If you haven’t noticed, it’s getting quite hot in Malaysia’s political environment. This recent Cabinet reshuffle is among several instances in the history of Malaysian Deputy Prime Ministers not quite succeeding as Prime Ministers.
Here’s a list we’ve compiled, as well as quick look at the new guy in the Number Two hot seat.
1. Tun Musa Hitam
Image credit: Malay Mail Online
Tun Musa Hitam left the government in 1986 as Deputy Prime Minister, citing “irreconcilable differences” with the big boss at that time, former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Yes, the same Dr Mahathir who is now calling for the resignation of current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak over the 1MDB scandal.
Musa, who is 81 years old, was born in Johor Bahru and was briefly secretary-general of UMNO in the 1960s. Incidentally his ‘sacking’ from the political party was not the first, having had friction with the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s Prime Minister. Musa was reinstated as Deputy Trade and Minister in 1973.
His second departure from the government, came during a time when there was an uprising within UMNO, led by Tengku Razaleigh. The latter, or known better as Ku Li, led a challenge against Dr Mahathir in the party president’s post.
Among the many initiatives he’s been involved in, Musa had moved on to the corporate sector, and retired as Sime Darby chairman in 2012, after serving since 2007.
2. Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba
Image credit: dinmerican.wordpress.com
The late Abdul Ghafar Baba replaced Musa as Deputy Prime Minister in 1986. A politician from Malacca, he began his working life as a teacher and was part of a teacher’s union, before joining UMNO.
His story wasn’t as colourful as his predecessor, but he did face a fierce battle for the deputy presidency post in UMNO in 1992. Opposition leader and former UMNO man Anwar Ibrahim challenged Ghafar for the position, and replaced him as Deputy Prime Minister.
3. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim is well-known locally and among international audiences. With his charismatic personality, Anwar’s large following originated primarily from his student movement days as youth leader with Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM).
The 68-year-old politician was sacked as a Deputy Prime Minister in 1998, shortly after the financial crisis, over charges of corruption and sodomy.
Challenging Dr Mahathir over leadership then led to his arrest, huge street demonstrations and the birth of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
After being sentenced to six years in jail, his conviction was overturned in 2004. He emerged stronger this time on the opposition side, leading major wins in the 2008 elections and shocking ruling coalition Barisan Nasional’s by breaking their longtime hold on 13 states in Malaysia.
In 2008, four states fell to the opposition. Five years later, Anwar and the opposition continue their fight to take over Putrajaya in the 2013 national polls.
They failed to overthrow the ruling government, and at the same time Anwar was slapped again with a second sodomy conviction which saw him being jailed for five years.
4. Muhyiddin Yassin
It looks like this Johor politician has suffered similar fate as Anwar after speaking up against his boss.
Muhyiddin, among the few ministerial critics, was removed from Cabinet after criticising Prime Minister’s decisions and actions over allegations of corruption in 1MDB.
He claimed that he was left in the dark amidst allegations of misappropriation involving billions of ringgit and allegations of fund transfers into Najib’s bank account.
Muhyiddin was told to stay quiet until investigations was complete, but did not, leading one of the harsher criticisms earlier this week. He claimed he was kept out of issues linked to debt-ridden 1MDB, having to resort to reading now suspended The Edge Weekly to keep up with developments.
A video of Muhyiddin criticising UMNO’s leadership during a party meeting was leaked, showing the former Deputy Prime Minister talking openly about his opposition against 1MDB.
The 68-year-old, won his first seat in Pagoh and climbed up the political ladder to become Johor’s Menteri Besar in 1986. Often coming up with controversial statements of his own, Muhyiddin as Education Minister, is known for scrapping the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics and Science in English policy, a move introduced by Dr Mahathir in 2003.
A quick look at the new Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Image credit: Malay Mail Online
This appointment probably did not surprise many Malaysians and political observers as Home Affairs Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi now assumes the Deputy Prime Minister role in this latest reshuffle.
The 62-year-old began his career as a banker with a foreign bank, and served as political secretary to Najib, during his tenure in the Youth and Sports Ministry in 1986.
Ironically, he was seated in the front row of the leaked Muhyiddin video, laughing openly at his predecessor’s criticism of Najib and 1MDB. Things surely do change fast in politics.
Zahid in his role an internal security head, made headlines by telling unhappy Malaysians to leave the country if they were dissatisfied with the elections system.
He was also behind the arrests of opposition leaders or anti-government activists, using the Sedition Act to clamp down on dissent, as well as calling for harsher punishment in this act.
