Malaysia - Head of Government

The Hon Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak took office as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia on 3 April 2009.

He succeeded the Hon Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi who stepped down after five-and-a-half years at the helm.

Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib is also the President of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which is the dominant political party in Malaysia. UMNO leads the ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition, which has ruled the South-East Asian country since independence in 1957.

He is also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Pekan, Pahang. 

Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib has been active in Malaysian politics for more than 30 years. He was elected as Malaysia's youngest MP at the age of 23 in 1976 for the Pekan parliamentary seat that had been vacated by the sudden demise of his father, the late Tun Haji Abdul Razak bin Hussein, Malaysia’s second prime minister.

In 1978, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib was made a Deputy Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Post – the youngest person to hold the portfolio. In 1980, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Education, and a year later, Deputy Minister of Finance.

In 1986, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib was made Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports at the age of 32, again, the youngest cabinet member at the time. He held the post of Minister of Youth and Sports from 1987 to 1990. Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib went on to hold many ministerial portfolios – Defence Minister (1990-1995 and 1998-2008),
Finance Minister (September 2008 – present) and Education Minister (1995-1999). In 2004, he was made Deputy Prime Minister.

Dato' Sri Mohd Najib received his early education at St. John’s Institution in Kuala Lumpur, and later pursued his education at Malvern College, Worcestershire, UK. He then attended the University Of Nottingham, UK, where he graduated with a BA in Industrial Economics in 1974.

Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib was born on 23 July 1953 in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Malaysia.