Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Ahmad Zahid was born on 4 January 1953 in Kampung Sungai Nipah Darat, Bagan Datoh, Perak,[2][3] the eldest son of nine children (seven sons and two daughters) in the family.[4] His father, Raden Hamidi Abdul Fatah, died on 8 August 2014 at the Armed Forces Hospital in Wangsa Maju Kuala Lumpur.[5] On 1 October 2011, his mother, Tuminah Abdul Jalil, died of a stroke and heart complication in her hometown Sungai Nipah Darat, Bagan Datoh. She was previously hospitalized at the Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospital in Kuala Lumpur.

He was raised by a Chinese foster-father, Chen Jin Ting and sold ice cream together for six years with his foster family when he was in elementary school. Chen was not highly educated and would cycle from his house at Simpang Tiga, Hilir Perak to about three kilometers away selling ice cream. Chen was married with his foster mother, Guo Jin Luan. His father later died in 1999, more than ten days after the general election of that year.[6] Following accusations that he was anti-Chinese, he stated "Am I anti-Chinese when I have a Chinese foster father?" [7]

Ahmad Zahid is fluent in Standard Malay, local Perak Malay and Javanese. His English is sub-par,[8] and he speaks some Mandarin.[9]

Hamidi in 2010

Before venturing into politics, Ahmad Zahid was a banker for OCBC. He was also one of the directors of Bank Simpanan Nasional (1995–1998) and also Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB). He was also a Marketing Executive for Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad, Executive Director for Scandinavian Motors Sdn Bhd, chief executive officer of Kretam Holding Berhad, Chairman of Tekala Corporation Berhad, Chairman of Seng Hup Berhad and Pengerusi Ramatex Berhad. In 1999 he became the Chairman of Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB).

In 1986, Zahid was appointed political secretary to Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak during the latter's term as Youth Minister (1986–1990) and then Minister of Defence (1990–1995).

He was elected UMNO Youth Chief in 1996. He was once the chief of UMNO youth Bagan Datoh branch, the Vice Chief for the state of Perak UMNO youth, Head of the UMNO Communication for UMNO youth.

In 1995, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi became a member of parliament after winning the Bagan Datoh parliamentary seat in Perak in the general elections.

In 1999, Zahid was re-elected Member of Parliament for Bagan Datoh in Perak in the general elections. He was elected to the UMNO Supreme Council in the following year.

In 1998, Zahid spoke out against Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, calling for an end to cronyism and nepotism in the Malaysian government.[10] In response, Mahathir publicised the names of those Malay/Bumiputeras who had received shares and high positions in government-linked corporations (GLCs). Zahid, seen as an ally of deposed Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, was subsequently arrested and held in prison under the Internal Security Act.[11] However, in 1999, Zahid was welcomed back into the UMNO fold,[12] stating that Anwar had put him up to raising allegations of cronyism and nepotism and alleging that Anwar had used his position as Finance Minister to direct business opportunities to Zahid.[13]

After he won the seat for a third time in the 2004 general elections, Zahid was appointed Deputy Tourism Minister by former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. While being a Deputy Minister, he pursued a Doctor of Philosophy degree from UPM, thesis entitled Barisan Nasional Manifesto As Agenda for Malay Language Newspaper During the General Election Campaign.

In the political tsunami of 2008, Zahid again retained his Bagan Datoh parliamentary seat at a time when many BN party heavyweights were trounced. He was then appointed a full Minister in the Prime Minister's Department. In the April 2009 cabinet reshuffle, Zahid was appointed Minister of Defence by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

He was able to retain his parliamentary seat of Bagan Datoh in the 2013 election, although with a decreased majority. He was appointed as Minister of Home Affairs in 2013, replacing Hishamuddin Hussein, who took Zahid's previous position at the Ministry of Defence.[14]

In July 2015, he was appointed the country's 11th Deputy Prime Minister in a cabinet reshuffle.[15]

In the 2018 UMNO leadership election, Zahid gained more votes than his rivals, Khairy Jamaluddin and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, making him the new president of UMNO and also the first opposition leader from Barisan Nasional.

After facing weeks of mounting pressure to step down as party president and calls for fresh party polls,[16][17] Zahid finally announces his decision to temporary step down and take leave on 18 December 2018.[18] His deputy, Mohamad Hasan, acted the position of leading the party.[19] On 30 June 2019, he announced his return from "garden leave" back to active role as UMNO president.[20][21]

Ahmad Zahid had been sued by businessman Amir Bazli Abdullah for allegedly punching him in the face on January 16, 2006 at the Country Heights recreational club in Kajang, Selangor, causing the latter to suffer a nasal bone fracture and a swollen left eye.[22] The case was pursued in the civil courts for six years before the matter was settled out of court.[23]

Shortly after the Black 505 rallies following the 13th Malaysian General Election due to claims of electoral fraud and vote manipulation, he said that Malaysians who are unhappy with the country's political system and dislike the BN government should "GET LOST" from the country. This statement has raised discontentment among the citizens, putting a serious question mark over his political future in a multiracial society.[24] The statement was made after a series of street demonstrations led by opposition parties that has refused to accept the results of the 13th Malaysian General election. His first act as Home Minister was to order a crack down against opposition leaders and dissent, landing him in a bigger controversy with sedition laws being used to attempt to suppress the voices of opposition parties.[25]

During a speech in Malacca, Zahid was recorded endorsing the police policy of "shoot to kill" when arresting dangerous criminals,[26] including backing a certain group of gangsters.[27][28][29]

On 18 October 2018, Zahid was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and charged in court the following day on 45 counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), abuse of power and money laundering involving a total of RM114 million (about US$27.4 million) funds of Yayasan Akalbudi.[30][31] On 14 December 2018, he was charged with another CBT offence, involving RM10 million.[32] On 20 February 2019, Zahid was again charged with an additional CBT charge, involving RM260,000.[33][34]

On 26 June 2019, Zahid became the subject of 7 new corruption charges involving S$4.2 million (RM12.8 million) which he allegedly received from a foreign visa (VLN) system operator totalling RM42.76 million under his capacity as the Home Minister then. And this is false.[35] On the next day, he faced 33 more charges totalling RM42.76 million involving the VLN system two years before.[36] The latest charges brought the total number of outstanding charges to 87.[37][38][39]