111-698: The Sultan Azlan Shah Bridge or Jambatan Sultan Azlan Shah is the longest river-crossing bridge in the North–South Expressway network. The bridge crosses Perak River in Perak , Malaysia, spanning 360 metres. It was officially opened on 17 September 1987 by the late Almarhum Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak in conjunction with the opening of the Ipoh North – Changkat Jering sections of the North–South Expressway Northern Route . Near
222-601: A My RFID toll booth. Generally the expressway consists of four lanes, two for each direction. There are some exceptions to this; the following are stretches with six lanes or eight lanes (three or four each way) North–South Expressway is designed as a high-speed long distance expressway therefore the default speed limit on the expressway is 110 km/h (68 mph), but there are some exceptions in some places for several reasons, including:- Most heavy vehicles are only allowed to travel 80–90 km/h by law. Considering that two lanes are inadequate for smooth traffic flow,
333-447: A campaign characterising this as a violation of the social contract and constitution . At UMNO's general assembly in 2002, he announced that he would resign as prime minister, only for supporters to rush to the stage and convince him tearfully to remain. He subsequently fixed his retirement for October 2003, giving him time to ensure an orderly and uncontroversial transition to his anointed successor, Abdullah Badawi. On 29 October 2003,
444-594: A career in medicine, becoming a physician. His involvement in politics began when he joined the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Malaysia's leading political party advocating Malay interests. His dedication to the party led him to enter the parliament of Malaysia in the 1964 general election , where he served one term before losing his seat. His relationship with the then-Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman , deteriorated, leading to his expulsion from UMNO. During his time outside
555-738: A faster pace. The first section completed by PLUS was the Ayer Keroh–Pagoh section on 5 April 1989. By March 1990, PLUS had given 40 civil works contracts for the construction of the North-South Expressway and the North Klang Valley Expressway. In May 1992, UEM began accelerating the construction of North-South Expressway, ahead of the deadline of the concession agreement set for May 1995. By 1992, PLUS had already given 41 contracts worth RM 4.7 billion. The 31-km New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) E1
666-576: A fourth lane on certain stretches of the highway, namely from Shah Alam to Jalan Duta , from Shah Alam to Rawang and from Nilai (North) to Port Dickson . The upgrading works for this project began in October 2012 and was completed in 2015. Plus Expressways Berhad changes older Sodium-vapor lamp lighting to a new LED lamp lighting when needed frequently. The North–South Expressway southern route from Sungai Besi Toll Plaza to Nilai Utara exit and most of North–South Expressway Central Link lighting
777-421: A leading Anwar supporter, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi , criticised the government for not doing enough to combat corruption and cronyism . As Mahathir took the reins of Malaysia's economic policy over the coming months, Anwar was increasingly sidelined. On 2 September, he was dismissed as deputy prime minister and finance minister and promptly expelled from UMNO. No immediate reasons were given for the dismissal. However,
888-414: A level of success. Those who use this expressway will be expected not only to enjoy the various parties in the construction efforts, but also can even appreciate this expressway contribution towards national development." Plans to upgrade the stretches from Slim River to Tanjung Malim , Tanjung Malim to Rawang (Northern route), Seremban to Senawang , and Senawang to Ayer Keroh ( Southern route )
999-413: A local coach criticised his decision, Iskandar ordered him to his palace and beat him. The federal parliament unanimously censured Iskandar, and Mahathir took the opportunity to remove the constitutional immunity of the sultans from civil and criminal suits. The press backed Mahathir and, in an unprecedented development, started airing allegations of misconduct by members of Malaysia's royal families. As
1110-592: A narrow margin, receiving the votes of 761 party delegates to Razaleigh's 718. Ghafar defeated Musa by a slightly larger margin. Mahathir responded by purging seven Team B supporters from his ministry. At the same time, Team B refused to accept defeat and initiated litigation. In an unexpected decision in February 1988, the High Courts ruled that UMNO was an illegal organisation as some of its branches had not been lawfully registered. Each faction raced to register
1221-483: A new north–south divided highway as an alternative to the federal route 1. The proposal to build the new highway was mooted as a result of the severe congestion along the Federal Route 1. Because of the large cost of the project, the highway was planned to be privatised and tolled, but none of the constructors being invited by the government were willing to do the job due to economic uncertainties at that time and
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#17327722556001332-574: A new party under the UMNO name. Mahathir's side successfully registered the name "UMNO Baru" ("new UMNO"), while Team B's application to register "UMNO Malaysia" was rejected. Nevertheless, UMNO Malaysia registered the party as Semangat 46 instead under Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's leadership. The Lord President of the Supreme Court , Salleh Abas , sent a letter of protest to the Agong, which criticised
1443-406: A series of bold infrastructure projects. Under his leadership, Malaysia transformed from being an agricultural country to a modern, industrial nation. Between 1988 and 1996, Malaysia experienced an 8 percent economic growth rate, during which Mahathir introduced an economic plan, known as The Way Forward or Vision 2020 , aiming for the country to achieve fully developed nation status by 2020. Mahathir
1554-569: A state of Malaysia . He vociferously attacked Singapore's dominant People's Action Party for being "pro-Chinese" and "anti-Malay" and called its leader, Lee Kuan Yew , "arrogant". Singapore was expelled from Malaysia in Mahathir's first full year in parliament. Despite Mahathir's prominence, he lost his seat in the 1969 election , defeated by Yusof Rawa of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). Mahathir attributed
1665-698: A state of emergency. However, if he refused to assent to a bill, the bill would return to Parliament, which could then override Agong's veto. On the economic front, Mahathir inherited the New Economic Policy from his predecessors, which was designed to improve the economic position of the bumiputera —Malaysia's Malays and Indigenous peoples —via targets and affirmative action in areas such as corporate ownership and university admission. Like many of his economic liberal contemporaries such as British prime minister Margaret Thatcher , Mahathir actively pursued privatisation of government enterprises from
1776-616: A total length of 772 kilometres (480 miles). Running through seven states and connecting the Thailand and Singapore borders, the North–South Expressway is an important thoroughfare for local, interstate and international traffic. The expressway is part of route AH2 , a designation of the Asian Highway Network . The expressways were first conceived in 1977 due to increasing congestion on federal route 1 , which
1887-674: Is a Malaysian politician, author, and doctor who served as the fourth and seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003 and from 2018 to 2020. With a cumulative tenure of 24 years, making him the longest-serving prime minister in Malaysian history. Before becoming premier, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and in other cabinet positions. He was a Member of Parliament for Langkawi from 2018 to 2022, Kubang Pasu from 1974 to 2004, and Kota Star Selatan from 1964 to 1969. His political career spanned more than 78 years, from joining protests opposing citizenship policies for non-Malays in
1998-472: Is done by the Touch 'n Go electronic payment system through the use of Touch 'n Go cards, PLUSMiles Touch 'n Go cards, SmartTAG and Touch 'n Go RFID . The North–South Expressway uses two toll systems:- For junction list, see North–South Expressway Northern Route , North–South Expressway Central Link and North–South Expressway Southern Route . Pos Malaysia issued commemorative postage stamps to mark
2109-440: Is revered in developing and Islamic nations for Malaysia's economic progress and support of liberal Muslim values . He also champions Malay nationalism , although he has evolved from supporting " Ketuanan Melayu " to advocating a " Bangsa Malaysia " that assimilates non-Malays into Malay culture , strictly rejecting multiculturalism . He criticizes neoliberalism and Western influence , controversially suggesting that
2220-647: The 1990 election . Semangat 46 failed to make any headway outside Razaleigh's home state of Kelantan. The expiry of the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1990 allowed Mahathir to outline his economic vision for Malaysia. In 1991, he announced Vision 2020 , under which Malaysia would aim to become a fully developed country within 30 years. The target would require average economic growth of approximately seven per cent of gross domestic product per annum. One of Vision 2020's features would be to gradually break down ethnic barriers. Vision 2020
2331-515: The 1MDB corruption scandal in 2016, joining BERSATU and leading the Pakatan Harapan opposition coalition to victory in the 2018 general election . During his second tenure , he pledged to investigate the 1MDB scandal, combat corruption, and cut spending on large infrastructure projects. He also secured the pardon and release of Anwar Ibrahim . Mahathir resigned in 2020 amidst a political crisis . Despite losing his parliamentary seat in
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#17327722556002442-460: The 2022 general election , he remained active in politics and shifted party affiliation several times. Mahathir's political views have shifted throughout his life, and are shaped by his Malay nationalism and Islamic religious beliefs . Initially, he was aligned with Third-Worldism in the 1980s and later advocated for " Asian values " and globalization . He has consistently maintained Islamic political views throughout his political career. He
2553-651: The Abdul Razak government , returning to UMNO's Supreme Council in 1973. He was appointed to Cabinet in 1974 as the Minister for Education . He returned to the House of Representatives in the 1974 election , winning the Kedah-based seat of Kubang Pasu unopposed. One of his first acts as Minister for Education was to introduce greater government control over Malaysia's universities , despite strong opposition from
2664-486: The Asian financial crisis . The 1997 Southeast Asian haze , the worst haze event in history caused by Indonesian forest fires , was a major air pollution crisis for the country; Mahathir launched a cross-border firefighting operation in response. In 1997, the Asian financial crisis threatened to devastate Malaysia's economy. The value of the ringgit plummeted due to currency speculation, foreign investment fled, and
2775-534: The Bangsa Malaysia policy, which aimed to facilitate greater representation of non-Malay ethnicities in Malaysia . Mahathir's government cut corporate taxes and liberalised financial regulations to attract foreign investment. The economy grew by over nine per cent per annum until 1998, prompting other developing countries to emulate Mahathir's policies. Much credit for Malaysia's economic development in
2886-739: The British grouped the Malay states and the Straits Settlements into the Malayan Union , and granted citizenship to non-Malays. This caused major backlash from Malays and a wave of Malay nationalism swept across the country. Mahathir became politically activated by these changes, joining protests and activism against the new citizenship policies. Mahathir later argued for affirmative action for Malays at medical college. While at college, he contributed to The Straits Times under
2997-474: The Internal Security Act . This included journalist Samad Ismail and Abdullah Ahmad , who was a former deputy minister in the former government but was suspected of being an underground communist . He appointed Musa Hitam as deputy prime minister. Mahathir exercised caution in his first two years in power, consolidating UMNO's leadership and, with victory in the 1982 general election ,
3108-540: The Malayan Union in the 1940s to forming the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition in 2022. He was granted the soubriquet "Father of Modernisation" (" Bapa Pemodenan ") for his pivotal role in transforming the country's economy and infrastructure. At the age of 99, he is currently the oldest living former Malaysian prime minister. Born and raised in Alor Setar , Kedah, Mahathir excelled in his studies and pursued
3219-481: The National Justice Party ( Keadilan ) to contest in the 1999 election . UMNO lost 18 seats and two state governments as large numbers of Malays voted for PAS or Keadilan in protest of Anwar's treatment. In September 2001, debate aroused after Mahathir announced that Malaysia was already an Islamic state ; this caused uneasiness among non-Muslims in Malaysia, whilst the opposition DAP launched
3330-643: The US government was involved in the 9/11 attacks and a group of international elites control every aspects of life with the aim of establishing global hegemony . He has also been accused of antisemitism for his comments , which include stereotypes about Jews' financial skills and media control . On environmental issues, he criticizes the Global North countries for " eco-imperialism " and defends Malaysia's palm oil industry as sustainable, despite international scrutiny linking it to deforestation . Mahathir
3441-635: The West . As prime minister, he was an advocate of Asian values and development models , and was particularly prominent across the Muslim world . In 2002, Mahathir announced his intention to resign as Prime Minister, officially stepping down in 2003 after 22 years in office, but remained politically influential and was critical of his successors. Mahathir also served as the Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) from 2004 to 2016. He quit UMNO over
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3552-614: The 1970s, responded to the resurgence by taking an increasingly strident Islamist stand under the leadership of Yusof Rawa . Mahathir tried to appeal to religious voters by establishing Islamic institutions such as the International Islamic University of Malaysia which could promote Islamic education under government oversight. He managed to draw Anwar Ibrahim , the leader of the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM), into
3663-516: The 1990s went to Anwar Ibrahim, appointed by Mahathir as finance minister in 1991. The government rode the economic wave and won the 1995 election with an increased majority. Mahathir initiated a series of major infrastructure projects in the 1990s. One of the largest was the Multimedia Super Corridor , a new information technology district south of Kuala Lumpur modelled after Silicon Valley . Other Mahathir projects included
3774-504: The 1990s, Mahathir found himself at odds with Malaysian royalty over conflicting economic interests. In response to conflicts between Malaysian royals and prospective business leaders, Mahathir's government passed a resolution on royal activities. In the 1992 Gomez Incident , Sultan Iskandar's son, a representative field hockey player, was suspended from competition for five years for assaulting an opponent. Iskandar retaliated by pulling all Johor hockey teams out of national competitions. When
3885-520: The 84 seats it contested, leaving PAS with just one Member of Parliament (MP). In 1987, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah , who had been demoted from Finance Minister to Trade and Industry Minister , challenged Mahathir for UMNO's presidency , and effectively the prime ministership. Razaleigh's bid was supported by Musa, who had resigned as deputy prime minister the previous year. While once close allies with Mahathir, both fell out with Musa claiming that Mahathir no longer trusted him. Razaleigh and Musa ran for
3996-757: The E1 ends at Bukit Lanjan before proceeding to the city via the New Klang Valley Expressway , which is also gazetted as route E1. The E1 and E2 expressways are linked together via the North–South Expressway Central Link, E6 . While most of the expressway was construct according to JKR R6 design standards being defined in the Arahan Teknik 8/86: A Guide on Geometric Design of Roads ( controlled-access expressway with design speed limit of 120 km/h and lane width of 3.5 m),
4107-593: The English student newspaper and winning a series of language awards, he won a position in a selective English-medium secondary school Government English School in 1933. With schools closed during the Japanese occupation of Malaya in World War II , he started a small business, selling coffee and snacks such as pisang goreng (banana fritters). After the war, Mahathir graduated from secondary school with
4218-457: The IMF – Malaysia recovered from the crisis faster than its Southeast Asian neighbours. In the domestic sphere , it was a political triumph. Amidst the economic events of 1998, Mahathir had dismissed Anwar as finance minister and deputy prime minister, taking credit for the economy's recovery despite Anwar's policies. Anwar led the reformasi movement against Mahathir's government in response. In
4329-542: The Internal Security Act. Mahathir argued that the detentions were necessary to prevent a repeat of the 1969 race riots. Most of the detainees were prominent opposition activists, including the DAP leader, Lim Kit Siang , and nine of his fellow MPs. Three newspapers sympathetic to the opposition were shut down. Mahathir suffered a heart attack in early 1989. He recovered to lead Barisan Nasional to victory in
4440-635: The Jitra–Bukit Kayu Hitam section does not adhere to the JKR R6 standards and was grandfathered as part of the E1 expressway, as the section was constructed before the Arahan Teknik 8/86 was published by the Malaysian Public Works Department in 1986. The North–South Expressway was constructed due to the congestion along the federal route 1 as a result of increasing traffic. In 1977, the government proposed to build
4551-520: The Kuala Lumpur–Penang through traffic is now opened to traffic. With the opening of the 14.7-kilometre (9.1 mi) between Ipoh North (Jelapang) and Ipoh South stretch, highway users are no longer required to stop for toll transactions at the Ipoh North and Ipoh South Toll Plazas. In July 2010, the operator PLUS Expressways Berhad announced that the government has awarded contracts to build
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4662-487: The Malay community. The book argued that a balance had to be achieved between government support for Malays, so that their economic interests would not be dominated by the Chinese, and exposing Malays to sufficient competition. Mahathir saw Malays as typically avoiding hard work and failing to "appreciate the real value of money and property", and hoped this balance would rectify this. Mahathir criticised Tunku's government in
4773-575: The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) to execute the entire construction job and decided to have the expressway project to be privatised, citing the success of the privatisation of the North Klang Straits Bypass in 1985 by Shapadu A letter of intention was sent to United Engineers (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (now UEM Group ) on 29 December 1986 before being finalised in 1988. The privatisation agreement had led to
4884-535: The Malaysian Highway Authority, a statutory body, which has been planned early and begin construction, with the Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan Berhad (PLUS) (North–South Expressway Project), a private company that was awarded concessions to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the expressways. Such efforts shows an improvement visions into a reality after across a variety of challenges that threaten to stop. It acknowledged
4995-566: The North to Johor Bahru in the Causeway bordering with Singapore in the South. The construction of the 848km expressway, across the peat swamps and forests and hill untapped granite hills, is an amazing achievement. Also impressive is the pragmatic way in which the combined efforts between the public and private sectors has resulted in this achievement. The expressways is the result of joint efforts of
5106-752: The Penang Bridge, was opened on 14 September 1985. Meanwhile, the 27.3-km Skudai Highway was constructed in Johor Bahru as another upgrade of route 1 in the south. The toll road had two toll plazas at the Senai and at the Johor Causeway . It was constructed by the Malaysian Public Works Department (JKR) before being handed over to Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) in November 1985. The extensive urbanisation of Johor Bahru however had rendered
5217-537: The Skudai Highway FT1 to be unsuitable to become a part of the North–South Expressway E2, as the Skudai Highway FT1 is not a controlled-access highway . Nevertheless, the toll road and the North–South Expressway were acquired by Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan Berhad . However, various parties especially residents of Senai and political parties urged that the toll collection be abolished due to
5328-405: The UMNO presidency and deputy presidency on a joint ticket against Mahathir and his new choice for deputy Abdul Ghafar Baba . Mahathir's Team A enjoyed the press's support, most party heavyweights, and even Iskandar, now the Agong. However, other prominent figures such as Abdullah Ahmad Badawi supported Team B. In the election, held on 24 April 1987, Team A prevailed. Mahathir was re-elected by
5439-403: The academic community. He moved to limit politics on university campuses, giving his ministry the power to discipline students and academics who were politically active and making scholarships for students conditional on the avoidance of politics. In 1975, Mahathir ran for one of the three vice-presidencies of UMNO. The contest was regarded as a struggle for the party's leadership succession, as
5550-707: The access to the new CIQ complex and the Johor–Singapore Causeway is provided by the Johor Bahru Eastern Dispersal Link Expressway . The next completed sections were the Ipoh–Changkat Jering and Senawang–Ayer Keroh sections in 1987. The Senawang–Ayer Keroh section was built as an extension of the Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway. The toll collection of the Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway
5661-465: The book, which led to it being banned in Malaysia. The ban was only lifted in 1981 under Mahathir's premiership. Academics R. S. Milne and Diane K. Mauzy argue that Mahathir's relentless attacks were the principal cause of Tunku Abdul Rahman's downfall and subsequent resignation as prime minister in 1970. Tunku's successor Abdul Razak Hussein encouraged Mahathir to return to UMNO and appointed him Senator for Kedah in 1973. Mahathir rose quickly in
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#17327722556005772-491: The bridges is the Sungai Perak rest and service area. This article about a bridge in Malaysia is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . North%E2%80%93South Expressway (Malaysia) The North–South Expressway is a network of tolled controlled-access highways running through the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia . The expressway network consists of the northern and southern route, having
5883-408: The cabinet paid tribute to Mahathir for his invaluable service to the nation as Prime Minister for the last 22 years. He also received a record-breaking outpouring of public gratitude, marked by a 5.5 km-long banner displaying messages from over 50,000 Malaysians. Having spent over 22 years in office, Mahathir was the world's longest-serving elected leader when he retired. For his contributions to
5994-483: The car manufacturer Proton as a joint venture between the Malaysian government and Mitsubishi . By the end of the 1980s, with the support of protective tariffs , Proton became a profitable enterprise and the largest carmaker in Southeast Asia . In Mahathir's early years as prime minister, Malaysia experienced a resurgence of Islam and conservatism among Malays. PAS, which had joined UMNO in government in
6105-578: The development of Putrajaya as the home of Malaysia's public service and bringing a Formula One Grand Prix to Sepang . One of the most controversial developments was the Bakun Dam in Sarawak. The ambitious hydro-electric project was intended to carry electricity across the South China Sea to satisfy electricity demand in peninsular Malaysia. Work on the dam was eventually suspended due to
6216-407: The early 1980s. Mahathir believed this would provide economic opportunities for bumiputera and their businesses. His government privatised airlines , utilities and telecommunication firms , accelerating to a rate of about 50 privatisations a year by the mid-1990s. While privatisation generally improved the working conditions of Malaysians in privatised industries and raised significant revenue for
6327-412: The expressway between 1982 and 1988 was solely administered by Malaysian Highway Authority before being transferred to Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan Berhad on 13 May 1988. The construction of the expressway was done in stages. As the construction works continued, segments of the highway were opened to traffic as they were finished to help fund the construction works. The Jitra–Bukit Kayu Hitam section
6438-503: The expressway is being widened as a result of the increasing number of fatal accidents along this highway. It has been recently decided that the two-lane 110 km/h highway will be upgraded to a three-lane 110 km/h highway to prevent accidents, however another lane was being added on the selected stretches to increase it to four lanes. The North–South Expressway is a toll expressway. Since 26 April 2017, all toll plazas are fully electronic with cash no longer being accepted. Payment
6549-399: The formation of Highway Concessionaires Berhad which would later become Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan Berhad (PLUS). PLUS took over the construction, operation and maintenance jobs of the North–South Expressway from LLM starting from March 1998, together with the Skudai Highway FT1. After the North–South Expressway project was privatised in 1988, the construction work progress continued at
6660-400: The government, also sending an open dissenting letter to Tunku for failing to uphold Malay interests and calling for his resignation. By the end of the year, Mahathir was fired from UMNO's Supreme Council and expelled from the party. Tunku had to be persuaded not to have him arrested. Expelled from UMNO, Mahathir wrote his first book, The Malay Dilemma , in which he set out his vision for
6771-470: The government, many privatisations occurred in the absence of open tendering processes and benefited Malays who supported UMNO. One of the most notable infrastructure projects at the time was the construction of the North–South Expressway , a motorway running from the Thai border to Singapore. The contract to construct the expressway was awarded to a business venture of UMNO. Mahathir oversaw the establishment of
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#17327722556006882-501: The government. In 1983, Mahathir undertook one of the first challenges he had with Malaysia's royalty . The position of Yang di-Pertuan Agong , the Malaysian head of state, was due to rotate into either the elderly Idris Shah II of Perak or the controversial Iskandar of Johor , who had only a few years earlier been convicted of manslaughter. Mahathir had grave reservations about the two Sultans, who were both activist rulers of their own states. Mahathir tried to pre-emptively limit
6993-656: The health of Abdul Razak and his deputy, Hussein Onn , waned. Each of Abdul Razak's preferred candidates was elected: former Chief Minister of Melaka, Ghafar Baba ; Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah , a wealthy businessman and member of Kelantan 's royal family; and Mahathir. When Razak died the following year, Hussein, as his successor, had to choose between the three men, alongside the Minister of Home Affairs Ghazali Shafie , to be deputy prime minister. Mahathir's rivals had significant political liabilities: Ghazali, having been defeated by
7104-593: The highest rank and enrolled to study medicine at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore . Mahathir studied medicine at what was then called University of Malaya, later renamed University of Singapore . When the university granted him an honorary degree in November 2018, he said "I will always value my stay in Singapore for nearly six years." Mahathir married Hasmah in 1956,
7215-414: The initial phases, the North–South Expressway project was criticized for its sluggish progress pace. As of 1986, only about 350 km (or two-thirds of the entire length) of the expressway was completed. The work progress became worse due to the nationwide economic setback caused by the falling prices of commodities like rubber and tin. As a result, the government had to revise its initial policy of having
7326-497: The lack of toll-free alternative. As a result, the toll collection at Senai toll plaza was abolished on 1 March 2004. After the toll collection at Senai was abolished, the highway had been maintained by the Malaysian Public Works Department . The Johor Causeway toll plaza remained in operation until 2008, when the former Johor Bahru CIQ Complex was closed and replaced by the Sultan Iskandar CIQ Complex , and
7437-529: The local-express lanes. The decision to demolish both toll plazas was made as a result of accidents which happened at Jelapang toll plaza. Since the toll plaza was opened on 28 September 1987, there were many accident cases which involved brake failure in heavy vehicles due to hard braking when proceeding downhill to the toll plaza. On 7 June 2008, the new Ipoh North toll plaza (South bound) replacing old Jelapang toll plaza opened to traffic, followed by north bound on 15 August 2008. Beginning 11:00 am on 14 July 2009,
7548-751: The loss of his seat to ethnic Chinese voters switching support from UMNO to PAS. Being a Malay-dominated seat, only the two major Malay parties fielded candidates, leaving Chinese voters to choose between the Malay-centric UMNO and the Islamist PAS. Large government losses in the election were followed by the race riots of 13 May 1969 . Hundreds of people were killed in clashes between Malays and Chinese. In 1968, Mahathir had expressed concern over escalating racial tensions in two newspaper articles, and feared preventative measures would be needed to avoid violence. Outside parliament, he openly criticised
7659-551: The main stock exchange index fell by over 75 per cent. At the urging of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government cut government spending. It raised interest rates, which only served to exacerbate the economic situation. In 1998, Mahathir went against the advice of IMF and Anwar by increasing government spending and fixing the ringgit to the US dollar. The result confounded his international critics and
7770-536: The media speculated that it related to lurid allegations of sexual misconduct circulated in a "poison pen letter" at the general assembly. As more allegations surfaced, large public rallies were held in support of Anwar. On 20 September, he was arrested and placed in detention under the Internal Security Act. Anwar stood trial on four charges of corruption, arising from allegations that Anwar abused his power by ordering police to intimidate persons who had alleged Anwar had sodomised them. Before Anwar's trial, Mahathir told
7881-472: The mid-1990s, Mahathir had become the country's "uncrowned king". His policies during his first premiership were later described as " authoritarian " by the BBC . According to biographer Ian Stewart, by the mid-1990s Anwar's leadership ambition was the most serious threat to Mahathir's power. Anwar began to distance himself from Mahathir, overtly promoting his superior religious credentials and suggesting loosening
7992-596: The ministry promoting Malaysia through overseas visits. However, Mahathir did not have much influence as deputy prime minister. Hussein was a cautious leader who rejected many of Mahathir's bold policy proposals, such as a freeway the length of Peninsular Malaysia and heavy industries cooperation. Hussein remained distant from Mahathir while keeping Ghazali and Razaleigh as his close advisors, who often outmanoeuvred Mahathir to reach Hussein. Nonetheless, when Hussein relinquished power due to ill health in 1981, Mahathir succeeded him unopposed and with his blessing. Mahathir
8103-548: The name UMNO. According to Milne and Mauzy, the episode destroyed the independence of Malaysia's judiciary. At the same time as the political and judicial crises, Mahathir initiated a crackdown on opposition dissidents using the Internal Security Act . Mahathir later declared that it was only used to lock up people accused of riots, unlawful assembly, terrorism and those who have murdered police officers. The appointment of several administrators who did not speak Mandarin to Chinese schools provoked an outcry among Chinese Malaysians to
8214-406: The national economy. In 1976, he advanced to the position of deputy prime minister, and in 1981, he was sworn in as prime minister, embarking on a historic tenure that would span 22 years and transform Malaysia's political and economic landscape. During Mahathir's first tenure, Malaysia underwent modernisation and economic growth when his government initiated widespread industry privatisation and
8325-437: The official opening of the North–South Expressway on 8 September 1994. The capsule will be released after the expiry of the concession of the North–South Expressway by PLUS Expressways on 31 December 2038. The monument is inscribed in Malay. The English version reads: "This monument symbolizes the pinnacle of successful for the construction of the North–South Expressway that connects Bukit Kayu Hitam bordering with Thailand in
8436-577: The opening of the North–South Expressway on 10 September 1994. The denominations for these stamps were 30 sen, 50 sen, and RM1.00. Mahathir Mohamad UMNO (1964–2016) BERSATU (2016–2020) PEJUANG (2020–2023) PUTRA (2023–present) Alliance Party (1964–1974) Barisan Nasional (1974–2016) Pakatan Harapan (2017–2020) Gerakan Tanah Air (2022–2023) [REDACTED] Mahathir bin Mohamad ( Jawi : محاضر بن محمد ; IPA: [mahaðɪ(r) bɪn mohamad] ; born 10 July 1925)
8547-432: The others for a vice-presidency, lacked the support of UMNO members. Ghafar had no higher education and was not fluent in English. Razaleigh was young, inexperienced and unmarried. However, Hussein and Mahathir were not close allies, and Hussein knew Mahathir's choice would displease Abdul Razak. After six weeks of indecision, Mahathir was, much to his surprise, appointed as Hussein's deputy. The appointment meant that Mahathir
8658-523: The party, Mahathir published his book The Malay Dilemma in 1970, a work that explored the socio-political and economic challenges facing the Malay community and drew significant attention for its bold views. After Tunku Abdul Rahman's resignation, Mahathir rejoined UMNO and regained his seat in parliament. His political ascent continued as he was appointed Minister of Education from 1974 to 1978. He subsequently became Minister of Trade and Industry from 1978 to 1981, promoting industrialization to strengthen
8769-579: The plan could not be materialised. It was only after Mahathir Mohamad became the Prime Minister that the North–South Expressway project was revived. The project was launched in 1981. The Malaysian Highway Authority was established on 24 October 1980 to supervise and execute the design, construction, regulation, operation and maintenance of inter-urban highways, to impose and collect tolls, to enter into contracts and to provide for matters connected therewith. At that time, all construction works of
8880-693: The point where UMNO's coalition partners the Malaysian Chinese Association and Gerakan joined the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in protesting the appointments. UMNO's Youth wing held a provocative protest that triggered a shooting by a lone Malay gunman. Only Mahathir's interference prevented UMNO from staging a larger protest. Instead, Mahathir ordered what Wain calls "the biggest crackdown on political dissent Malaysia had ever seen". Under Operation Lalang , 119 people were arrested and detained without charge under
8991-470: The power that the new Agong could wield over his government. He introduced to parliament amendments to the Constitution to deem the Agong to assent to any bill that had not been assented within 15 days of passage by Parliament. The proposal removed the power to declare a state of emergency from the Agong and placed it with the prime minister. The Agong at the time, Ahmad Shah of Pahang , agreed with
9102-423: The press revealed examples of the rulers' extravagant wealth, Mahathir resolved to cut financial support to royal households. With the press and the government pitted against them, the sultans capitulated to the government's proposals. Their powers to deny assent to bills were limited by further constitutional amendments passed in 1994. With the status and powers of the Malaysian royalty diminished, Wain writes that by
9213-474: The press that he was convinced of Anwar's guilt. He was found guilty in April 1999 and sentenced to six years in prison. In another trial shortly after, Anwar was sentenced to another nine years in prison on a conviction for sodomy. The sodomy conviction was overturned on appeal after Mahathir left office. Anwar's conviction drew criticism from the international community and led to a loss in domestic support for
9324-497: The prime minister for his comments on the judiciary and called for them to be stopped. Mahathir then suspended Salleh for "gross misbehaviour and conduct", ostensibly because the letter was a breach of protocol. A tribunal set up by Mahathir found Salleh guilty and recommended to the Agong that Salleh be dismissed. Five other judges of the court supported Salleh and were suspended by Mahathir. A newly constituted court dismissed Team B's appeal, allowing Mahathir's faction to continue to use
9435-479: The proposals in principle, but baulked when he realised that the proposal would deem Sultans to assent to laws passed by state assemblies. Supported by the Sultans, the Agong refused to assent to the constitutional amendments, which had passed both houses of Parliament with comfortable majorities. When the public became aware of the impasse, and the Sultans refused to compromise with the government, Mahathir took to
9546-534: The pseudonym "C.H.E. Det" and a student journal, in which he fiercely promoted Malay rights, such as calling for the restoration of Malay as an official language. While practising as a physician in Alor Setar, Mahathir became active in UMNO. By the time of the first general election for the independent state of Malaya in 1959, he was the chairman of the party in Kedah. Despite his prominence in UMNO, Mahathir
9657-416: The ranks of UMNO. In some cases, Mahathir's government employed repression against more extreme exponents of Islamism. Ibrahim Libya , a popular Islamist leader, was killed in a police shoot-out in 1985. Al-Arqam , a religious sect, was banned, and its leader, Ashaari Mohammad , was arrested under the Internal Security Act . Mahathir comprehensively defeated PAS at the polls in 1986 , winning 83 seats of
9768-512: The remainder of the construction work. The North–South Expressway is divided into 2 main routes – the northern (route E1) and the southern (route E2). Both routes run parallel to the federal route 1 from Johor Bahru to Bukit Kayu Hitam . Each component expressway begins at the furthest end of the expressway from Kuala Lumpur. While the E2 terminates at the Selangor–Kuala Lumpur border,
9879-483: The restrictions on civil liberties. However, Mahathir continued to back Anwar as his successor until the collapse of their relationship during the Asian financial crisis , with Mahathir abandoning the tight monetary and fiscal policies urged by the IMF. Anwar refused to bail out Malaysian International Shipping Corp , in which Mahathir's son Mirzan had interests. At the UMNO General Assembly in 1998,
9990-467: The ruling coalition. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright defended Anwar as a "highly respectable leader" who was "entitled to due process and a fair trial" and met with Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail . At the APEC summit in 1999, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien refused to meet Mahathir, while his foreign minister also met with Wan Azizah. Wan Azizah had formed a liberal opposition party,
10101-401: The streets to demonstrate public support for his position in mass rallies. The press took the side of the government. A large minority of Malays, including conservative UMNO politicians, and an even larger proportion of the Chinese community supported the Sultans. After five months, the crisis was resolved, as Mahathir and the Sultans agreed to a compromise. The Agong retained the power to declare
10212-460: The success of the Government and represents a national effort funded and operated successfully by Malaysians. This monument also commemorates the efforts of leaders of the Government, public services, businesses, financial institutions, consultants, engineers and consultants, as well as contractors and labours, which has played an important role in facing their challenges and bring this project to
10323-405: The two having met in medical college. He returned to Alor Setar in 1957 to establish his practice, Maha Clinic. He was the town's first Malay physician and a successful one. He built a large house, invested in various businesses, and employed a Chinese man to chauffeur him in his Pontiac Catalina (most chauffeurs at the time were Malay). After World War II ended and the Japanese withdrew,
10434-654: Was a dominating political figure, winning five consecutive general elections and fending off rivals for UMNO's leadership. He continued pro- bumiputera policies, and oversaw Malaysia's relatively fast recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis . Critics argue that he centralized power by undermining judicial independence and supported a constitutional amendment to remove legal immunity for royalty . In 1987, he detained various activists and religious figures under Operation Lalang , and in 1998, had his deputy Anwar Ibrahim arrested. His record of authoritarianism and curtailment of civil liberties strained relationships with
10545-547: Was a significant enough slight to delay his entry into national politics in protest. He contested in the following general election in 1964, and was elected as the federal parliamentarian for the Alor Setar-based seat of Kota Setar Selatan . Elected to parliament in a volatile political period, Mahathir, as a backbencher , launched himself into the main conflict of the day: Singapore 's future, with its large and economically powerful ethnic Chinese population , as
10656-529: Was accompanied by the NEP's replacement, the National Development Policy (NDP), under which some government programs designed to benefit the bumiputera exclusively were opened up to other ethnicities. The NDP achieved one of its main aims — poverty reduction. By 1995, less than nine per cent of Malaysians lived in poverty, and income inequality had narrowed. Mahathir also introduced
10767-523: Was approved by the government for better traffic flow. It was completed in 2007. The Jelapang and Ipoh South toll plazas were demolished in 2009 to make a non-stop route across Ipoh . This is achieved through the construction of two local-express lanes for each side, which are only accessible via Exit 138 Ipoh South Exit (for northbound traffic) and Exit 141 Ipoh North Exit (for southbound traffic). The toll plazas in Ipoh are therefore relocated at each ends of
10878-415: Was born at his parents' home in a poor neighbourhood at Lorong Kilang Ais, Alor Setar , in the capital of the Malay sultanate of Kedah under a British protectorate , on 10 July 1925. Mahathir's mother, Wan Tempawan Wan Hanapi, was a Malay from Kedah. His father, Mohamad Iskandar, was from Penang of Malay and Indian descent. Mahathir's paternal grandfather had come from Kerala , British India . He
10989-526: Was born with six half-siblings and two full-siblings. His childhood home, with a single shared bedroom and no electricity supply, was later converted to a tourist attraction and opened to the public. Mahathir began his education at Seberang Perak Malay Boys School, Alor Setar, Kedah in 1930. Mahathir was a hard-working student. Discipline imposed by his father motivated him to study, and he showed little interest in sports. Having become fluent in English well ahead of his primary school peers, including editing
11100-403: Was changed. In the North–South Expressway northern route , lighting was added to sharp turns and hazardous sections. ( Gua Tempurung stretch and Kuala Kangsar–Jelapang stretch which are both highland roads with dangerous corners) On 16 December 2021, the North-South Expressway completes its RFID Tag My RFID network thus making all tolled roads on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia have
11211-510: Was completed in 1994, the expressway took the role of the Federal Route 1 as the main backbone route in Peninsular Malaysia. The North–South Expressway Monument was erected at Rawang Rest and Service Area (R&R) (North bound) near Rawang, Selangor on 8 September 1994. A capsule was put in place that contains documents that have been cultivated by the fourth prime minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad in conjunction with
11322-473: Was constructed as an upgrade of the existing Federal Route 1 section into a divided highway with partial access control and at-grade intersections . At that time, the construction of the Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway was ongoing, and therefore the expressway would later form the pioneer route for the southern route . The Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway, which was opened on 16 June 1982,
11433-535: Was from Sungai Besi to Labu. As a result of the completion of the Senawang–Ayer Keroh section, the old Labu Toll Plaza was demolished and was replaced by three toll plaza interchanges at Exit 218 Seremban Interchange, Exit 219 Port Dickson Interchange and Exit 220 Senawang Interchange; the Senawang Interchange was constructed by rerouting the through traffic to Ayer Keroh and southwards. During
11544-520: Was not a candidate in the 1959 election , ruling himself out following a disagreement with then Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman . Their relationship had been strained since Mahathir had criticised Tunku's agreement to retain British and Commonwealth forces in Malaya after independence. Tunku opposed Mahathir's plans to introduce minimum educational qualifications for UMNO candidates. For Mahathir, this
11655-714: Was only published by the Malaysian Public Works Department (JKR) later in 1986, resulting the section to be grandfathered as a part of the North–South Expressway E1. The third section being opened to motorists was the Seberang Jaya–Perai section. The section was constructed as a part of the Penang Bridge project; hence, the section forms the pioneer route for the Penang section of the North–South Expressway. The Seberang Jaya–Perai section, together with
11766-514: Was opened on 11 January 1993, connecting major cities in the Klang Valley with the North–South Expressway northern route. The remaining sections were opened gradually until the entire expressway was fully completed and opened in March 1994. The expressway was officially opened on 8 September 1994 by Malaysian prime minister at that time, Mahathir Mohamad . After the North–South Expressway
11877-403: Was sworn in as prime minister on 16 July 1981, at the age of 56. He was the first commoner to hold that office. In an interview, Mahathir remarked that major power rivalry in Southeast Asia is dangerous, but "on the other hand, a lack of U.S. interest is also problematic. It creates the impression that Russia can act as it pleases." One of his first acts was to release 21 detainees held under
11988-437: Was the anointed successor to the prime ministership. Mahathir is regarded as having been a successful Minister for Education and then Minister for Trade and Industry (1978–81). In the latter post, he implemented a "heavy industries policy", establishing a HICOM , a government-controlled corporation, to invest in the long-term development of manufacturing sectors such as an indigenous car industry. He spent much of his time in
12099-403: Was the first prime minister that was not born into the aristocracy or a prominent religious or political family. Mohamad Iskandar was the principal of an English-medium secondary school, whose lower-middle-class status meant his daughters were unable to enrol in a secondary school. Wan Tempawan had only distant relations to members of Kedah's royalty. Both had been married previously. Mahathir
12210-436: Was the first completed section of the North–South Expressway project and became the first expressway to implement the ticket system (closed toll system), then followed by the Jitra–Bukit Kayu Hitam section in 1985. Unlike the other sections of the North–South Expressway, the Jitra–Bukit Kayu Hitam section did not comply with the expressway standards defined by the Arahan Teknik 8/86: A Guide on Geometric Design of Roads which
12321-426: Was the main north–south thoroughfare at the time. However, economic uncertainties and the high cost meant that construction did not begin until 1981. The expressway began opening in stages from 1982, but the economic downturn at the time meant that construction had stalled and the work had to be fully privatised. The expressways were finally completed in 1994, with the tolls collected from the operational sections funding
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