Muhyiddin Yassin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| محيي الدين ياسين | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
_(cropped).jpg) Muhyiddin in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 March 2020 – 16 August 2021 Caretaker: 16 – 21 August 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Abdullah | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Ismail Sabri Yaakob | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Mahathir Mohamad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ismail Sabri Yaakob | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Menteri Besar of Johor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 12 August 1986 – 13 May 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Iskandar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Abdul Ajib Ahmad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Abdul Ghani Othman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 7 September 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Mahiaddin bin Md Yasin (1947-05-15)15 May 1947 (age 78) Muar, Johor, Malayan Union | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Other political affiliations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Malaya (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Politician,civil servant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Muhyiddin Yassin | |
|---|---|
| Faction represented inDewan Rakyat | |
| 1978–1986 | Barisan Nasional |
| 1995–2016 | Barisan Nasional |
| 2016–2017 | Independent |
| 2017–2018 | Malaysian United Indigenous Party |
| 2018–2020 | Pakatan Harapan |
| 2020 | Malaysian United Indigenous Party |
| 2020– | Perikatan Nasional |
| Faction represented inJohor State Legislative Assembly | |
| 1986–1995 | Barisan Nasional |
| 2018–2020 | Pakatan Harapan |
| 2020 | Malaysian United Indigenous Party |
| 2020–2022 | Perikatan Nasional |
Mahiaddin bin Md Yasin[note 1] (born 15 May 1947), commonly known asMuhyiddin Yassin,[note 2] is a Malaysian politician and civil servant who served as the eighthprime minister of Malaysia from 2020 until his resignation in 2021 after losing parliamentary support amid the2020–2022 political crisis.[5] A president ofBERSATU, he representedPagoh inDewan Rakyat since 1995 and previously served as theMenteri Besar of Johor from 1986 to 1995.
Born inJohor, Muhyiddin started his career in the statepublic service after graduating fromUniversity of Malaya (UM). He assumed management positions at variousstate-owned enterprise. In 1978, he was elected as theMember of Parliament forPagoh. During this term, he was appointedparliamentary secretary to theminister of foreign affairs,deputy minister of federal territories and laterdeputy minister of trade and industry. As theJohorUMNO chief, he was the state'sMenteri Besar from 1986 to 1995. He returned to federal politicsin 1995. He was appointed to theCabinet asMinister of Youth and Sports. He was appointedMinister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs after the1999 general election and became a vice president of UMNO in 2000. Under the premiership ofAbdullah Ahmad Badawi, Muhyiddin served asMinister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry from 2004 to 2008, and then asMinister of International Trade and Industry from 2008 to 2009.
In 2008, he contested and won the UMNO deputy presidency and was appointedDeputy Prime Minister andMinister of Education by Prime MinisterNajib Razak in 2009. AsMinister of Education,Muhyiddin ended the use of English as the medium of instruction for science and mathematics in public schools. He also attracted controversy after describing himself as "Malay first" when challenged by theOpposition to pronounce himself as "Malaysian first". Muhyiddin was a vocal critic of his government and party over the1MDB scandal; as a result, he was dropped from his position during Najib's mid-term cabinetreshuffle in July 2015, marking the first incumbent UMNO deputy president to be left out of the president's cabinet. In June 2016, he was expelled from UMNO.[6]
He participated in founding the political partyMalaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) under Mahathir in 2016. He returned to thecabinet after his coalition of partiesPakatan Harapan won the2018 Malaysian general election.[7] In February 2020, BERSATU withdrew from Pakatan Harapan, culminating in apolitical crisis as the coalition lost its majority in theDewan Rakyat. Following Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad's subsequent resignation, Muhyiddin successfully formed a new coalitionPerikatan Nasional by receiving support from enough MPs to form amajority government and was appointed prime minister on 1 March.
Much of his premiership was overseeing Malaysia's response to theCOVID-19 pandemic, which became a major crisis shortly after he took office. This included enacting several iterations of theMovement Control Order (MCO), avaccination programme and declaring a2021 state of emergency, where parliament and elections were suspended. Although his government's initial response was praised by theWHO and had high local approval ratings,[8][9] the worsening of the COVID-19 crisis in 2021 attracted criticism anddestabilised the coalition.[10] On 16 August 2021, he resigned after attempts to regain support from MPs were unsuccessful.[11] He remainedcaretaker Prime Minister until his replacementIsmail Sabri Yaakob was selected on 21 August 2021.[12]
Muhyiddin unsuccessfully ran as the prime ministerial candidate for Perikatan Nasional in the2022 general election. In March 2023, Muhyiddin was arrested by theMalaysian Anti-Corruption Commission as part of a corruption investigation on several counts of money laundering and abuse of power, making him the second former prime minister afterNajib Razak to be prosecuted.
Muhyiddin was born as Mahiaddin bin Md. Yasin inMuar, Johor, Malaysia. His father,Haji Muhammad Yassin bin Muhammad, was a Malay ofBugis descent. Muhammad Yassin was anIslamic theologian andcleric based inBandar Maharani, Muar, Johor, while his mother, Hajjah Khadijah binti Kassim, was a Malay ofJavanese descent.[13]
Muhyiddin received his primary education at Sekolah Kebangsaan Maharani, Muar, Johor, and Sekolah Kebangsaan Ismail, Muar, Johor. He received his secondary education at the Muar High School, Johor. Subsequently, he attended theUniversity of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. He receivedBachelor of Arts (BA) inEconomics andMalay studies in 1971.[14][15]
After completing his studies, Muhyiddin joined the Johor state public service as the assistant secretary of training and scholarship. In 1974, he was appointed the assistant district officer (ADO) ofMuar. He left the civil service to join the corporate sector in the Johor State Economic Development Corporation (PKENJ), managing its subsidiary companies like Sergam Berhad as managing director (1974–1977), Equity Mal (Johore) Sdn Bhd as Director (1974–1978), Sri Saujana Berhad as managing director (1974–1978) and SGS Ates (M) Sdn Bhd asHuman Resources Manager (1974).[16]
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Muhyiddin's involvement in politics began when he joinedUMNO as an ordinary member at the Muar Dalam division in 1971. He was elected asUMNO youth chief of the Pagoh division and the secretary in 1976. Later he became Youth Chief of Johor stateUMNO Youth until 1987.
Muhyiddin occupied the seats of Exco in the national Malaysia UMNO Youth. In 1984, Muhyiddin was elected the UMNO division chief of Pagoh, replacingOthman Saat. Muhyiddin rose the ranks and file of Johor UMNO quickly. From being a state executive council member, he rose to becomeJohor UMNO's head and later became Menteri Besar of Johor.
Muhyiddin contested and was elected Member of Parliament for thePagoh constituency in the 1978 general election and kept the seat until 1982. Muhyiddin was appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs; subsequently, he was promoted to Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Federal Territories and later the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
In 1984, Muhyiddin contested a UMNO Supreme Council seat but lost. Muhyiddin was later appointed the UMNO Johor state liaison chairman and next appointed a Supreme Council member. In November 1990, he was a candidate for the UMNO vice-presidency but lost again. He attempted again in the November 1993 UMNO party election, successfully this time.
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Muhyiddin returned to contest thePagoh parliamentary seat in the1995 General Election.
He served several different federal government cabinet posts asMinister of Youth and Sports (1995–1999),Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (1999–2004),Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry (2004–2008) andMinister of International Trade and Industry (2008–2009). He was appointedDeputy Prime Minister andMinister of Education by Prime MinisterNajib Razak in 2009.
He lost the 1996 election when defending the vice-president post. Eventually, in the election in 2000, he again won the post of vice-president of UMNO, remaining in that post until the October 2008 party election, when Muhyiddin successfully sought the higher post of deputy president, which was left vacant as the incumbent, Najib Razak (who was acting party president after the retirement ofAbdullah Ahmad Badawi), became UMNO president.
Muhyiddin attackedAbdullah Ahmad Badawi's original transition plan as "too long", and some people [who?] say that at one point, Muhyiddin was about to ask and force Abdullah to quit, though he never did so directly. During the 2008 general election, Muhyiddin managed to keep his seat and remained as an UMNO leader. Shocked by the election results, he called for reforms.
During the 2009 UMNO General Assembly and party election, Muhyiddin was a candidate for the deputy president post, which was vacated by the incoming prime ministerNajib Tun Razak. He was challenged byMohd Ali Rustam, Malacca chief minister, andMuhammad Muhammad Taib, Rural and Regional Development Minister. Muhyiddin, seen as a supporter ofMahathir Mohamad, was seen to be the front-runner for the race, garnering many nominations by the UMNO divisions. Nevertheless, the competition was tough, as Taib and Rustam gained more ground, especially from the Badawi camp. Political analysts tipped the race to be very tight. However, the UMNO supreme council decided to disqualify Ali Rustam's candidacy after his assistants were caught involved with corruption after an investigation. The election resulted in Muhyiddin's election to the post with 1,575 votes to Muhammad Taib's 916.
Muhyiddin was appointed deputy prime minister on 9 April 2009, when Najib took over from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and unveiled hisfirst Cabinet.
Continuing asMinister for Education, he announced the decision to return to the teaching of mathematics and science in Malay in all government primary and secondary schools.[17]
Muhyiddin waded into controversy in March 2010 by stating he was "Malay first" rather than "Malaysian first".[18] He also said that there is nothing wrong with other races doing the same; for example, the Chinese could claim themselves to be "Chinese first,Malaysian second" and same for theIndians. On 13 July 2010, he said that anyone was free to form an association, including Chinese or Indian versions of the Malay rights groupPerkasa.[19] Prime Minister Najib came to Muhyiddin's defence, denying that his statement was inconsistent with the "1Malaysia" concept promoted by the government.[20]
During Najib's mid-term Cabinet reshuffle on 28 July 2015, he was dropped from his position as deputy prime minister. The dismissal came after Muhyiddin had made public and critical remarks about Najib's handling of the1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal. Najib stated that Muhyiddin's dismissal, and the contemporaneous dismissals of other Ministers who had been critical of his leadership, was to create a more "unified team".[21] Muhyiddin remained UMNO deputy president, but after keeping up criticism of UMNO, he was eventually sacked by the party's supreme council in June 2016.[6] Muhyiddin remained unrepentant, maintaining that he had never betrayed the party and pledging to continue speaking out.[6]
In August 2016, Muhyiddin registered a new political party, calledParti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM or Bersatu for short) together with former prime ministerMahathir Mohamad. Muhyiddin became the party's president while Mahathir and his sonMukhriz Mahathir became the chairman and deputy president. The new party is focused on Bumiputera –Malays andOrang Asli – in the sense that full membership is only open to Bumiputera. Other races can join the party but cannot vote or contest in party elections.[22] On 24 November 2023 during the 6th BERSATUannual general meeting (AGM), Muhyiddin, as the 1st and founding President of BERSATU, announced that he would not defend his party presidency at the next party elections in 2024.[23] His announcement was unanimously rejected by the party supreme council and attracted strong opposition from the AGM delegates. The following day on 25 November 2023, he withdrew the decision and said he would defend his party presidency and serve another term as the party president after the persuasions of his wife.
He was appointed asMalaysian Minister of Home Affairs by Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad whenPakatan Harapan won the 14th General Election.
On 22 May 2018, Muhyiddin announced The Home Ministry will review seven laws relating to national security that were no longer suitable in today’s landscape. He said these laws were the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, Sedition Act 1948, Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca), Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota), and mandatory death sentence.[24][25]
On 16 to 21 September 2019, Muhyiddin visited theUnited States to boost security ties.[26]
_(version_2)_(cropped).jpg) Muhyiddin in 2021 | |
| Muhyiddin Yassin 31 March 2020 – 16 August 2021 | |
| Monarch | Abdullah |
|---|---|
Muhyiddin Yassin | |
| Cabinet | Muhyiddin I |
| Party | PN–BERSATU |
| Seat | Seri Perdana |
← Mahathir (2nd) | |
On 29 February 2020, a week after the country was thrown into apolitical crisis, Muhyiddin was appointedPrime Minister by theKing of Malaysia, following the abrupt resignation ofMahathir Mohamad five days before.[27][28] He is the first person appointed to the position while holding both a parliamentary and state seat at the same time.
During his administration,COVID-19 spread throughout the nation. In response, Muhyiddin implemented theMovement Control Order (MCO) on 16 March 2020 to prevent the disease from infecting more Malaysians. The MCO started nationwide from 18 March and was extended conditionally to 9 June 2020.[29] In response to the economic impact of COVID-19, he introduced an economic stimulus package worth RM 250 billion on 27 March to soften the economic strain during the MCO.[30]
On 1 May, in conjunction with Labour Day, Muhyiddin announced a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO). Certain economic sectors were allowed to operate gradually as long as SOP are followed. Travel restrictions are partially lifted to allow stranded students staying on their campuses and people who are stuck in other states to return to their respective home. Sports, recreational, and large gatherings are still prohibited under the CMCO.[citation needed]
On 10 May, it was announced that the CMCO will last for another four weeks until 9 June. More sectors will be allowed to operate and fewer restrictions are to be applied.[31] Shopping malls, dine-in and non-contact sports are allowed as long as social distancing is observed.[32]
The CMCO was converted into Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) and ran from 10 June until 31 August. Under the RMCO, more restrictions will be relaxed to allow the public to carry out their daily activities while complying with standard operating procedures. Almost all social, religious, business, and educational activities are allowed to resume. Hair salons, morning and night markets, and sports-related businesses like gymnasiums will open on a staggered basis, as well as religious congregation such as prayers as long as strict SOPs are followed.[33] Reflexology centres, nightclubs, theme parks, karaoke centres, and gatherings such as kenduri (feasts) are still barred during the RMCO.
The government's COVID-19 response had a 93% approval rating in September 2020, with 69% approval for Muhyiddin himself.[9]
Until early September 2020, Malaysia had a low number of COVID-19 cases.[8] Infections rose following the2020 Sabah state election in September, leading to a surge inSabah which spread to theKlang Valley area.[8] However, unlike the initial promise to reinstate the Movement Control Order (MCO) if the case returns to 3 digits,[34] the government only imposed the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) under the name of "economy".[35] The government did not impose the MCO until January 2021.[36] Nevertheless, the "MCO 2.0", was criticised by health experts for being not as strict as the "MCO 1.0" from March to May 2020.[37]
The government's mismanagement of the second and third waves provoked widespread anger among Malaysians, such as hashtags like "#KerajaanGagal" (means Failed Government) and/or "#MuhyiddinOut" which trended online.[38][39][40] During the third wave in the mid 2021, a "Black Flag Campaign (Bendera Hitam)" became a trend, urging Muhyiddin to immediately resign.[41]
On 31 July 2021, hundreds ofprotesters gathered in Kuala Lumpur calling for Muhyiddin's resignation over his government's response to the pandemic.[42][43]
After a bilateral meeting, Muhyiddin and Indonesian PresidentJoko Widodo called for a special meeting ofASEAN onMyanmar after the2021 coup d'état.[44] After the April 2021 meeting, where representatives from the deposedNational League for Democracy did not attend, Muhyiddin announced that Malaysia's three proposals toMin Aung Hlaing were not rejected, including calls to end violence against civilians during the2021 Burmese protests, release of political detainees, and allow the Chair of ASEAN access to Myanmar.[45][46]
On 19 October 2020, theYang di-Pertuan Agong SultanAbdullah of Pahang rejected Muhyiddin's request for him to issue aproclamation of emergency in response to a spike in COVID-19 cases throughout the country.[47] However, on 21 January 2021, a new request to issue aproclamation of emergency was granted by theYang di-Pertuan Agong, and is expected to last until 1 August.Parliament and allelections were suspended while the proclamation was in effect.[48]
On 8 July 2021,UMNO withdrew support for Muhyiddin and called for his resignation in July 2021 over the handling of theCOVID-19 pandemic. As well as a failure to prevent a record rise in COVID-19 infections and deaths, UMNO PresidentAhmad Zahid Hamidi cited the management of thesevere economic impact, lack ofpolitical stability and extension of theMovement Control Order in his call for Muhyiddin to make way for a new interim premier.[10][49][50]
On 4 August 2021, Putrajaya, Muhyiddin Yassin submitted a motion of confidence to theYang di Pertuan Agong of Malaysia stating that he had received numerous declarations which provided that he still had the majority support within the lower house of parliamentDewan Rakyat. Therefore, the action of resignation underthe Federal Constitution of Malaysia under section 43(4) is neither valid nor legal.[51][52] He stated that themotion of no confidence would take place in September if the parliament had doubts about his ruling. However, this statement has been rejected by opposition leaderAnwar Ibrahim who claims that 112 or more MPs have rejectedPerikatan Nasional. Therefore,Anwar Ibrahim's statement concludes that Muyhiddin's claims are not valid and potentially fraudulent.[53]
FollowingAnwar Ibrahim's statement, on 6 August 2021, Muhyiddin stated during a press conference inPagoh, Johor that he is still confident that he still holds majority support within theParliament.[54]
On 15 August 2021,Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, theMinister of the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions), stated that Muhyiddin would resign on the next day.[55] Muhyiddin and his cabinet submitted their resignation tothe king on Monday, 16 August 2021.[56]
On 4 September 2021,Chief Secretary to the GovernmentMohd Zuki Ali announced that Muhyiddin had been appointed as Chairman of the National Recovery Council (NRC), a Cabinet minister-level position and highest position in the important council in charge of the recovery efforts of theCOVID-19 pandemic based on confidence of the government in the ability of Muhyiddin in spearheading the COVID-19 pandemic recovery strategies.[citation needed] On 21 December 2022, Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim dissolved NRC due to its redundancy and overlapping of duties, tasks and functions with other government agencies.[57]
Perikatan Nasional announced Muhyiddin Yassin as its candidate for prime minister ahead of the 15th Malaysian general election, which was held on 19 November 2022.[58][59] In the election, Perikatan Nasional won 73 seats out of 222 seats, below the 112 seats needed for a majority.[60] After the election, Muhyiddin claimed to have a sufficient majority to be appointed as the prime minister, citing support from Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.[61]On 22 November, the royal palace stated that after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong reviewed the nominations for prime minister, he found that "no member of parliament has the majority support to be appointed prime minister", so he summoned both Muhyiddin andAnwar Ibrahim, the prime minister candidate from the rival coalitionPakatan Harapan, to see him.[62][63] After the meeting, Muhyiddin said that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong proposed a unity government between Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional, but he rejected it as Perikatan Nasional "will not cooperate" with Pakatan Harapan.[64][65]
Anwar Ibrahim was later appointed and sworn in as Malaysia's 10th Prime Minister on 24 November 2022, with the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah, after a consultation with theConference of Rulers of Malaysia.[66][67] However, Muhyiddin continued to insist that he had the support of a majority of 115 MPs to form the next government and called on Anwar to prove his majority.[68]
Muhyiddin, as the Deputy Prime Minister, has used aRMAF Nurihelicopter to attend and openUMNO's divisional assembly in the interior ofSabah, which has nothing to do with his official duties. His actions have been strongly criticized by the federal opposition led byLim Kit Siang as it was a misuse of his powers as deputy prime minister. Lim even questioned whether theMalaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) would investigate Muhyiddin, as MACC has been conducting various investigations into assemblymen in states controlled by Lim'sPakatan Rakyat.[69]
On 31 March 2010, Muhyiddin attracted controversy declaring himself as a "Malay first" rather than a "Malaysian first" when responding toDemocratic Action Party (DAP) leaderLim Kit Siang's challenge in the parliament for him to state whether he is a Malay or a Malaysian first.[70] However, Muhyiddin retorted although he is Malay first, that doesn't mean he being Malay is not Malaysian.[71] The Prime MinisterNajib Razak defended Muhyiddin's "Malay first, Malaysian second" assertion and controversial statement even though it contradicts the1Malaysia concept which talks of "a nation where, it is hoped, every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second".[72][73]
Muhyiddin attracted criticism again on 12 April 2010 by calling the members of a new inter-faith committee 'small fry', causing strong reaction from the public and uproar from theMalaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) to back off from joining the committee for the time being.[74][75][76] Muhyiddin was quick to deny he ever say that and stated he was misquoted.[77] Muhyiddin later doubled down and uttered 'Yes, I am Malay first and no apologies'.[78]
On 2 April 2021, the Shah Alam court has reversed a preventive detention order signed by him during his time as the Minister of Home Affairs because he signed the order using his unofficial name, Muhyiddin bin Mohd Yassin instead of hislegal name/birth name, Mahiaddin bin Md Yasin.[1][2]
Following political infighting withinPakatan Harapan,BERSATU President Muhyiddin Yassin,PAS PresidentAbdul Hadi Awang,PKR Deputy PresidentAzmin Ali, andUMNO leadersAhmad Zahid Hamidi andIsmail Sabri Yaakob formed thePerikatan Nasional government which led to a loss ofparliamentary majority for the rulingPakatan Harapan coalition, ultimately resulting inMahathir Mohamad's resignation as prime minister.[79] This moment is widely regarded as the start of theMalaysian political crisis.[79][80][81] Following its formation, thePerikatan Nasional government was the target of scathing criticism, with many calling its existence"democratically illegitimate" or more colloquially, a"backdoor government".[82][83][84]
During a campaign speech on 17 November 2022, Muhyiddin accused Pakatan Harapan of working with Jews and Christians to "Christianise the country".[85] He backed his claim by saying "I saw a video where a group of Jews were talking about Malaysia and were praying for the country to fall into the hands of the opposition, which has been sponsoring these groups of Jews and Christians. For me this is dangerous. Is a Christianisation process going to happen?". His remarks was condemned as religiously insensitive by the Council of Churches of Malaysia.[86] Muhyiddin defended himself and claimed that he was taken out of context by saying that his speech was 55 minutes long, and that the remark was only 1 minute and 35 seconds long. He also claimed he was merely commenting on a supposed video clip that allegedly showed "foreign religious groups" praying for Pakatan Harapan to win.[87] Such a thing made Bersatu Sabah members leave the party and declare the dissolution ofBersatu Sabah organization because of sensitive religious issues made by the president of the party.Sabah is a multi-racial state just likeSarawak andHajiji Noor (Chairman ofBersatu Sabah) strongly rejected and protested the statement of the president of Bersatu, Muhyiddin Yassin. Accordingly, Hajiji Noor and members of Bersatu Sabah announced to leave Muhyiddin's party and migrate to existing local parties. They confirmed to migrate all Bersatu Sabah leadership toParti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, one of the component parties inGRS and one of the multi-racial parties in Sabah (a party that formerly underAtiong Tituh and Stephen Jacob Jimbangan leadership).[88][89][90]
On 9 March 2023, Muhyiddin was detained by theMalaysian Anti-Corruption Commission after being questioned over a COVID-19 economic recovery package launched by his government. Muhyiddin denied the allegations.[91][92] He was accused of sourcing $51m in bribes from companies who hoped to benefit from the emergency government spending program, and charged with gratification andmoney laundering. He allegedly abused his position for gratification from three entities and an individual for his ally,Bersatu. He pleaded not guilty on the charges. Judge Azura then fixed bail at RM2mil in two sureties and ordered Muhyiddin to surrender his passport.[93][94] The case is being viewed by many Malaysians as a result of intense political rivalry which emerged after the defeat of Malaysia's incumbent political party,UMNO, in the2018 Malaysian general election.[95]
On 15 August 2023, the High Court has discharged and acquitted Muhyiddin of four charges involving abuse of power to obtain a RM232.5mil gratification for Bersatu. Justice Muhammad Jamil Hussin said all four charges were defective, baseless and vague.[96][97] Muhyiddin claimed he knew the aforementioned charges were politically motivated from the very beginning and insisted he has not committed any wrongdoings under the law.[98][99]
On 28 February 2024, a panel of the Court of Appeal comprising Judges Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail, Datuk Azmi Ariffin, and Datuk S.M. Komathy Suppiah allowed the prosecution's appeal to reinstate four charges of abuse of power and ordered the case to be returned to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.[100]
On 27 August 2024, Muhyiddin pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to charges of uttering seditious statements during theNenggiri state assembly by-election campaign.[101] He faced accusations related to remarks made at an open area near Semai Bakti Felda Perasu Hall,Gua Musang, on 14 August 2024. The charge involves his claim that he was not invited by theYang di-Pertuan Agong,Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, to be sworn in as the prime minister, despite allegedly having support from 115 out of 222 MPs at the time.[102] The case is being prosecuted under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948. During the court proceedings, the prosecution proposed a bail amount of RM20,000. However, Muhyiddin's defense team requested a reduction, citing precedent cases under the same section. The court ultimately set bail at RM5,000 with one surety and scheduled the next hearing for 4 November 2024.
He marriedNoorainee Abdul Rahman in 1972 and has 4 children;[103] 2 sons and 2 daughters, namely Fakhri Yassin Mahiaddin, Nabilah Mahiaddin,Najwa Mahiaddin and Farhan Yassin Mahiaddin respectively. All of his children are heavily involved in business and corporate, entertainment or writing industries. His son, Fakhri Yassin, was a corporate figure in Malaysia and assumed the position of Executive Chairman. The second child, Nabilah was involved in book writing while Najwa and Farhan Yassin shared the same interest in the entertainment industry.
In 2003, Muhyiddin's daughter, Nabilah, married Muhamad Adlan Berhan. The wedding reception was attended by Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad and his wife,Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali.[104]
He is an avidgolf lover.[105][106]
In the aftermath of2018 general election (GE14), Muhyiddin was diagnosed with an early-stage tumour in thepancreas. He had spent one month inMount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore from July to August 2018, during which he underwent a surgery to extract the tumour.[107] The operation was successful and he returned to Malaysia in stable condition.[108][109] He was scheduled for a series of follow-upchemotherapy treatment afterHari Raya Haji, for up to six months.[110] He told reporters at the Parliament, "for cancer cases such as this, it is normal to go through follow-up treatment including chemotherapy for 12 rounds over the duration of six months."[108]
Based on medical advice, Muhyiddin took a one-month medical leave to recover post-surgery. Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad took charge of theMinistry of Home Affairs during Muhyiddin's absence.[111][112]
On 22 May 2020, Muhyiddin entered into a 14-day quarantine after an officer who attended the post-Cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office on 21 May tested positive for COVID-19.[113] On 4 June 2020, he completed the 14-day quarantine period and was tested negative forCOVID-19. Therefore, he was allowed to return to the workplace to discharge his official duties as prime minister.
On 9 February 2022, he confirmed that he had tested positive forCOVID-19, was experiencing mild symptoms and would be undergoing quarantine.[114]
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | P104Pagoh | Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO) | 17,679 | 89.52% | Abd Wahab Abd Rahman (PAS) | 2,069 | 10.48% | 19,748 | 15,610 | 75.08% | ||
| 1982 | Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO) | 19,035 | 83.05% | Sumadi Ahmad (PAS) | 2,652 | 11.57% | 22,921 | 16,383 | 74.86% | |||
| 1995 | P127Pagoh | Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO) | 21,856 | 83.70% | Rosdan Taha Abd Rahman (S46) | 4,257 | 16.30% | 27,492 | 17,599 | 70.68% | ||
| 1999 | Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO) | 20,132 | 73.35% | Alias Shamsir (keADILan) | 7,282 | 26.53% | 28,327 | 12,850 | 71.19% | |||
| 2004 | P143Pagoh | Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO) | 23,679 | 82.64% | Mohamed Awang (PAS) | 4,932 | 17.21% | 29,534 | 18,747 | 65.43% | ||
| 2008 | Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO) | 21,028 | 71.22% | Mohamad Rozali Jamil (PAS) | 8,447 | 28.61% | 30,313 | 12,581 | 75.70% | |||
| 2013 | Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO) | 26,274 | 66.01% | Mohamad Rozali Jamil (PAS) | 13,432 | 33.75% | 40,612 | 12,842 | 86.79% | |||
| 2018 | Muhyiddin Yassin (BERSATU) | 23,558 | 55.21% | Ismail Mohamed (UMNO) | 16,631 | 38.97% | 42,672 | 6,927 | 82.83% | |||
| Ahmad Nawfal Mahfodz (PAS) | 2,483 | 5.82% | ||||||||||
| 2022 | Muhyiddin Yassin (BERSATU) | 24,986 | 45.94% | Iskandar Shah Abdul Rahman (PKR) | 14,979 | 27.54% | 54,391 | 10,007 | 77.77% | |||
| Razali Ibrahim (UMNO) | 14,426 | 26.52% | ||||||||||
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | N05Bukit Serampang | Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO) | Unopposed | |||||||||
| 1990 | Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO) | 9,260 | 80.52% | Omar Lambak (S46) | 2,240 | 19.48% | 11,911 | 7,020 | 76.31% | |||
| 2018 | N09Gambir | Muhyiddin Yassin (BERSATU) | 10,280 | 53.33% | Asojan Muniyandy (MIC) | 7,192 | 37.31% | 19,278 | 3,088 | 84.83% | ||
| Mahfodz Mohamed (PAS) | 1,806 | 5.63% | ||||||||||
Malaysia
Commander of theOrder of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) –Tan Sri (1988)[118]
Recipient of the8th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (1984)
Recipient of the16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (2019)
Recipient of the17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (2024)
Johor
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Crown of Johor (SPMJ) –Dato' (1991)[119][120] Companion of theOrder of the Crown of Johor (SMJ) (1980)[121]
Second Class of theSultan Ibrahim Medal (PIS II) (1974)[122]
Second Class of theStar of Sultan Ismail (BSI II) (1979)
Recipient ofSultan Ibrahim Ismail Coronation Medal (2015)
Kedah.svg)
Grand Commander of theOrder of Loyalty to Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (SHMS) –Dato' Seri Diraja (2014)[123]
Malacca
Knight Grand Commander of thePremier and Exalted Order of Malacca (DUNM) –Datuk Seri Utama (2019)[124]
Negeri Sembilan
Principal Grand Knight of theOrder of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (SUNS) –Dato' Seri Utama (2010)[125]
Perak.svg)
Ordinary Class of thePerak Family Order of Sultan Azlan Shah (SPSA) –Dato' Seri Diraja (2010)[126]
Perlis
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Crown of Perlis (SPMP) –Dato' Seri (2007)[127]
Sabah
Grand Commander of theOrder of Kinabalu (SPDK) –Datuk Seri Panglima (2010)[128][129]
Sarawak_-_1._Knight_Grand_Commander_(DP).svg)
Knight Grand Commander of theOrder of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DP) –Datuk Patinggi (2010)[130]
Knight Commander of theOrder of the Star of Sarawak (PNBS) –Dato Sri (2008)[131]
China
United States
Media from Commons
News from Wikinews
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Data from Wikidata| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Other | |
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