In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 15 May 1947
- Birthplace
- Muar, Johor
- Country
- Malaysia
- Nationality
- Malaysian
- Known for
- Leading Malaysia during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Office
- Prime Minister, 2020–2021
- Earlier office
- Deputy Prime Minister, 2009–2015
- Constituency
- Pagoh
- Political base
- BERSATU and Perikatan Nasional
Why this life matters
Muhyiddin’s short premiership joined an unusual route to office with emergency governance, lockdowns, economic relief and a continuing struggle over parliamentary support.
Timeline
Key moments
Born in Muar
Born in Johor on 15 May.
Entered Parliament
Won the Pagoh parliamentary seat.
Led Johor
Served as Menteri Besar for nine years.
Became deputy prime minister
Served under Najib Razak while also holding the education portfolio.
Helped form BERSATU
Joined a new party after his dismissal from UMNO.
Became prime minister
Was appointed on 1 March after the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.
Pandemic controls began
The Movement Control Order and PRIHATIN relief package defined the first months of his administration.
Resigned after losing support
Submitted his resignation on 16 August after acknowledging the loss of a parliamentary majority.
Four decades in government
Muhyiddin was born in Muar in 1947 and entered Parliament in 1978. He served as Johor’s Menteri Besar from 1986 to 1995, then held federal portfolios including domestic trade, agriculture, international trade, education and home affairs.
As Najib Razak’s deputy prime minister from 2009, he was one of UMNO’s most senior leaders. He was removed from the cabinet in 2015 after publicly raising concerns about 1MDB, expelled from UMNO and became a founding leader of BERSATU.
The 2020 change of government
BERSATU joined Pakatan Harapan and won federal power in 2018. Muhyiddin became home minister. In February 2020, the coalition fractured after Mahathir’s resignation and a realignment commonly known as the Sheraton Move.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong appointed Muhyiddin prime minister after consultations intended to determine who was likely to command majority confidence in the Dewan Rakyat. The new Perikatan Nasional administration took office without a general election, making parliamentary legitimacy a persistent issue throughout its life.
Government during the pandemic
Within weeks, COVID-19 became the government’s overriding challenge. A nationwide Movement Control Order began in March 2020. The administration announced the PRIHATIN economic package and later recovery measures to support households, workers and businesses through restrictions and recession.
Early public-health success was followed by renewed outbreaks, strained hospitals and repeated changes to movement rules. A state of emergency in 2021 suspended Parliament for several months, producing controversy over oversight even as vaccination and the National Recovery Plan expanded.
Loss of majority support
Muhyiddin’s coalition depended on a narrow and shifting majority. By August 2021, withdrawals of support made his position untenable. He resigned on 16 August, explicitly linking the decision to the constitutional requirement that a prime minister retain the confidence of the Dewan Rakyat.
His legacy is inseparable from the pandemic: emergency controls, welfare support and vaccination on one side; political uncertainty and contested accountability on the other. His route to office also accelerated Malaysia’s era of fluid coalitions.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Muhyiddin Yassin
- Who is Muhyiddin Yassin?
- Muhyiddin Yassin is an eighth Prime Minister of Malaysia. Muhyiddin’s short premiership joined an unusual route to office with emergency governance, lockdowns, economic relief and a continuing struggle over parliamentary support.
- What is Muhyiddin Yassin best known for?
- Muhyiddin Yassin is best known for leading Malaysia during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- When and where was Muhyiddin Yassin born?
- Muhyiddin Yassin was born on 15 May 1947 in Muar, Johor.
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 MalaysiaFormer Prime Ministers of Malaysia
- Prime Minister’s Office speech archiveSpecial address on appointment as prime minister
- Prime Minister’s Office speech archiveResignation address, 16 August 2021
- Parliament of MalaysiaParliament member archive: Pagoh
- Wikimedia CommonsPortrait and CC BY 2.0 licence record
