Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak (born July 23, 1953, in Kuala Lipis, Pahang) is a Malaysian politician, who has been the country's Deputy Prime Minister since January 7, 2004. Najib is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), and is currently the Deputy President of the party.
Najib is the eldest son of Tun Abdul Razak, the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, and a nephew of Tun Hussein Onn, the third PM. He was first elected to the Dewan Rakyat, representing the parliamentary constituency of Pekan, at the age of 23 in an uncontested election after the death of his father. In his career, Najib has held a variety of ministerial portfolios (the first at the age of 32), culminating in the post of Minister of Defence before being chosen as the deputy PM by Abdullah Badawi. Najib holds the title of Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar of Pahang. His second wife is Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor with whom he has three sons, Nizar (born 1978), Nazifuddin and Norashman, and two daughters, Puteri Norlisa and Nooryana Narjawa. Tengku Puteri Zainah Tengku Eskandar is Najib's first wife with whom he has 3 children.
Najib had his primary and secondary education at St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur. He also attended Malvern College, Worcestershire, England.
In 1987, as UMNO Youth Chief, Najib defended special Malay privileges in a speech where he vowed to bathe the keris (Malay dagger) with Chinese blood. Shortly afterwards, the government launched a crackdown on extremist elements, termed Operation Lalang, although Najib was not detained.[1] At the same rally, banners were hoisted carrying phrases such as "revoke the citizenship of those who opposed the Malay rulers", "May 13 has begun" (referring to the May 13 racial riots in 1969), and "soak it (the keris) with Malaysian Chinese blood". [2]
He had a close aide, Abdul Razak Baginda, who was involved in a high-profile murder case of a Mongolian the woman[3], Altantuya Shaaribuu.
He recently declared that Malaysia has, "never been secular because being secular by Western definition means separation of the Islamic principles of in the way we govern the country.”[4]
