Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad marked his 101st birthday on July 10, 2026, his official website thechedet.com relaunching with updated content and a refreshed design that day [1]. Born on July 10, 1925, in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir is Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister and the only leader to serve two separate terms, first from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020 [2, 3, 4].
Known as the Father of Malaysia's Development, Mahathir oversaw major infrastructure projects during his first tenure, including the Penang Bridge, Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Multimedia Super Corridor, Putrajaya Administrative Centre, and the Sepang International Circuit [4, 5]. In 1991, he launched Vision 2020, an ambitious national development agenda aimed at making Malaysia a fully developed country by the year 2020 [4].
On his 101st birthday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and several ministers extended their wishes. Anwar said, "Happy 101st birthday to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. May Tun continue to be blessed with good health, divine grace and remain under His protection, God willing" [2, 6, 5]. Mahathir expressed gratitude in a video posted on his official Facebook page, thanking Malaysians for their birthday wishes and greetings: "Thank you very much for all your birthday wishes, prayers and greeting cards" [7, 8].
After retiring from politics, Mahathir remains active in public commentary and writing under the pen name 'Che Det' [4, 5]. The relaunch of his website reflects his ongoing engagement in public discourse [1].
Mahathir’s birthday prompted reflections on his 22 years as prime minister during his first tenure and his historic return as the seventh prime minister in 2018 [1, 2]. Today, at age 101, he continues to be a prominent figure in Malaysian politics and society.
The next notable milestone is Mahathir’s continued public writings and commentary, as well as ongoing recognition from political leaders and the public.
