Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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عبد الله احمد بدوي | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Abdullah in 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th Prime Minister of Malaysia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 31 October 2003 – 2 April 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarchs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Najib Razak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Mahathir Mohamad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Najib Razak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6thPresident of the United Malays National Organisation (ex officio: Chairman ofBarisan Nasional) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 31 October 2003 – 3 April 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Najib Razak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Mahathir Mohamad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Najib Razak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi (1939-11-26)26 November 1939 Bayan Lepas,Penang,Straits Settlements,British Malaya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 14 April 2025(2025-04-14) (aged 85) Titiwangsa,Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Resting place | Makam Pahlawan,Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | UMNO (1964–2025) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations |
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| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations |
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| Children | 4 (includingNori)[note 2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards | Full list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi (Jawi:عبد الله بن احمد بدوي,Malay pronunciation:[/ʌbˈdʊlɑːˈɑːhmədbɑːˈdɑːwi/]; 26 November 1939 – 14 April 2025), also known asPak Lah,[note 3] was a Malaysian politician and civil servant who served as the fifthprime minister of Malaysia from 2003 to 2009. A member ofUMNO, he was theparty's president from 2004 to 2009, and also led the rulingBarisan Nasional coalition during his premiership. Abdullah was granted the soubriquet "Father of Human Capital Development" ("Bapa Pembangunan Modal Insan") of Malaysia.
Born inBayan Lepas,Penang, Abdullah graduated fromUniversity of Malaya (UM). He starting his own career as acivil servant, served almost 14 years in theMalaysian Government as theAdministrative and Diplomatic Officer (PTD) from 1964 until 1978.[1] After he resigned from being PTD, he served as theMember of Parliament (MP) forKepala Batas for eight consecutive terms from 1978 to 2013. He also served in various ministeries such asMinistry of Federal Territories,Minister in the Prime Minister's Department,Minister of Education,Minister of Defence,Minister of Foreign Affairs, before he was promoted toDeputy Prime Minister byMahathir Mohamad. After Mahathir resigned in 2003, Abdullah took over and selectedNajib 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 ofIslam Hadhari. He led theNinth Malaysia Plan to allocated substantial funds for national development, including RM10 billion forcorridor initiatives, RM3 billion forfood security, and RM2 billion forrural infrastructure. He launched major economic corridors such as theEast Coast Economic Region (ECER) and theSabah 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 tosignificant electoral setbacks for theruling coalition.
Under his administration, he faced criticism for decliningpress freedom, with Malaysia's ranking dropping from 104th to 132nd in theReporters Without Borders press freedom index between 2003 and 2008. The government's control over media outlets and the use of laws like theInternal Security Act (ISA) to detain journalists and bloggers highlighted the limitations on media freedom during his tenure.[2] 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 aJudicial Appointments Commission to ensure a more transparent and representative process for nominating, appointing, and promoting judges, acknowledging the need to restore public trust in thejudiciary.[3]
Abdullah was born on 26 November 1939[4][5] in Kampung Perlis,Bayan Lepas,Penang, into a prominent religious family. His paternal grandfather,Syeikh Abdullah Badawi Fahim, was ofHadrami descent and was a respected religious scholar and nationalist. He was among the founding members ofHizbul Muslimin, which later evolved into the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), and served as the firstMufti of Penang following Malaysia’s independence.[6][7]
His father, Ahmad Badawi, was a religious teacher and active member ofUMNO. His mother, Kailan Haji Hassan, died in Kuala Lumpur on 2 February 2004 at the age of 80.[8] Abdullah's maternal grandfather, Ha Su-chiang (simplified Chinese:哈苏璋;traditional Chinese:哈蘇璋;pinyin:Hā Sūzhāng), also known as Hassan Salleh, was anUtsul Muslim fromSanya, Hainan.[9][10][11][12][13]
Abdullah received his early education at Permatang Bertam Primary School,Kepala Batas from 1947. Then, he continued his secondary education atBukit Mertajam High School and later attendedMethodist Boys' School, Penang for his sixth form. In 1964, he graduated from theUniversity of Malaya with a Bachelor of Arts degree inIslamic Studies.[14]
After graduating from the University of Malaya, he joined theMalaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Corps (PTD) in 1964.[15] He served as Director of Youth's Ministry Department at theMinistry of Youth and Sport as well as member of theNational Operations Council (MAGERAN). He resigned in 1978 to become a member of parliament for his constituency of Kepala Batas in northernSeberang Perai (which had also been represented by his father).[16]
After Abdullah was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) forKepala Batas in1978 general election, he served as theparliamentary secretary to the minister of federal territories from 1978 until 1980 anddeputy minister of federal territories from 1980 until 1981. Brought on as aminister without portfolio in 1981,[17] he was responsible for the implementation of theLook East policy.[18]
When a dispute erupted within theUnited Malays National Organisation (UMNO) divided it into two camps, colloquially known as 'Team A' and 'Team B', comprising Mahathir loyalists and supporters of former finance ministerTengku Razaleigh Hamzah and former deputy prime ministerMusa Hitam, Abdullah was removed from his position as defence minister. However, he did not join the now-defunctSemangat 46 (Spirit 46) splinter party set up by Tengku Razaleigh. Instead, Mahathir brought Abdullah into the pro tem committee of the reconstituted UMNO (Baru) or New UMNO as its vice-president upon the party's founding in February 1988.[citation needed] During a cabinet reshuffle in 1991, Mahathir brought him back into government as theminister of foreign affairs.[citation needed] Despite losing the vice presidency in the1993 UMNO elections, he remained in government.[citation needed]
In January 1999, Abdullah was appointed acting deputy president in UMNO and deputy prime minister, replacingAnwar Ibrahim in both roles after the latter was removed removed from government, expelled from UMNO, and arrested, sparking theReformasi movement. Chosen by Mahathir as his candidate for deputy president in the2000 United Malays National Organisation leadership election, Abdullah was perceived as a political lightweight that did not possess enough political influence or support to challenge Mahathir's preeminence within the party. This was attributed to his refusal to engage inmoney politics, which prevented him from building a base. The election was held under rules that prohibited anyone else from contesting the positions of president and deputy president.[19]
.jpg) Abdullah in 2008 | |
| Abdullah Ahmad Badawi 31 October 2003 – 2 April 2009 | |
| Monarchs | Sirajuddin Mizan Zainal Abidin |
|---|---|
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | |
| Cabinet | |
| Party | BN–UMNO |
| Election | |
| Seat | Seri Perdana |
Becoming prime minister after Mahathir's resignation in October 2003, Abdullah entered office espousing apopulist reform agenda. Some of his first acts in government were to shelve several mega-projects initiated under Mahathir that were perceived as wasteful and associated with political corruption, establish aroyal commission to investigate allegations of corruption in thepolice force and propose reform, and introduce a code of ethics requiring cabinet ministers and elected representatives to declare their assets. Multiple anti-corruption investigations were also launched against government officials and businessmen that resulted in arrests. He also broke with past practice and appointed professionals to headgovernment-linked companies instead of politicians, calling for an end to the culture of the "iron rice bowl" and towards a culture rewarding performance.[20]
Abdullah's personal popularity, as well as a nonconfrontational style of government that was favourably compared to his predecessor's perceived authoritarianism, delivered him a resounding victory in the2004 Malaysian general election, where his Barisan Nasional coalition secured 198 out of 219 available seats.[21] However, observers noted thatredelineation exercises the previous year under Mahathir also played a factor in the scale of victory.[22]
The momentum of reform slowed after the 2004 general election, and Malaysia's ranking in that year'sCorruption Perceptions Index fell two places from 37th to 39th. The continued prevalence of money politics in the2004 UMNO election, coupled with an abortive attempt to appoint Abdullah's son-in-law,Khairy Jamaluddin, to head a government-linked company cast a shadow on the former's reform agenda, which faltered with the defeat of his supporters in the party's leadership election by conservative elements; the party itself was resistant to the kind of reform Abdullah wanted to institute as its organisation and the loyalties of its middle- and lower-rung leaders relied onpolitical patronage that took the form of government contracts and development funds.[23]
Instead, Abdullah shifted towards attempting a reform ofpolitical culture within the country, introducing the concept ofIslam Hadhari, a moderate-to-progressive interpretation of Islam that called for religious tolerance and modernity. Crucially, it appropriated what had been the oppositionMalaysian Islamic Party (PAS)'s themes of social justice and distributive equality that had helped them secure electoral gains against UMNO in the1999 Malaysian general election.[24]
On the economic front, Malaysia experienced steady economic growth throughout Abdullah's years in office, but inflation remained a persistent issue. Under his administration, theMalaysian ringgit's peg to theUS Dollar was ended in 2005. The agricultural sector, traditionally neglected in favour of the industrial and services industries, received significant investment from Abdullah's government.[25] When rising costs led to the government loweringpetrol subsidies in 2006, street protests were launched in response. These were violently dispersed by riot police. Further plans for restructuring government subsidies in the face of rising fuel prices internationally also faced criticism as Malaysia was at the time a net exporter of petroleum and natural gas.[26] TheNinth Malaysia Plan launched by Abdullah covering government expenditure from 2006 to 2010 retained much of the costly and divisivepositive discriminatory measures introduced by theNew Economic Policy.[27]
By 2007, a slew of scandals had left a severe dent in public confidence in Abdullah's premiership. These included the acquittal of businessman Eric Chia, among the first to be arrested in the anti-corruption drive at the beginning of Abdullah's premiership, the murder ofShaariibuugiin Altantuyaa by two members of the police, which implicated deputy prime ministerNajib Razak, as well as corruption allegations leveled against government ministers, theanti-corruption agency chief,inspector general of police, and thechief justice, among others.[28][23] Abdullah himself was also accused of engaging innepotism.[29] Mahathir had also began to openly criticise Abdullah after the latter cancelled a major infrastructure project in 2006, one of the last decided upon by Mahathir before he left office, going as far as saying he regretted choosing Abdullah as his successor.[27][30] Conversely, his administration's decision to resume a number of high-profile mega-projects such as theBakun Dam elicited public criticism in the face of rising costs of living.[29][23]
Malay nationalist sentiment was also played up by leading UMNO politicians such asHishammuddin Hussein, who infamously brandished thekeris, a traditional dagger with cultural significance in three successive UMNO general assemblies, which was interpreted by non-Malay communities as a threat not to encroach on thespecial position of Malays.[31] The continued deterioration of relations between the country's ethnic and religious groups coincided with a rise inIslamist sentiment in the country that the government promoted,[29] with Abdullah openly referring to the country as an "Islamic state".[32]
The government at this time was also rocked by two successive large-scale public protests, the firstfor free-and-fair elections and the second by the country'sIndian minority against racial discrimination. Both were dispersed with the use of tear gas and chemical-laced water cannons by armed riot police.[33][34] As many as 12 members of the opposition were also arrested for their participation in the protests which were deemed illegal.[35]
These events precipitated Barisan Nasional's poor showing in the2008 Malaysian general election held in March, where the ruling coalition lost its two-thirds majority in parliament and control over four state governments to aunited opposition riding on popular discontent. Abdullah and his government's reputation was further damaged in September that year when it invoked theInternal Security Act to arrest opposition parliamentarianTeresa Kok, online bloggerRaja Petra Kamarudin, and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng, which prompted law ministerZaid Ibrahim to resign in opposition.[29]
Faced with an broadly liberal opposition seen as a threat toMalay supremacy, the poor performance of UMNO in the 2008 election also had the effect of strengthening theMalay monarchies that served as symbolic protectors of Malay interests, which contrasted with their previous position during Mahathir's premiership.[36]
In contrast to Mahathir, Abdullah's administration adopted a "moderate and low profile approach" to foreign policy, doing away with the former's confrontational, often anti-Western attitude.[37][38]
Relations with Singapore, with whom the previous administration frequently clashed with over issues such asBatu Puteh and the supply of raw water improved.[37] Meanwhile, relations withMyanmar andThailand cooled as a result of the former'spersecution of Rohingya Muslims and the latter's killings of ethnic Malays during theSouth Thailand insurgency.[39] Malaysia's relations withIndonesia warmed at the beginning of Abdullah's premiership but became increasingly strained later on as cases of mistreatment against Indonesian migrant workers and the Malaysian government's heavy handed approach to illegal Indonesian immigrants elicited public outcry in the neighbouring state.[32]
Abdullah's promotion of Islam Hadhari in the context of theWar on terror was welcomed by theUnited States, with whom the Malaysian government cooperated with in the former's efforts to combat Islamist terrorism internationally. Nevertheless, it opposed the2003 invasion of Iraq. Negotiations for afree trade agreement with the United States began in 2005 but were never concluded.[38] Relations were complicated when it was revealed that a Malaysian companywas manufacturing parts for theLibyan nuclear programme and various Malaysian companies were implicated in smuggling military parts toIran.[40]
During Abdullah's tenure, Malaysia sought closer ties with China and signed several agreements as part of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including theASEAN–China free trade agreement. Malaysia and China also released two joint communiqués and signed amemorandum of understanding on defence cooperation in 2004 and 2005.[38]
Abdullah's government supported both the United States andChina's efforts to resolve the issue of North Korean nuclear proliferation through theSix-Party Talks, and Kuala Lumpur served as a platform for secret meetings and negotiations.[38]
Despite the ongoingDarfur genocide, Abdullah's government continued to invest inSudan's oil industry, in which Malaysia was the second-largest shareholder behind China. Abdullah expressed support for the Sudanese government'spolicy towards Darfur.[41]
Blamed for the coalition's poor performance in the 2008 Malaysian general election, Abdullah was put under increasing pressure to resign as prime minister by coalition partners and UMNO leaders alike. Mahathir's announcement that he was leaving UMNO in May was widely understood as an attempt to force Abdullah's resignation.[42] There were also fears that Sabah and Sarawak-based parties in the Barisan Nasional coalition might switch allegiances to the opposition led byAnwar Ibrahim.[43]
On 10 July 2008, Abdullah announced he would step down as UMNO president and prime minister in 2009. During the UMNO general assembly on 1 April 2009, Abdullah stood down as party president in favour of his deputy,Najib Razak[44] and was succeeded by him as prime minister on 3 April 2009.[45]
Abdullah was subsequently conferred with the title of "Tun" by theKing of Malaysia,Mizan Zainal Abidin for his services to the nation.[46][47]
Abdullah met Endon while he was working at the Federal Establishment Office (now thePublic Service Department) in the 1960s and they were married in 1965. They had two children, a sonKamaluddin Abdullah [ms] and a daughter,Nori Abdullah, who is married toKhairy Jamaluddin. Both Abdullah and Endon had four grandchildren.
On 20 October 2005, Abdullah Badawi's wife,Endon Mahmood, died of breast cancer. Endon discovered the disease in 2003 while her twin sister Noraini, who had earlier been diagnosed with the same illness, died in January 2003. She received treatment in the United States and returned to Malaysia 18 days before her death. She is buried at a Muslim cemetery, atTaman Selatan, Precinct 20,Putrajaya.[48]
On 6 June 2007, the Prime Minister's office announced Abdullah Badawi's marriage toJeanne Abdullah. On 9 June, a private ceremony was conducted at the Prime Minister's residence,Seri Perdana, and attended by close relatives. Jeanne was formerly married to Endon Mahmood’s younger brother. She was also a manager at the Seri Perdana residential complex and has two children from her previous marriage.[49]
Abdullah was criticised for allowing his son-in-law,Khairy Jamaluddin, to become unduly influential inUMNO politics.[50]
Abdullah was also criticised for allowing his brother Fahim Ibrahim Badawi to buy 51 percent of the government-controlled MAS Catering Sdn Bhd. Fahim later sold this stake toLufthansa's LSG Skychef at a huge profit.[51]
He was known also as a poet.[52] His poem, "I Seek Eternal Peace" was translated into more than 80 languages and published as a book.[53]
On 11 September 2022, Abdullah's son-in-law and formerhealth minister,Khairy Jamaluddin, publicly revealed that Abdullah had been battlingdementia and was no longer able to recognise family members or communicate effectively.[54] In the years that followed, his declining health kept him away from the public eye and he required the assistance of a wheelchair.[55] In 2024, he was admitted to the hospital due to spontaneouspneumothorax.[56]
Abdullah died on 14 April 2025 at the age of 85,[57] following complications frommulti-organ failure,[58] at theNational Heart Institute inKuala Lumpur.[59] The next day, his bodylay in state at the main prayer hall of theNational Mosque from 10 am to 1 pm, before being laid to rest at theHeroes' Mausoleum at around 2:30 pm.[60]
.jpg)
The ceremony was attended by numerous dignitaries and royalty, including theSultan of Terengganu,Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Sultan Mahmud, the Tunku Besar of Seri Menanti,Tunku Ali Redhauddin Tuanku Muhriz, theYang di-Pertua Negeri of MalaccaMohd Ali Rustam and his predecessorMohd Khalil Yaakob,[note 4] theYang di-Pertua Negeri of PenangAhmad Fuzi Abdul Razak, theYang di-Pertua Negeri of SabahMusa Aman,Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim,Senior Minister of SingaporeLee Hsien Loong,[note 5]Deputy Prime MinistersAhmad Zahid Hamidi andFadillah Yusof,Speaker of the Dewan RakyatJohari Abdul andInspector-General of PoliceRazarudin Husain.[61][62][63] All four living former prime ministers—Mahathir Mohamad,Najib Razak,Muhyiddin Yassin andIsmail Sabri Yaakob—also paid their final respects.[64][65] ActressMichelle Yeoh and Singaporean musicianRamli Sarip also paid their respects.[66]
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | P035Kepala Batas | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (UMNO) | 12,645 | 62.41% | Musa Mohd. Yatim (PAS) | 7,616 | 37.59% | 21,491 | 5,029 | 81.81% | ||
| 1982 | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (UMNO) | 16,759 | 68.51% | Mohamad Sabu (PAS) | 4,115 | 16.82% | 25,277 | 12,644 | 80.29% | |||
| Khoo Siew Hoe (DAP) | 3,589 | 14.67% | ||||||||||
| 1986 | P038Kepala Batas | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (UMNO) | 15,463 | 69.33% | Ahmad Hasan Salahuddin (PAS) | 6,841 | 30.67% | 22,900 | 8,622 | 75.81% | ||
| 1990 | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (UMNO) | 17,025 | 70.35% | Ahmad Awang (S46) | 7,174 | 29.65% | 24,931 | 9,851 | 80.25% | |||
| 1995 | P041Kepala Batas | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (UMNO) | 22,521 | 82.77% | Naser Mohd Radzi (S46) | 4,687 | 17.23% | 28,301 | 17,834 | 78.39% | ||
| 1999 | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (UMNO) | 19,985 | 69.40% | Abd Khalid Rasid (PAS) | 8,810 | 30.60% | 29,413 | 11,175 | 81.22% | |||
| 2004 | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (UMNO) | 25,403 | 77.72% | Abd Khalid Rasid (PAS) | 7,281 | 22.28% | 33,356 | 18,122 | 84.19% | |||
| 2008 | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (UMNO) | 23,445 | 65.78% | Subri Md Arshad (PAS) | 12,199 | 34.22% | 36,328 | 11,246 | 84.45% | |||
Malaysia :_-_SMN.svg)
Grand Commander of theOrder of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) –Tun (2009)[69].svg)
Officer of theOrder of the Defender of the Realm (KMN) (1975)[70] Member of theOrder of the Defender of the Realm (AMN) (1971)[71]
Recipient of the10th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (1994)[citation needed]
Recipient of the11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (1999)[citation needed]
Recipient of the12th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (2002)[citation needed]
Recipient of the13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (2007)[citation needed]
Recipient of the14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (2012)[citation needed]
Federal Territory (Malaysia) :
Grand Knight of theOrder of the Territorial Crown (SUMW) –Datuk Seri Utama (2010)[72]
Johor :
First Class of theRoyal Family Order of Johor (DK I) (2004)[73]
Kedah :.svg)
Recipient of theKedah Supreme Order of Merit (DUK) (2006)[74]
Kelantan :
Recipient of theRoyal Family Order of Kelantan (DK) (2006)[75]
Malacca :
Knight Grand Commander of thePremier and Exalted Order of Malacca (DUNM) –Datuk Seri Utama (2004)[76]
Negeri Sembilan :
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (SPNS) –Dato' Seri Utama (2000)[77]
Pahang :
Member 1st class of theFamily Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK I) (2006)[78][79]
Grand Knight of theOrder of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) –Dato' Sri (1999)[80]
Penang :
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Defender of State (DUPN) –Dato' Seri Utama (2004)[81]
Commander of theOrder of the Defender of State (DGPN) –Dato' Seri (1997)[82]
Companion of theOrder of the Defender of State (DMPN) –Dato' (1981)
Member of theOrder of the Defender of State (DJN) (1979)
Perak :.svg)
Ordinary Class of thePerak Family Order of Sultan Azlan Shah (SPSA) –Dato' Seri DiRaja (2003)[83][84]
Recipient of the Sultan Azlan Shah Silver Jubilee Medal (2009)
Perlis :
Knight Grand Companion of theOrder of the Gallant Prince Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail (SSSJ) –Dato' Seri Diraja (2001)
Recipient of the Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail Installation Medal (2001)
Sabah :
Grand Commander of theOrder of Kinabalu (SPDK) –Datuk Seri Panglima (1999)[85]
Sarawak :_-_1._Knight_Grand_Commander_(DP).svg)
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DP) –Datuk Patinggi (2003)[86]
Selangor :
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) –Dato' Seri (2000)[77][87]
Knight Companion of theOrder of Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (DSSA) –Dato' (1992)[88]
Recipient of the Sultan Sharafuddin Coronation Medal (2003)[citation needed]
Terengganu :
Supreme Class of theOrder of Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu (SUMZ) –Dato' Seri Utama (2005)[89]
Brunei :
Family Order of Brunei 1st Class (DK) –Dato Laila Utama (2010)[90][91]
Chile :
Grand Cross of theOrder of Bernardo O'Higgins (1994)[92]
Indonesia :
Star of the Republic of Indonesia (2nd Class) (2007)[93]
Japan :_1Class_BAR.svg)
First Class of theOrder of the Sacred Treasure (1991)
Kosovo :.svg)
Order of Independence (2025; posthumously)[94][95]
South Korea :_Grand_Gwanghwa_Medal_ribbon.gif)
Grand Gwanghwa Medal of theOrder of Diplomatic Service Merit (1992)_Gwanghwa_Medal_ribbon.gif)
Gwanghwa Medal of theOrder of Diplomatic Service Merit (1983)
Australia : Malaysia : Indonesia :_-_Gerakan_Pramuka.png)
Lencana Tunas Kencana fromGerakan Pramuka Indonesia (2007)[98] Malaysia :
United Kingdom :Born on November 26, 1939, in Bayan Lepas, Penang, Abdullah served as the Member of Parliament for Kepala Batas from 1978 to 2008. He was appointed prime minister on October 31, 2003, following the resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and served until April 3, 2009. He died at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur at 7:10pm yesterday. He was 85.
Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was born on 26 November 1939 in Kampung Perlis, Bayan Lepas, Penang. He was the eldest son in a family with deep religious roots. His father, Haji Ahmad bin Haji Abdullah Fahim, was a respected Islamic scholar in Penang and part of a distinguished lineage of ulama.
| International | |
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| National | |
| Academics | |
| People | |
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Minister of Education 1984–1986 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Defence 1986–1987 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Foreign Affairs 1991–1999 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Home Affairs 1999–2004 | Succeeded by |
| Minister of Finance 2003–2008 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Minister of Defence 2008–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia 1999–2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Malaysia 2003–2009 | |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Deputy President of theUnited Malays National Organisation 1999–2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President ofUnited Malays National Organisation 2003–2009 | |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | Secretary General of theNon-Aligned Movement 2003–2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations 2005 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
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