Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became Malaysia's fifth prime minister, succeeding Mahathir Mohamad in 2003.

Since coming into power, Abdullah has clamped down on corrupt practices in politics and the police force and emphasized transparency in dealings between government and the private sector.

In the 2004 general election, Abdullah's first election as the incumbent prime minister, his party's coalition Barisan Nasional (National Front) won 198 out of 220 seats in parliament.

Abdullah is also president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the dominant party of the ruling Barisan Nasional and the current chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement.

He is married to Datin Seri Endon Bt. Dato' Mahmood since 1965 and has two children, a son, Kamaluddin and a daughter, Nori. He is informally called Pak Lah, the Malay diminutive for "Uncle Abdullah".

Link: www.pmo.gov.my