KUALA LUMPUR: When Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin took his oath of office as the country's eighth prime minister on March 1, 2020, little did he know he would steer Malaysia amidst a global health crisis.
He also had to handle huge losses of life and the economy.
An insight into this challenging period has now been documented in a pictorial coffee table book, which is being published as a reference for future generations.
The book, titled "Leading a Nation in Unprecedented Crisis", is written by former Media Prima chairman Datuk Abdul Mutalib Razak.
The book will be launched by Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun on July 29.
Sharing the story which led to the idea of the book, Mutalib said he was having dinner with Muhyiddin and some friends when the idea to write the book came to the picture.
"As we were talking about the ongoing crisis, suddenly… why don't we produce a book for you that you're now in this unprecedented crisis.
"No prime minister in the country got this; the pandemic and its challenges to the economy.
"He said okay and permitted it," said Mutalib when met at his house recently.
Mutalib said the book started with Muhyiddin's journey when he first went into politics, back in the 1970s.
"However, the main highlight of the book would be the challenges he faced following the Covid-19 pandemic and what he did for the nation as the prime minister.
"This book shared about all the initiatives that were being put in place during his tenure as the prime minister, from diplomatic initiatives, economic packages and the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, and political pressures became were so much; and he had no choice but to step down on Aug 16 last year," he said.
Mutalib, who has been Muhyiddin's friend for more than 40 years, said at first, he thought the book would take him only about six months to complete.
"We started without knowing how it was going to end and things kept changing in between. Finally, the book is set to be launched soon."
Mutalib said most of the images in the book were recent materials.
"The images used in the book were sourced from the New Straits Times and Bernama, as well as from Muhyiddin and his wife; Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman personal collection.
"Some of the photos were also from my late wife's collection."
Asked who should read the book, Mutalib said; "Everyone should read to see what he had done for the country. This is not a political book, but what he did for the country during his tenure, although short-lived.
"He did more than any other prime minister because his tenure was during the pandemic."
Mutalib said 1,000 copies of the book will be made available for the first print and the book is priced at RM150 each.
The book will be available for purchase via Yayasan Pendidikan Islam.
