LONG overshadowed by colourful contemporaries, the man who emerged from a week of turmoil as Malaysia’s new prime minister yesterday is a publicity-shy picture of conservatism.
When Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, 72, heard news on Saturday that the king had picked him over 94-year-old Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the outspoken leader who has dominated Malaysian politics for decades, he immediately dropped to the carpet in tears to give thanks to Allah.
“He is a very serious man,” said one person, who has worked with him for years and did not want to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
“That is probably what Malaysia needs now.”
A conservative Muslim from the Malay-majority community, Muhyiddin staked his claim to the premiership when Dr Mahathir failed to rally support for a unity government after his shock resignation as prime minister last Monday.
Muhyiddin is a Malay nationalist and he drew support from the former ruling Umno and Islamist party Pas, who were defeated in 2018 by a multiethnic coalition under Mahathir that promised to fight corruption.
“I am a Malay first, I want to say that,” Muhyiddin said in 2010.
“But being Malay does not mean that you are not Malaysian.”
Such sentiment struck a chord at a time of disaffection within the Malay majority over a perceived loss of privileges under Dr Mahathir’s government.
“Like a good striker, he saw the opening and took advantage to score,” well-known lawyer Zaid Ibrahim said about the low-profile Muhyiddin.
Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin were from the same Bersatu party and the former prime minister said he felt betrayed by a man he accused of plotting with Umno to bring it back, despite the corruption charges now facing some of its top officials.
“Muhyiddin is willing to accept anything. He says ‘politics is more important than principles’,” Dr Mahathir said, vowing to call for a session of Parliament to test whether Muhyiddin had a majority.
Muhyiddin did not immediately respond to the accusations.
Born to a well-known cleric in the southern state of Johor when Malaysia was still under British colonial rule, Muhyiddin became a civil servant before entering politics with Umno at a time when Dr Mahathir was already prominent in the party.
Muhyiddin became Johor chief minister at 39, a nine-year stint that set the stage for his national career.
One person who knows Muhyiddin well said it was now his time to shine after long playing second fiddle.
He is the same age as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who rose more quickly within Umno to become the favoured successor of Dr Mahathir during an earlier stint as prime minister before the two men fell out and began a two decade-old rivalry.
Muhyiddin is six years older than former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and served under him as deputy prime minister before being fired for criticising his boss’s handling of the scandal at the 1Malaysia Development Bhd strategic investment company over which Najib is now on trial.
After being fired by Najib, Muhyiddin joined Dr Mahathir in setting up the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in 2016 and formed the alliance with Anwar that led to the fall of Najib.
Those who know him well said Muhyiddin, who is recovering from early-stage pancreatic cancer, is very close to his family. He has four children, one of them a well-known singer.