KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, better known as Tok Pa, has been appointed as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Economy.

Mustapa’s presence in the new Cabinet led by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to provide the paradigm shift needed especially in attracting foreign investors to Malaysia.

Born in Bachok, Kelantan on September 25, 1950, Mustapa is no stranger to the federal administration as he is well-known for the ministerial portfolios he had held previously.

Displaying a firm demeanour and recognised on the international stage particularly among foreign investors during the time he was the Minister of International Trade and Industry whereby foreign investments had achieved an encouraging level.

Mustapa started his political career after winning the Jeli parliamentary seat in Kelantan in the Ninth General Election in 1995.

He persevered in the political arena until now by retaining the Jeli parliamentary seat even though Kelantan is under the PAS administration.

Mustapa was later appointed as the Minister of Entrepreneur Development in May 1995, before becoming the Second Finance Minister in September 1998.

He had also held various ministerial portfolios, namely as the Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, as well as Minister of International Trade and Industry throughout his 25-year stint in politics.

Mustapa received his early education at the Bachok English School in 1957 and Sekolah Menengah Sains Sultan Mohammad Jiwa in 1963 and subsequently completed his education at the Sultan Ismail College in Kota Bharu in 1969.

He then pursued his higher education, graduating with a degree in Economics from the University of Melbourne, Australia in 1973 and thereafter graduated with a Master’s in Economic Development in 1982 from Boston University, United States. — Bernama