In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 4 January 1953
- Birthplace
- Bagan Datuk, Perak
- Country
- Malaysia
- Nationality
- Malaysian
- Known for
- Two periods as deputy prime minister and leadership of UMNO
- Full name
- Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi
- Current offices
- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development
- Parliament
- Member for Bagan Datuk
- Party office
- President of UMNO since 2018
Why this life matters
Zahid’s career connects Barisan Nasional’s 2018 electoral defeat, UMNO’s years outside undisputed power and its return to federal government through the post-2022 unity coalition.
Timeline
Key moments
Born in Bagan Datuk
Born on 4 January in the district that would become his long-term electoral base.
Graduated from the University of Malaya
Completed a bachelor’s degree before building a career in banking and corporate management.
Entered Parliament
Won the Bagan Datuk seat and began a long period in the Dewan Rakyat.
Became defence minister
Joined the senior cabinet under Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Moved to home affairs
Took charge of internal security, immigration and policing policy.
First appointed deputy prime minister
Succeeded Muhyiddin Yassin while retaining the home affairs portfolio.
Became UMNO president
Took over the party after Barisan Nasional lost federal power.
Returned as deputy prime minister
Joined Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government as one of two deputy prime ministers.
From banking to Parliament
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was born in Bagan Datuk, Perak, in 1953. After graduating from the University of Malaya in 1976, he worked in banking and corporate management before moving into full-time political service.
He worked as a political secretary and rose through UMNO Youth. In 1995 he entered Parliament for Bagan Datuk, establishing an electoral base he continued to represent as of this biography’s review date.
Security portfolios and the deputy premiership
Zahid became defence minister in 2009 and home affairs minister in 2013. Both portfolios put him close to the state’s security institutions and raised his profile within the Barisan Nasional government.
In July 2015 Prime Minister Najib Razak appointed him deputy prime minister. He held the office until the 2018 general election ended Barisan Nasional’s uninterrupted control of the federal government.
Leading UMNO through opposition
Zahid became UMNO president in 2018, inheriting a party adjusting to its first federal defeat. His leadership spanned opposition, shifting parliamentary alliances and UMNO’s eventual participation in Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government.
His public career has also included court proceedings. In September 2023, prosecutors discontinued 47 charges connected to Yayasan Akalbudi and the High Court granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, a legal outcome that did not constitute an acquittal on the merits.
Return to government
In December 2022 Zahid returned as deputy prime minister and took the rural and regional development portfolio. His appointment made him one of Malaysia’s first two simultaneous deputy prime ministers, serving alongside Fadillah Yusof.
As of 31 August 2026, the Prime Minister’s Office and Parliament listed him in both roles. His second period in the office reflects a coalition era in which party leaders with sharply different histories govern through negotiated partnership.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
- Who is Ahmad Zahid Hamidi?
- Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is a deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development. Zahid’s career connects Barisan Nasional’s 2018 electoral defeat, UMNO’s years outside undisputed power and its return to federal government through the post-2022 unity coalition.
- What is Ahmad Zahid Hamidi best known for?
- Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is best known for two periods as deputy prime minister and leadership of UMNO.
- When and where was Ahmad Zahid Hamidi born?
- Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was born on 4 January 1953 in Bagan Datuk, Perak.
Sources and further reading
How this biography was checked
Core dates and offices are checked against the sources below. This profile was last reviewed on 31 August 2026.
- Prime Minister’s Office of MalaysiaList of Ministers
- Parliament of MalaysiaMember profile — Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
- United Malays National OrganisationCurriculum vitae of the UMNO president
- Attorney General’s Chambers of MalaysiaPublic Prosecutor’s statement on the Yayasan Akalbudi proceedings
- Wikimedia CommonsAhmad Zahid Hamidi — image and licence record
