Muhyiddin Yassin, 1947–, Malaysian political leader, prime minister of Malaysia (2020–). A conservative Muslim and Malay nationalist, Muhyiddin has been a member of parliament (1978–82, 1995–) and chief minister of Johor (1986–95), and has held several national ministerial posts, including those for domestic trade, agriculture, and international trade. From 2009 to 2015 he was deputy prime minister under Najib Razak. A longstanding member of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO; 1971–2016), he joined (2016) the Malaysian United Indigenous party (BERSATU) led by former prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, and helped defeat (2018) Najib. After Mahathir resigned as prime minister in 2020, Muhyiddin was named prime minister, secured the support of UMNO, and subsequently ousted Mahathir from BERSATU. Tensions with UMNO soon developed, however, and in early 2021 a state of emergency, ostensibly due to COVID-19, was declared; it blocked any challenges to Muhyiddin's government.
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