The deputy prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, تيمبلن ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label=
Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the second-highest political office in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. There have been 15 officeholders since the office was created in 1957. The first
prime minister of Malaysia
The prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the fed ...
,
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah ( ms, تونكو عبد الرحمن ڤوترا الحاج ابن سلطان عبد الحميد حليم شاه, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 8 Febru ...
, started the convention of appointing a deputy prime minister, but some cabinets have opted not to appoint a deputy prime minister.
Appointment
Malaysia has always had a
deputy prime minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president ...
for most of the time since
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
. A
prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
may choose not to appoint a deputy prime minister. The office of deputy prime minister is not provided for in the
constitution of Malaysia
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia ( ms, Perlembagaan
Persekutuan Malaysia) which was promulgated on 16 September 1963, is the supreme law of Malaysia and contains a total of 183 articles. It is a written legal document which was preceded ...
. At the same time, a prime minister could appoint more than one deputy prime minister, as has occurred before in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
.
From August 1957 to May 2018, when the coalition government
Barisan Nasional
The National Front ( ms, Barisan Nasional; abbrev: BN) is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1973 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties. It is also the third largest political coalition with 30 se ...
(BN), of which the
United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation ( Malay: ; Jawi: ; abbreviated UMNO () or less commonly PEKEMBAR), is a nationalist right-wing political party in Malaysia. As the oldest continuous national political party within Malaysia (since its ...
(UMNO) was the main component party, was the only ruling coalition, and by practice, the UMNO deputy president was usually appointed the deputy prime minister by the prime minister, who was the UMNO president. In the organisational structure of BN, the president and deputy president of UMNO were automatically made the chairman and deputy chairman of BN.
From May 2018 to February 2020, when
Pakatan Harapan
The Alliance of Hope ( ms, Pakatan Harapan; abbrev: PH; stylized as HARAPAN) is a Malaysian political coalition consisting of centre-left political parties which was formed in 2015 to succeed the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. It has been the ...
(PH), a political coalition of four parties, was the only ruling coalition, the holder of the position of deputy prime minister was decided upon by the presidential council of PH.
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail (Jawi alphabet, Jawi: وان عزيزة بنت وان إسماعيل; born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian people, Malaysian politician who is the spouse of Anwar Ibrahim, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia. Sh ...
, who was the first female holder of office, was the post holder.
The position has vacant for 16 months since
Muhyiddin Yassin
Tan Sri Dato' Haji Mahiaddin bin Md Yasin (born 15 May 1947), commonly known as Muhyiddin bin Muhammad Yassin ( ms, محيي الدين بن محمد ياسين, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; ), is a Malaysian politician who serv ...
was sworn in as prime minister in March 2020 after
Perikatan Nasional
The National Alliance ( ms, Perikatan Nasional; abbreviation, abbrev: PN) is a political coalition composed of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (GERAKAN). This coa ...
(PN) was leading ruling coalition until July 2021 after
Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Malay styles and titles#State titles, Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob ( ms, اسماعيل صبري بن يعقوب, label=Jawi alphabet, Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 18 January 1960) is a Malaysian people, Malaysian lawyer and poli ...
was appointed to the position. However, he briefly served for 40 days before taking over as prime minister is the shortest-serving officeholder in history.
Since August 2021, when BN is again the leading ruling coalition, there have again been no holders of the office of the deputy prime minister for 13 months before replacing by
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi ( ms, أحمد زاهد بن حميدي, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 4 January 1953) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 11th and 14th Deputy Prime Minister from July 2015 to M ...
and
Fadillah Yusof, first duo deputy prime minister in Malaysian history.
Deaths, resignations and removals from office
Of the thirteen previous officeholders, seven have stepped up to become Prime Ministers. Of the remaining, one died in office, two resigned, two were removed from office (both who later became Prime Ministers) by the sitting Prime Minister, and two disqualified from office due to defeat in the
2018 general election and collapse of the federal administration in
2020 political crisis.
Ismail Abdul Rahman
Tun Dr. Ismail bin Abdul Rahman ( ms, إسماعيل بن عبدالرحمن, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 4 November 1915 – 2 August 1973) was a Malaysian politician who served as the second Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from ...
died in office due to massive heart attack in 1973.
Musa Hitam
Tun Musa bin Hitam ( Jawi: موسى بن هيتم; born 18 April 1934) is a Malaysian politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 1986, serving under Mahathir Mohamad. He was the chairman of Sime Darby Berhad.
Early lif ...
resigned from
second Mahathir cabinet
Mahathir Mohamad formed the second Mahathir cabinet after being invited by Tuanku Ahmad Shah to begin a new government following the 22 April 1982 general election in Malaysia. Prior to the election, Mahathir led (as Prime Minister) the first ...
over differences with Prime Minister over government policy in 1986.
Ghafar Baba
Tun Abdul Ghafar bin Baba ( ms, عبدالغفار بن باب, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 18 February 1925 – 23 April 2006) was a Malaysian politician who served as 6th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1986 to 1993.
Li ...
resigned from his portfolio following UMNO grassroots lost confidence in his leadership and his position as Deputy President of UMNO was challenged by Anwar Ibrahim in the UMNO's top leadership election.
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim ( ms, انور بن ابراهيم, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, IPA: ; born 10 August 1947) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia since November 2022. He served as the 12 ...
was the first deputy prime minister to be sacked after being accused and subsequently charged with corruption and sodomy in 1998.
Muhyiddin Yassin
Tan Sri Dato' Haji Mahiaddin bin Md Yasin (born 15 May 1947), commonly known as Muhyiddin bin Muhammad Yassin ( ms, محيي الدين بن محمد ياسين, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; ), is a Malaysian politician who serv ...
was the second DPM to be removed from office after being dropped from the Cabinet by former Prime Minister
Najib Razak in a reshuffle in 2015. He later was sacked from his party.
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail (Jawi alphabet, Jawi: وان عزيزة بنت وان إسماعيل; born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian people, Malaysian politician who is the spouse of Anwar Ibrahim, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia. Sh ...
was disqualified from office after the
seventh Mahathir cabinet
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, being the Prime Minister of Malaysia for the second time on 10 May 2018, formed the seventh Mahathir cabinet after being invited by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V to form a new government. It was the 20th cabi ...
was dissolved due to its fall from the federal administration in 2020.
List of deputy prime ministers of Malaysia
Colour key (for political parties):
Timeline
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DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1957 till:01/01/2023
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Colors =
id:lightpurple value:lightpurple legend:ALLIANCE
id:blue value:blue legend:BN
id:red value:red legend:PH
id:pink value:pink legend:GPS
TextData =
pos:(1,25) textcolor:black fontsize:M
text:
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text:"Party:"
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bar:Abraisar
bar:Isarhu
bar:Husonn
bar:Mamo
bar:Musa
bar:Agb
bar:Abi
bar:Paklah
bar:Najibraz
bar:Abah
bar:Zahid
bar:Wawi
bar:Ismail
bar:Yusof
PlotData=
width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
bar:Abraisar
from: 31/07/1957 till: 22/09/1970 color:lightpurple text:"Abdul Razak Hussein
Tun Haji Abdul Razak bin Dato' Hussein ( ms, عبد الرزاق بن حسين, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 11 March 1922 – 14 January 1976) was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who served as the 2nd Prime Minister of Malaysia f ...
" fontsize:9
bar:Isarhu
from: 22/09/1970 till: 02/08/1973 color:lightpurple text:"Ismail Abdul Rahman
Tun Dr. Ismail bin Abdul Rahman ( ms, إسماعيل بن عبدالرحمن, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 4 November 1915 – 2 August 1973) was a Malaysian politician who served as the second Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from ...
" fontsize:9
bar:Husonn
from: 13/08/1973 till: 31/05/1974 color:lightpurple
from: 01/06/1974 till: 15/01/1976 color:blue text:" Hussein Onn" fontsize:9
bar:Mamo
from: 05/03/1976 till: 16/06/1981 color:blue text:" Mahathir Mohamad" fontsize:9
bar:Musa
from: 18/07/1981 till: 16/03/1986 color:blue text:"Musa Hitam
Tun Musa bin Hitam ( Jawi: موسى بن هيتم; born 18 April 1934) is a Malaysian politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 1986, serving under Mahathir Mohamad. He was the chairman of Sime Darby Berhad.
Early lif ...
" fontsize:9
bar:Agb
from: 10/05/1986 till: 15/10/1993 color:blue text:"Abdul Ghafar Baba
Tun Abdul Ghafar bin Baba ( ms, عبدالغفار بن باب, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 18 February 1925 – 23 April 2006) was a Malaysian politician who served as 6th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1986 to 1993.
Li ...
" fontsize:9
bar:Abi
from: 01/12/1993 till: 02/09/1998 color:blue text:"Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim ( ms, انور بن ابراهيم, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, IPA: ; born 10 August 1947) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia since November 2022. He served as the 12 ...
" fontsize:9
bar:Paklah
from: 08/01/1999 till: 31/10/2003 color:blue text:" Abdullah Ahmad Badawi" fontsize:9
bar:Najibraz
from: 07/01/2004 till: 03/04/2009 color:blue text:" Mohd Najib Abdul Razak" fontsize:9
bar:Abah
from: 10/04/2009 till: 28/07/2015 color:blue text:"Muhyiddin Yassin
Tan Sri Dato' Haji Mahiaddin bin Md Yasin (born 15 May 1947), commonly known as Muhyiddin bin Muhammad Yassin ( ms, محيي الدين بن محمد ياسين, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; ), is a Malaysian politician who serv ...
" fontsize:9
bar:Zahid
from: 29/07/2015 till: 09/05/2018 color:blue
bar:Wawi
from: 21/05/2018 till: 24/02/2020 color:red text:"Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail (Jawi alphabet, Jawi: وان عزيزة بنت وان إسماعيل; born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian people, Malaysian politician who is the spouse of Anwar Ibrahim, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia. Sh ...
" fontsize:9
bar:Ismail
from: 07/07/2021 till: 16/08/2021 color:blue text:"Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Malay styles and titles#State titles, Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob ( ms, اسماعيل صبري بن يعقوب, label=Jawi alphabet, Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 18 January 1960) is a Malaysian people, Malaysian lawyer and poli ...
" fontsize:9
bar:Zahid
from: 03/12/2022 till: 31/12/2022 color:blue text:"Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi ( ms, أحمد زاهد بن حميدي, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 4 January 1953) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 11th and 14th Deputy Prime Minister from July 2015 to M ...
" fontsize:9
bar:Yusof
from: 03/12/2022 till: 31/12/2022 color:pink text:" Fadillah Yusof" fontsize:9
See also
*
Senior Minister of Malaysia
*
Spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
*
Official state car
An official state car is a vehicle used by a government to transport its head of state or head of government in an official capacity, which may also be used occasionally to transport other members of the government or visiting dignitaries from ot ...
*
Air transports of heads of state and government
References
{{Malaysian federal ministerial portfolios
Malaysia, Deputy Prime Ministers
Malaysia politics-related lists
Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
The deputy prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, تيمبلن ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the second-highest political office in Malaysia. There have been 15 ...