light and medium aircraft and helicopters. He was also apt in handling motorcycles, reportedly possessing the skills to strip a motorcycle down to its component parts and then reassemble it. The Sultan is also well-known for his passion in many types of open-air sports, especially polo and golf. In his later years, he spent much of his free time at the Royal Johor Country Club. In addition, he also played tennis and squash on a regular basis. Within private circles, Sultan Iskandar was fondly known as "Moody", a testimony to his first name "Mahmud." His son, Abdul Majid, inherited his interest in amateur golf and once served as the President of the Malaysian Golf Association. He kept a large collection of pets, particularly peacocks, at the Istana Bukit Serene compound, where he lived with the Sultanah. In his youth, Iskandar resided at the Istana Bukit Coombe, located at the top of Coombe Hill. It was built based on Dutch architectural designs, and was later renamed Istana Bukit Iskandar. The palace was later demolished in 1987, six years after Sultan Iskandar succeeded his late father as Sultan. He made a personal friendship with Philippine opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. His son picked Aquino up at Changi airport and drove to Johor where he and Aquino had a meeting with the latter days before the former Philippine senator was assassinated. Mahmood Iskandar had ten children, the elder four by his first wife Khalsom binti Abdullah and the younger six by his second wife Tengku Zanariah. After undergoing a coronary bypass operation in the United States in 2000, close aides reported that Sultan Iskandar slowed down somewhat in his pace of life and took to playing golf only on an occasional basis. A bout of bronchitis in January 2008 saw the Sultan being briefly admitted and treated in a local hospital. Sultan Iskandar died on 22 January 2010 at 7:15 pm at the Puteri Specialist Hospital, Johor Bahru after being admitted earlier in the day following an illness at age 77. His death was officially announced at 11:20 pm by Menteri Besar of Johor Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman it was also announced that flags flags in Johor would be put at mast Johor starting from 6:00 am until 6:00 pm. He was brought to the Istana Besar, Johor Bahru for laying in state and was buried in the Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum the next day at 2:00 pm. Before that, the public was allowed to pay their last respects to Sultan Iskandar from early morning. Among the royal family and other dignitaries present to give their last respects was the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Nur Zahirah, the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, the Raja of Perlis Sirajuddin, the Sultan of Pahang Ahmad Shah, the Sultan of Kedah Abdul Halim, the Sultan of Perak Azlan Shah, the Sultan of Selangor Sharafuddin, the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Muhriz, the Regent of Perlis Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Abdullah, and the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra. Prime Minister Najib Razak, cut his visit to India short to attend his funeral. Also present were Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. His son the Tunku Mahkota of Johor Ibrahim Ismail was proclaimed Sultan of Johor on 23 January. Several projects and institutions were named after the Sultan, including: Institute Sultan Iskandar of Urban Habitat and Highrise, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia SMK Tunku Mahmood Iskandar, Sungai Mati, Muar SMK Mahmood Iskandar, Parit Saidi, Batu Pahat SK Tengku Mahmood Iskandar 1 and 2, Pontian Sultan Iskandar Building, a customs, immigration and quarantine complex opened in December 2008 Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Kota Tinggi district office of the Malaysian Public Works Department Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Federal government headquarters for Youth and Sports in Sarawak, located in Kuching, Sarawak. Dewan Sultan Iskandar, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Sultan Iskandar Planetarium, the first planetarium in Malaysia, located in Kuching Civic Centre, Kuching, Sarawak Sultan Iskandar Broadcasting Complex, headquarters of Johor FM at Jalan Datin Halimah Pusat Islam Iskandar Johor, the Johor Islamic Centre in Johor Bahru Masjid Iskandar, a mosque at Kem Iskandar, a Commando military camp in Mersing. Sultan Iskandar Mosque, a mosque at Mersing and Bandar Dato' Onn Mosque of Kota Iskandar, a state mosque in Kota Iskandar, Iskandar Puteri Sultan Iskandar Power Station, Pasir Gudang Sultan Iskandar Reservoir, a water reservoir east of Johor Bahru Iskandar Coastal Bridge Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar, a stretch of the Iskandar Coastal Highway from Danga Bay to Iskandar Puteri Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar (formerly Lebuhraya Mahameru), part of the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1 in Kuala Lumpur Jalan Sultan Iskandar, a major road in Bintulu, Sarawak Iskandar Johor Open, an Asian Tour golf tournament funded by Johor Iskandar Malaysia, formerly the Iskandar Development Region Kota Iskandar (formerly Johor State New Administrative Centre (JSNAC)) is an administrative centre for the Government of Johor located at Iskandar Puteri Kem Iskandar, a Commando military camp in Mersing Iskandar Puteri, a planned city which was formerly known as Nusajaya Taman Iskandar, a housing estate near Pasir Pelangi, Johor Bahru Sultan Iskandar Deep Sea Park, a deep sea park in Pulau Mensirip, Mersing. Pertandingan Menembak Piala Sultan Iskandar One of his grandsons (the son of his second son, Abdul Majid), Mahmood Iskandar, was named after him. Some of his children and grandchildren are also similarly named after his forebears, notably his older son, Ibrahim, who was named after the Sultan's grandfather, Sultan Ibrahim. Sultan Iskandar also followed his grandfather's and father's footsteps of using the royal monogram "S.I.". The monogram's letters represent the initials of their title and names respectively. He was awarded: Second Class (DK II, 8.5.1959), First Class (DK I, 28.10.1959) and Grand Master of the Royal Family Order of Johor First Class (SPMJ, 28.10.1967) and Grand Master of the Order of the Crown of Johor Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Loyalty of Sultan Ismail (28.10.1975, SSIJ) Sultan Ibrahim Coronation Medal (PSI 1st class) Star of Sultan Ismail (BSI 1st class) Sultan Ismail Coronation Medal (1960) Malaysia (as Yang di-Pertuan Agong): Recipient of Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia (DKM) (1984) Recipient (1987) and Grand Master (1984-1989) of the Order of the Crown of the Realm Grand Master (1984-1989) of the Order of the Defender of the Realm Grand Master (1984-1989) of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia Grand Master (1984-1989) of the Order of Merit of Malaysia Grand Master (1984-1989) of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia Kelantan: Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kelantan (DK) (1984) Kedah: Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kedah (DK) (1985) Negeri Sembilan: Member of the Royal Family Order of Negeri Sembilan (DKNS) (1985) Pahang: First Class Member of the Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK I) (1990) Perlis: Recipient of the Perlis Family Order of the Gallant Prince Syed Putra Jamalullail (DK) Terengganu: Member of the first class of the Family Order of Terengganu (DK) (1982) Selangor: First Class of the Royal Family Order of Selangor (DK I) (1985) Sabah: Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima Malacca: Grand Commander of the Premier and Exalted Order of Malacca (DUNM) – Datuk Seri Utama (1988) Brunei: First Class of the Family Order of Laila Utama (DK) – Dato Laila Utama (1972) Recipient of the Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (DKMB) (1988) South Korea: Grand Cross in the Grand Order of Mugunghwa (03 November 1988) Indonesia: Star of the Republic of Indonesia (1st Class) (1987) Thailand: Knight of the Order of the Rajamitrabhorn (KRM) (1985) Sultan Iskandar is a fourth generation descendant of Sultan Abu Bakar, who in turn was the son of Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim, the Temenggong of Johor.[η] In turn, some of Daeng Ibrahim's patrilineal ancestors were also Temenggongs of Johor serving under their respective sultans. It is from this ancestral heritage that the name of his dynasty, the Temenggong dynasty, comes from. The Temenggong dynasty is also related to the prior ruling Bendahara dynasty as genealogical records show that Sultan Abdul Jalil IV was also a direct patrilineal ancestor of Sultan Iskandar. α. ^ Al-Mutawakkil Alallah (also spelled in Arabic as Motawakkil Alallah), which means "He who puts his trust in God" is an Islamic title used by the Sultan. (Najeebabadi, pg 465) β. ^ In Islamic cultures, the title Al-Marhum means "to one whom mercy has been shown. This is used for Muslim rulers who are deceased. (Schimmel (1989), pg 59) γ. a b c His first name, Mahmud, is also sometimes spelled as Mahmood by some sources. Bowker-Saur, pg 297 δ. ^ In Malaysian royalty, ibni means "son of" in English, derived from the Arabic term "ibn. Most laymen would otherwise use the term "bin" to denote "son of" in their names. Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (1978), pg 390 ε. ^ Section B Planning and Implementation, Part 3 Physical Planning Initiatives, CHAPTER 13, Johor Bahru City Centre, Iskandar Malaysia, pg 6, "... This was followed later by the 21st Sultan of Johor – Sultan Abu Bakar (1862–1895) who laid the foundation for developing Johor into a modern state. ..." NB: Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor is the great-grandfather of Sultan Iskandar. ζ. ^ On Sultan Iskandar's 69th birthday, various companies and organisations published congratulatory advertisements wishing him well for the birthday. In these advertisements, the Sultan was addressed by his honorary titles and name: Duli Yang Maha Mulia Baginda Al Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail, D.K. Sultan Dan Yang Dipertuan Bagi Negeri Dan Jajahan Takluk Johor Darul Ta'zim. (His first name "Mahmud" was not mentioned.) Advertisements, 8 April 2001, pg 2–3, 5–7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17–19, New Sunday Times Special (Sultan of Johor's Birthday) η. ^ The Temenggong is a high-ranking Malay official in ancient times, who is responsible to the Sultan. The duty of the Temenggong is to maintain law and order within the kingdom. In the case of Johor during the 19th century, the Sultan's powers were gradually diminished over the decades and it was under Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim when his authority supersedes those of the Sultan, effectively becoming Johor's paramount ruler. (Sardesai (1989), pg 58)

10. Hussein Onn (1922 - 1990)

With an HPI of 57.06, Hussein Onn is the 10th most famous Malaysian Politician. His biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Tun Hussein bin Dato' Onn (Jawi: حسين بن عون; 12 February 1922 – 29 May 1990) was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who served as the third Prime Minister of Malaysia from the death of his predecessor Abdul Razak Hussein in 1976 to his retirement in 1981. Moreover, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sri Gading from 1974 to 1981, representing Barisan Nasional (BN) and United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). He was granted the soubriquet Father of Unity (Bapa Perpaduan). Hussein bin Onn was born on 12 February 1922 in Johor Bahru to Onn Jaafar (1895–1962) and Halimah Hussein (1900–1988). His father was a fighter for Malaysian independence and co-founder of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). Hussein's grandfather, Jaafar Haji Muhammad, was the first Menteri Besar of Johor while his grandmother, Rogayah Hanim, came from the Caucasus region of Ottoman Empire. She was likely presented as a concubine (see Circassian beauties) by the Ottoman court to the Sultan of Johor. Additionally, Hussein was the brother-in-law of Abdul Razak Hussein, his predecessor as prime minister, for whom Hussein wed Suhailah Noah, a daughter of first Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Mohamed Noah Omar, in 1948. Abdul Razak was also concurrently married to another of Mohamed Noah's daughter, Rahah Noah. Hussein and Suhaila had six children, including their fourth child, Hishammuddin Hussein, who is a senior UMNO politician since the 1990s. Their eldest daughter, Datin Roquaiya Hanim (born 1950), died on 17 September 2006 from breast cancer. Hussein received his early education at Telok Kurau Primary School, Singapore, and at the English College Johore Bahru. After leaving school, he joined the Johor Military Forces as a cadet in 1940 and was sent a year later to the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, India. Upon completion of his training, he was absorbed into the Indian Army and served in the Middle East when the Second World War broke out. His vast experience prompted the British to employ him as an instructor at the Malayan Police Recruiting and Training Centre in Rawalpindi. Hussein came back to Malaya in 1945 and was appointed Commandant of the Johor Bahru Police Depot. The following year, he joined the Malaya Civil Service as an assistant administrative officer in Segamat, Johor. He was later posted to the state of Selangor, becoming Klang and Kuala Selangor's district officer. Hussein, who came from a family with a deep nationalistic spirit and political roots, resigned from the civil service to go into politics. In 1949, he became the first youth chief of UMNO, a party his father helped establish. In 1950, he was elected UMNO secretary general. Hussein, however, left UMNO in 1951 to join his father in forming the Independence of Malaya Party (IMP). With IMP losing momentum, Hussein went to London to study law and was called to the Bar and admitted as a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, qualifying as a Barrister-at-Law. He came back as a certified lawyer and practised in Kuala Lumpur. Hussein returned to politics by rejoining UMNO in 1968, persuaded to do so by then-Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein. He stood and won the general elections in 1969 and was appointed as the Education Minister. Hussein's meteoric rise continued on 13 August 1973, when he took over as Deputy Prime Minister, succeeding Ismail Abdul Rahman, who died in office due to a heart attack. On 15 January 1976, Hussein, who was the Deputy Prime Minister, was appointed as Prime Minister after the death of his predecessor, Abdul Razak. Hussein underwent a coronary bypass in early 1981. His deputy, Mahathir Mohamad become acting prime minister. On 17 July, the same year, Hussein retired from active politics and resigned from the office of prime minister due to health concerns. He was succeeded by Mahathir. Hussein died on 29 May 1990 of heart disease at Seton Medical Center in South San Francisco, California, at the age of 68. He was buried next to his predecessor, Abdul Razak, at Makam Pahlawan near Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur. Hussein Onn era took the easy way out by putting opposition leaders into detention without trial, banning public rallies and controlling all the media. Malaysia : Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) – Tun (1981) Johor : First Class of the Sultan Ibrahim Medal (PIS I) Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor (SPMJ) – Dato' (1972) Knight Grand Companion of the Order of Loyalty of Sultan Ismail of Johor (SSIJ) – Dato' (1975) Grand Commander of the Royal Family Order of Johor (DK I) (1976) Selangor : Second Class Member of the Royal Family Order of Selangor (DK II) (1977) Terengganu : Member First Class of the Family Order of Terengganu (DK I) (1977) Kelantan : Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kelantan (DK) Perak : Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (SPCM) – Dato' Seri (1976) Negeri Sembilan : Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (SPNS) – Dato' Seri Utama (1980) Pahang : Grand Knight of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (SIMP) – formerly Dato', now Dato' Indera (1975) Sabah : Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (1974) Sarawak : Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DP) – Datuk Patinggi Penang : Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (1977) Several places were named after him, including: Bandar Tun Hussein Onn, a township in Cheras, Hulu Langat, Selangor KG29 Bandar Tun Hussein Onn MRT station Desa Tun Hussein Onn, a Malaysian Armed Forces residential area near Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur Tun Hussein Onn Jamek Mosque, a mosque in Larkin, Johor, Johor Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia (UTHM) Batu Pahat, Johor Institut Pendidikan Tun Hussein Onn (IPTHO) Batu Pahat, Johor Kolej Tun Hussein Onn, a residential college at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor Kolej Tun Hussein Onn, a residential college at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Kolej Tun Hussein Onn, a residential college at Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kuala Perlis, Perlis Kolej Tun Hussein Onn, a residential college at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Machang, Kelantan SMK Tun Hussein Onn (SMKTHO), a secondary school in Kluang, Johor SMK Tun Hussein Onn (SMKTHO), a secondary school in Seberang Jaya, Penang SK Tun Hussein Onn (SKTHO), a primary school in Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Tun Hussein Onn Highway, part of the Penang Bridge, Penang Jalan Tun Hussein Onn, a major road in Putrajaya Jalan Tun Hussein Onn, a road in Seberang Jaya, Penang Jalan Tun Hussein, a road in Felda Ayer Tawar, Kota Tinggi, Johor Jalan Tun Hussein Onn, a road in Taman Tinggi, Sibu, Sarawak Tun Hussein Onn Hockey Cup Dewan Tun Hussein Onn, Putra World Trade Centre Tun Hussein Onn Memorial, a memorial in Kuala Lumpur SMK Desa Tun Hussein Onn (SMKDTHO), a secondary school in Desa Tun Hussein Onn, Kuala Lumpur SK Desa Tun Hussein Onn (SKDTHO), a primary school in Desa Tun Hussein Onn, Kuala Lumpur

People

Pantheon has 31 people classified as Malaysian politicians born between 1895 and 1969. Of these 31, 13 (41.94%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Malaysian politicians include Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah of Pahang, and Anwar Ibrahim. The most famous deceased Malaysian politicians include Tunku Abdul Rahman, Abdul Halim of Kedah, and Abdul Razak Hussein. As of April 2024, 3 new Malaysian politicians have been added to Pantheon including Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, and Penny Wong.