Prime Minister of Malaysia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of Malaysia |
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![]() Emblem of the Prime Minister's Office
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![]() Coat of arms of Malaysia
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Government of Malaysia Prime Minister's Department |
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Style | Prime Minister (informal) Yang Amat Berhormat (formal) The Right Honourable (within the Commonwealth) His Excellency (diplomatic) |
Member of |
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Reports to | Parliament |
Residence | Seri Perdana, Putrajaya |
Seat | Perdana Putra, Putrajaya |
Appointer | Yang di-Pertuan Agong |
Term length | Five years, renewable |
Constituting instrument | Constitution of Malaysia |
Inaugural holder | Tunku Abdul Rahman |
Formation | 31 August 1957 |
Salary | RM22,826.65/US$ 5,106 per month |
The Prime Minister of Malaysia (called Perdana Menteri Malaysia in Malay) is the main leader of the Malaysian government. This person is in charge of the executive branch, which means they lead the daily running of the country.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Malaysia's King) chooses the Prime Minister. This person must be a member of Parliament (MP) who the King believes has the support of most other MPs. Usually, the Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that wins the most seats in a general election.
After Malaysia was formed on September 16, 1963, Tunku Abdul Rahman became the first Prime Minister. He was previously the chief minister of Malaya.
The current Prime Minister is Anwar Ibrahim. He was chosen after the general election in November 2022.
Contents
How a Prime Minister is Chosen

The Federal Constitution of Malaysia explains how a Prime Minister is chosen. First, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints a Prime Minister to lead the Cabinet. This person must be a Malaysian citizen and a member of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives). The King must believe this person has the support of most members in that House.
The Prime Minister then advises the King on choosing other ministers. These ministers can be from either the Dewan Rakyat or the Dewan Negara (Senate). Before starting their jobs, the Prime Minister and all Cabinet ministers must take an oath. This oath promises they will do their duty and keep secrets.
The Cabinet works together and is responsible to the Parliament of Malaysia. Cabinet members cannot hold other jobs that make money or be involved in businesses that could cause a conflict of interest. The Prime Minister's Department helps the Prime Minister carry out their duties.
If the government's budget is not approved by the House of Representatives, or if the House votes that it no longer trusts the government (a "no confidence" vote), the Prime Minister usually has to resign. The King then decides who will be the next Prime Minister. Other ministers stay in their jobs unless the King removes them, usually on the Prime Minister's advice. Ministers can also choose to resign.
If a Prime Minister resigns for other reasons, loses an election, or passes away, the King typically appoints the new leader of the winning party or group of parties as the next Prime Minister. Malaysia uses a "first-past-the-post" voting system. This means the party or group that wins 112 seats in the lower house gets to form the government.
What Powers Does the Prime Minister Have?
The Prime Minister's power has some limits. If a Prime Minister is removed as their party's leader, or if their government loses a "no confidence" vote, they must ask for a new election or resign. If a bill about spending money (a "supply bill") is not passed, or if important laws cannot be passed, the government might have to resign. This is because a government that cannot spend money cannot properly run the country.
The Prime Minister's party usually has the most seats in the House of Representatives. Because political parties in Malaysia are very organized, it's usually easy for the government's laws to pass.
The Constitution says the Prime Minister advises the King on many important appointments, such as:
- Federal ministers (full members of the Cabinet).
- Federal deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries.
- 44 out of 70 Senators in the Dewan Negara.
- When the Dewan Rakyat should meet and end its sessions.
- Judges for the higher courts (High Courts, Court of Appeal, and Federal Court).
- The attorney-general and the auditor-general.
- Leaders and members of various important commissions, like the Election Commission and the Armed Forces Council.
Even though the King has executive power, the Constitution states that he usually acts on the advice of the Cabinet or a minister. This means the Prime Minister and Cabinet actually hold most of the governing power.
Acting Prime Minister
Sometimes, a Prime Minister needs to travel for work. During these times, a deputy is appointed to take their place temporarily. This person is called an acting Prime Minister. The King can also appoint an acting Prime Minister if the position becomes empty due to a sudden resignation or the death of the Prime Minister.
Caretaker Prime Minister
The lower house of Parliament, the Dewan Rakyat, usually lasts for five years. After Parliament is dissolved (ended), there is a general election. During the time between the old Parliament ending and the new one starting, the Prime Minister and Cabinet stay in office as a "caretaker" government. They handle the country's affairs until a new government is formed.
List of Prime Ministers of Malaysia
Here is a list of the Prime Ministers of Malaysia. The colors show which political group they belonged to.
Alliance Party (2) Barisan Nasional (6) Pakatan Harapan (2) Perikatan Nasional (1)
# | Portrait | Prime Minister (Born–Died) Area Represented |
Time in Office | Election Won | Party | Government | Monarch(s) | |||
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Started | Ended | Total Days | ||||||||
1 | ![]() |
His Highness Tunku Abdul Rahman تونکو عبد الرحمن (1903–1990) MP for Kuala Kedah |
31 August 1957 |
22 September 1970 |
13 years, 23 days | 1955 | Alliance (UMNO) | Rahman I | Abdul Rahman
Putra |
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1959 | Rahman II | |||||||||
1964 | Rahman III | |||||||||
1969 | Rahman IV | |||||||||
2 | ![]() |
Tun Haji Abdul Razak Hussein عبد الرزاق حسين (1922–1976) MP for Pekan |
22 September 1970 |
14 January 1976 |
5 years, 115 days | – | Alliance (UMNO) | Razak I | Abdul Halim
Yahya Petra |
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1974 | BN (UMNO) | Razak II | ||||||||
3 | ![]() |
Tun Hussein Onn حسين عون (1922–1990) MP for Sri Gading |
15 January 1976 |
16 July 1981 |
5 years, 183 days | – | BN (UMNO) | Hussein I | Yahya Petra
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1978 | Hussein II | |||||||||
4 | ![]() |
Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad محاضير محمد (born 1925) MP for Kubang Pasu |
16 July 1981 |
30 October 2003 |
22 years, 107 days | — | BN (UMNO) | Mahathir I | Ahmad Shah
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1982 | Mahathir II | |||||||||
1986 | Mahathir III | |||||||||
1990 | Mahathir IV | |||||||||
1995 | Mahathir V | |||||||||
1999 | Mahathir VI | |||||||||
5 | ![]() |
Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi عبد الله أحمد بدوي (1939–2025) MP for Kepala Batas |
31 October 2003 |
3 April 2009 |
5 years, 155 days | — | BN (UMNO) | Abdullah I | Sirajuddin
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2004 | Abdullah II | |||||||||
2008 | Abdullah III | |||||||||
6 | Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak محمد نجيب عبد الرزاق (born 1953) MP for Pekan |
3 April 2009 |
9 May 2018 |
9 years, 37 days | — | BN (UMNO) | Najib I | Mizan Zainal Abidin
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2013 | Najib II | |||||||||
7 | ![]() |
Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad محاضير محمد (born 1925) MP for Langkawi |
10 May 2018 |
24 February 2020 |
1 year, 291 days | 2018 | PH (BERSATU) | Mahathir VII | Muhammad V
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During this time, the Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, was the Interim Prime Minister (February 24–March 1, 2020). | Abdullah | |||||||||
8 | ![]() |
Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin محيي الدين محمد ياسين (born 1947) MP for Pagoh |
1 March 2020 |
16 August 2021 |
1 year, 169 days | — | PN (BERSATU) | Muhyiddin | ||
During this time, the Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, was the Caretaker Prime Minister (August 16–21, 2021). | ||||||||||
9 | ![]() |
Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob إسماعيل صبري يعقوب (born 1960) MP for Bera |
21 August 2021 |
24 November 2022 |
1 year, 96 days | — | BN (UMNO) | Ismail Sabri | ||
10 | ![]() |
Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim أنوار إبراهيم (born 1947) MP for Tambun |
24 November 2022 |
Incumbent | 2 years, 249 days | (2022) | PH (PKR) | Anwar | Abdullah
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Prime Minister Timeline

Acting and Interim Prime Ministers
Sometimes, a Prime Minister might not be able to perform their duties for a short period. In such cases, another person might step in as an "acting" or "interim" Prime Minister. These roles are temporary.
Colour key (for political parties):
Alliance Party Barisan Nasional Pakatan Harapan Perikatan Nasional
Portrait | Name
(Born–Died) |
Time in Office | Notes | Political Party | ||
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Abdul Razak Hussein (1922–1976) |
19 August 1959 | 19 November 1959 | Abdul Razak Hussein was the acting Prime Minister when Tunku Abdul Rahman stepped down for three months. This was to help Tunku Abdul Rahman focus on his party's campaign for the 1959 federal elections. | Alliance Party (UMNO) |
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Ismail Abdul Rahman (1915–1973) |
22 September 1970 | 22 September 1970 | Ismail Abdul Rahman sometimes acted as Prime Minister when Tunku Abdul Rahman and Abdul Razak Hussein were away. | ||
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V. T. Sambanthan (1919–1979) |
3 August 1973 | 13 August 1973 | V. T. Sambanthan served as acting Prime Minister for a short time. This happened when Abdul Razak Hussein was overseas and his deputy, Ismail Abdul Rahman, had passed away. | Alliance Party (MIC) |
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Ling Liong Sik (b. 1943) |
4 February 1988 | 16 February 1988 | Ling Liong Sik became acting Prime Minister for a few days in 1988. This was when the main party, UMNO, faced legal issues. | Barisan Nasional (MCA) |
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Anwar Ibrahim (b. 1947) |
19 May 1997 | 19 July 1997 | Anwar Ibrahim acted as Prime Minister for two months in 1997 while Mahathir Mohamad was on vacation. | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) |
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Mahathir Mohamad (b. 1925) |
24 February 2020 | 1 March 2020 | During a political situation in 2020, Mahathir Mohamad was appointed as the interim Prime Minister by the King after he resigned. This was a temporary role until a new Prime Minister was chosen. | Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) |
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Muhyiddin Yassin (b. 1947) |
16 August 2021 | 21 August 2021 | The King appointed Muhyiddin Yassin as a caretaker Prime Minister in August 2021. This was a temporary role until a new Prime Minister was appointed a few days later. | Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) |
Prime Ministers by Time in Office
This list shows how long each Prime Minister has served. The number of days is calculated from when they started until they left office.
- One Prime Minister, Abdul Razak Hussein, passed away while in office.
- Five Prime Ministers resigned: Tunku Abdul Rahman, Hussein Onn, Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and Muhyiddin Yassin.
- Two Prime Ministers lost their re-election: Najib Razak and Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Ismail Sabri Yaakob served the shortest time as Prime Minister. Mahathir Mohamad served the longest. Mahathir is also the only Prime Minister to have served more than three full terms. He is also the only one to have left office and then returned for a second time.
- Longest and shortest prime ministerships
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Longest Prime Ministership:
Mahathir Mohamad
8,805 days
1981–2003 & 2018–2020
Rank | Prime Minister | Length in days |
Order of Prime Ministership | Number of Terms |
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1 | Mahathir Mohamad | 8,805 | 4th • 16 July 1981 – 31 October 2003 7th • 10 May 2018 – 1 March 2020 |
One partial term (9 months, and 10 days) followed by four full terms and two non-consecutive partial terms (3 years, 11 months, and 2 days) and (1 year, 9 months, and 20 days) |
2 | Tunku Abdul Rahman | 4,770 | 1st • 31 August 1957 – 22 September 1970 | Three full terms followed by one partial term (4 months, 12 days) |
3 | Najib Razak | 3,324 | 6th • 3 April 2009 – 10 May 2018 | One partial term (4 years, 1 month, and 2 days) followed by one full term |
4 | Hussein Onn | 2,009 | 3rd • 15 January 1976 – 16 July 1981 | Two partial terms (2 years, 6 months, and 7 days) and (2 years, 11 months, and 24 days) |
5 | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | 1,981 | 5th • 31 October 2003 – 3 April 2009 | One partial term (4 months, and 21 days) followed by one full term and one partial term (1 year, and 26 days) |
6 | Abdul Razak Hussein | 1,940 | 2nd • 22 September 1970 – 14 January 1976 | Two partial terms (3 years, 11 months, and 23 days) and (1 year, and 4 months) |
7 | Anwar Ibrahim | 979 | 10th • 24 November 2022 – Incumbent | Currently serving |
8 | Muhyiddin Yassin | 538 | 8th • 1 March 2020 – 21 August 2021 | One partial term (1 year, 5 months, and 20 days) |
9 | Ismail Sabri Yaakob | 460 | 9th • 21 August 2021 – 24 November 2022 | One partial term (1 year, 3 months, and 3 days) |
Prime Ministers by Age
This table shows the age of each Prime Minister when they started and finished their time in office. It also shows how old they were when they passed away, or their current age if they are still living.
- The youngest person to become Prime Minister was Abdul Razak Hussein, who was 48 years old.
- The oldest person to become Prime Minister was Mahathir Mohamad (as the 7th Prime Minister), who was almost 93 years old.
- Abdul Razak Hussein was also the youngest Prime Minister when his time in office ended, at age 53. He also had the shortest life among all Prime Ministers.
- Hussein Onn was the youngest person to become a former Prime Minister, at age 59.
- The oldest Prime Minister at the end of his time in office was Mahathir (as the 7th Prime Minister), at 94.
- Ismail Sabri Yaakob had the shortest time as a former Prime Minister after leaving office at age 62.
- Tunku Abdul Rahman had the longest retirement, living for 20 years after leaving office.
- At age 100, Mahathir is the oldest living Prime Minister and has lived the longest. He is the only Malaysian Prime Minister to have lived into his 90s.
- The youngest living Prime Minister is Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is 65 years old.
No. | Prime Minister | Born | Age at start of Prime Ministership |
Age at end of Prime Ministership |
Post-Prime Ministership Time |
Lifespan | |
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Died | Age | ||||||
1 | Tunku Abdul Rahman | 8 Feb 1903 | 54 years, 204 days 31 Aug 1957 |
67 years, 226 days 22 Sep 1970 |
20 years, 75 days | 6 Dec 1990 | 87 years, 301 days |
2 | Abdul Razak Hussein | 11 Mar 1922 | 48 years, 195 days 22 Sep 1970 |
53 years, 309 days 14 Jan 1976 |
0 days | 14 Jan 1976 | 53 years, 309 days |
3 | Hussein Onn | 12 Feb 1922 | 53 years, 337 days 15 Jan 1976 |
59 years, 154 days 16 Jul 1981 |
8 years, 317 days | 29 May 1990 | 68 years, 106 days |
4 | Mahathir Mohamad | 10 Jul 1925 | 56 years, 6 days 16 Jul 1981 |
78 years, 113 days 31 Oct 2003 |
14 years, 191 days | (Living) | 100 years, 20 days |
5 | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | 26 Nov 1939 | 63 years, 339 days 31 Oct 2003 |
69 years, 128 days 3 Apr 2009 |
16 years, 11 days | 14 Apr 2025 | 85 years, 139 days |
6 | Najib Razak | 23 Jul 1953 | 55 years, 254 days 3 Apr 2009 |
64 years, 291 days 10 May 2018 |
7 years, 81 days | (Living) | 72 years, 7 days |
7 | Mahathir Mohamad | 10 Jul 1925 | 92 years, 304 days 10 May 2018 |
94 years, 235 days 1 Mar 2020 |
5 years, 151 days | (Living) | 100 years, 20 days |
8 | Muhyiddin Yassin | 15 May 1947 | 72 years, 291 days 1 Mar 2020 |
74 years, 98 days 21 Aug 2021 |
3 years, 343 days | (Living) | 78 years, 76 days |
9 | Ismail Sabri Yaakob | 18 Jan 1960 | 61 years, 215 days 21 Aug 2021 |
62 years, 310 days 24 Nov 2022 |
2 years, 248 days | (Living) | 65 years, 193 days |
10 | Anwar Ibrahim | 10 Aug 1947 | 75 years, 106 days 24 Nov 2022 |
(Incumbent) | (Incumbent) | (Living) | 77 years, 354 days |
# | Prime Minister | Born | Age at start of Prime Ministership |
Age at end of Prime Ministership |
Post-Prime Ministership Time |
Died | Age |
Living Former Prime Ministers
After leaving office, former Prime Ministers usually receive certain benefits from the government. They continue to be important national figures.
- Living former prime ministers
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Mahathir Mohamad
Served 1981–2003 and 2018–2020
(age 100) -
Najib Razak
Served 2009–2018
(age 72) -
Muhyiddin Yassin
Served 2020–2021
(age 78)
See also
In Spanish: Primer ministro de Malasia para niños
- Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
- Air travel for leaders
- Official cars for leaders
- Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
- Leader of the Opposition (Malaysia)
- Heads of state governments of Malaysia