Mahathir Mohamad is the longest serving Prime Minister of Malaysia, from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020. His political career covers more than 75 years. In his first term as the country’s leader, Dr. Mahathir brought about widespread societal modernization and deep economic growth, symbolized in part by iconic infrastructure projects including the KLCC Twin Towers. Mahathir substantially strengthened relationships across the Asia-Pacific region including China, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia, among others. His second term as prime minister began with a historic election victory. Born in 1925 in Alor Setar, the state capital of Kedah, he qualified as a physician in Singapore before returning to Malaysia where he established a clinic and became the first Malay physician in his hometown. He is married to Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah, another pioneering physician and public health specialist.