Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi (Jawi: عبد الله بن احمد بدوي, Malay pronunciation: [/ʌbˈdʊlɑː ˈɑːhməd bɑːˈdɑːwi/]; 26 November 1939 – 14 April 2025), also known as Pak Lah, was a Malaysian politician and civil servant who served as the fifth prime minister of Malaysia from 2003 to 2009. A member of UMNO, he was the party's president from 2004 to 2009 and led the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition during his premiership.

Born in Bayan Lepas, Penang, Abdullah was educated at the University of Malaya and began his career in the Malaysian civil service before entering politics in 1978 as the Member of Parliament for Kepala Batas, a seat he held until 2013. He later served in several ministerial portfolios, including education, defence and foreign affairs, before being appointed deputy prime minister under Mahathir Mohamad.

Abdullah assumed the premiership following Mahathir's resignation in 2003 and initially enjoyed strong public support, promoting institutional reform, anti-corruption measures, and a vision of moderate Islam through his concept of Islam Hadhari. His administration focused on economic development and regional growth initiatives, but his later years in office were marked by economic challenges, declining public approval, and criticism over governance and media freedom. These factors contributed to significant losses for the ruling coalition in the 2008 Malaysian general election, after which he stepped down in 2009.