Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi (, ; 26 November 1939 – 14 April 2025) was a Malaysian politician and administrator who served as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2003 to 2009. He was also the sixth president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), then the country’s largest political party, and led the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition during his tenure. Affectionately known as Pak Lah—with Pak being a respectful term derived from ''Bapak'' (meaning "father" or "sir") and Lah from his given name, Abdullah—he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kepala Batas for eight consecutive terms from 1978 to 2013.

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 of ''Islam Hadhari''. However, his later years in office saw declining approval due to economic concerns, including inflation and rising living costs, ultimately leading to significant electoral setbacks for the ruling coalition. Abdullah was granted the soubriquet "Father of Human Capital Development" ("''Bapa Pembangunan Modal Insan''"). He was also an administrator, served almost 14 years in the Malaysian Government as the Administrative and Diplomatic Officer (PTD) from 1964 until 1978. Provided by Wikipedia