Domestic affairs Mahathir Mohamad
1 domestic affairs 1.1 years (1981–87) 1.2 exerting power (1987–90) 1.3 economic development financial crisis (1990–98) 1.4 final years , succession (1998–2003) domestic affairs mahathir sworn in prime minister on 16 july 1981, @ age of 56. 1 of first acts release 21 detainees held under internal security act, including journalist samad ismail , former deputy minister in hussein s government, abdullah ahmad, had been suspected of being underground communist. appointed close ally, musa hitam, deputy prime minister. early years (1981–87) mahathir exercised caution in first 2 years in power, consolidating leadership of umno and, victory in 1982 general election, government. in 1983, mahathir commenced first of number of battles have malaysia s royalty during premiership. position of yang di-pertuan agong, malaysian head of state, due rotate in either elderly idris shah ii of perak or controversial iskandar of johor. mahathir had grave reservations 2 sultans. both activist rulers of own st...