1945:
Involved in the anti-Malayan Union campaign
1946:
Joined the Kedah branch of the newly-formed Umno
1959:
Proposed that candidates for that year’s general election be selected on certain qualifications, a proposal that angered some quarters of the party. After being accused of scheming and trying to get his allies to contest, Dr Mahathir refused to be involved in the elections that year
1964:
Won the Kota Setar Selatan seat with a 60 per cent majority
1969:
Lost the Kota Setar Selatan seat by 989 votes to Yusoff Rawa of Pas
In July, Dr Mahathir was sacked from the Umno Supreme Council for publicly criticising prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman on how the country’s administration was conducted
1972:
Rejoined Umno
1973:
Appointed a senator
1974:
Relinquished the senatorship to contest the Kubang Pasu seat, which he won unopposed. Was made the education minister
1975:
Elected one of Umno’s three vice-presidents
1976-1981:
Deputy prime minister
1978-1981:
Appointed minister of trade and industry
July 16, 1981:
Appointed prime minister and home affairs and defence minister
1983 and 1991:
Removed the royal veto and royal immunity from prosecution
1987:
Was challenged for the party president’s post by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah but won by 43 votes. Unhappy with the results. Tengku Razaleigh’s supporters took the case to court, resulting in the de-registration of the party and the 1988 judicial crisis
1988:
Dr Mahathir believed to have sparked off the judicial crisis which saw former lord president Tun Salleh Abbas and five other judges sacked
1998:
He accused former finance minister and deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of sodomy and abuse of power. (Anwar was sentenced to six years’ jail for corruption and another nine years for alleged homosexual acts. In 1994, the Federal Court reversed the second conviction and he was released)
Took over as Finance Minister 1 after Anwar’s sacking
1999:
Handed over the Home Affairs Ministry to newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
2001:
Also assumed post of special functions minister
Oct 31, 2003:
After 22 years as prime minister, he handed over the office to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
2008:
Resigned from Umno
-taken from the NST-
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