Being Abdullah Ahmad Badawi: The Authorised Biography by Wong SuLong

Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi – Malaysia’s fifth prime minister – is probably the most misunderstood and maligned among Malaysian leaders.

He was regarded as an accidental prime minister, yet he led his party to the biggest-ever general election victory in Malaysian history, only to be rejected by voters four years later. Now, Malaysians acknowledge that his relatively short rule was the springtime of Malaysian democracy. His firmness in ensuring a smooth and peaceful handover of power in the five states won by the opposition after the 2008 general election marked him as a courageous and principled leader. His legacy to Malaysia is substantial. 

In this book, journalist and author Wong Sulong traces the evolving public perception of this humble and remarkable politician and argues that a member of the Badawi family is now in the running for Malaysia’s top political job.

Read more about the book here:

"Living not far from Abdullah's house was another young Malay boy, named Fatah Abdullah. Abdullah and Fatah went to the same Malay primary school in Bertam and became the best of friends till the end. "They were like brothers; in fact, more than brothers, said Latif Abdullah. As Abdullah would tell everyone in the later years, Fatah was the most loyal friend one could ever have, and he was to play a critical role in Abdullah’s rise to power.

As kids, Abdullah and Fatah had the best of times. They shared the same hobbies, and were inseparable. …The fruiting season provided Abdullah and Fatah with another delight and enterprise. Armed with two baskets each, they would collect mangosteens and rambutans from the orchards that dotted the village. "Sometimes we would ask the owners for permission to pick the fruits; sometimes they would invite us to collect as much as we want," said Abdullah. And with baskets full, the two young boys would walk to the Kepala Batas market to sell the fruits of their labour. On the way, Fatah's grandfather would stop them and buy a basket from his grandson, and Abdullah's grandfather would do the same with him. And as they walked along the main thoroughfare of Kepala Batas, the shopkeepers would feign horror. "Ah-Lah, these boys are so good at meniaga, how can we compete," they would pretend to moan. Recalled Abdullah's mother Kailan, "The grandfather would bring home a basket of fruits, saying he bought it from the market. We would keep quiet and smiled among ourselves, knowing who he had bought it from!"

- Chapter 2. Rice Fields of Kepala Batas

Author: Dato’ Wong Sulong

Publisher: Pelanduk Publications

Year: 2016

ISBN: 9789679789843