Mahathir had a significant impact on the economy, culture and government
of Malaysia. He won five consecutive elections and served for 22 years, longer
than any other prime minister in Malaysia’s history. Under him, Malaysia
experienced rapid economic growth. He began privatizing government enterprises,
including airlines, utilities and telecommunications, which raised money for the
government and improved working conditions for many employees, although many of
the beneficiaries were UMNO supporters. One of his most significant
infrastructure projects was the North-South Expressway, a highway that runs
from the Thai border to Singapore.
From
1988 to 1996, Malaysia saw an 8 percent economic expansion, and Mahathir
released an economic plan, The Way Forward, or Vision 2020, asserting that the
country would be a fully developed nation by 2020. He helped shift the
country’s economic base away from agriculture and natural resources and toward
manufacturing and exporting, and the country’s per capita income doubled from
1990 to 1996. Although Malaysia’s growth has slowed and it’s unlikely the
country will achieve this goal, the economy remains stable.
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