The Legacy of Mahathir’s Policies: The Cost of National Unity

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Mahathir Mohamad is one of the most influential leaders in Malaysia’s political history. During his tenure (1981–2003, 2018–2020), he implemented a series of “Malay-first” or Bumiputera policies aimed at uplifting the economic status of the Malay majority. While these policies produced short-term benefits for certain segments of society, they also deepened ethnic divisions, widened social inequality, and encouraged cronyism and corruption, leaving long-lasting effects on Malaysia’s governance and economy.

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