ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd, æt ðɪ ˈeɪdʒ ʌv θˈɜːɾi fˈaɪv, hiː bɪkˌeɪm ðə mˈɛntɚɹi bᵻsˈɑːɹ ʌv sˈɛlæŋɡɚɹ æt ðɪ ɪnsˈɪstəns ʌv pɹˈaɪm mˈɪnɪstɚ mˈæhɐθˌɪɹ mˈoʊhɐmˌæd, fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðə ɹˌɛzɪɡnˈeɪʃən ʌv ˈæbuː hˈæsən ˈoʊmɑːɹ.
In 2000, at the age of 35, he became the Menteri Besar of Selangor at the insistence of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, following the resignation of Abu Hassan Omar.