POLL | Over the past 20 years, Malaysiakini has, without fail, named a top newsmaker as we bring the curtain down on the year.

A newsmaker is defined as “someone whose actions make news headlines, who affects the course of public discourse and creates an impact on Malaysian politics, for better or worse.”

Malaysiakini has nominated 22 candidates for the Newsmaker of 2020 award.

A total of 1,013 respondents participated in the poll. They voted by indicating their preference for each of the nominees – 0 being the lowest and 10 votes the highest.

And here’s their verdict…

Zuraida Kamaruddin, key ally of Azmin who helped weaken PKR (4,011 votes)

Annuar Musa, federal territories minister and Umno info chief, seen as a solid backer of PN (4,104 votes)

Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, minister in charge of Islamic affairs who was infected by Covid after visiting Sabah (4,134 votes)

Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who quit CIMB to be finance minister (4,298 votes)

Ismail Sabri Yaakob, senior minister (security), National Security Council spokesperson (4,506 votes)

Azhar Azizan Harun aka Art Harun, who quit Election Commission and appointed House speaker (4,709 votes)

Musa Aman, ex-Sabah CM, after getting DNAA, sought to return to power but unleashed unintended consequences (4,845 votes)

Wong Yan Ke, former UM student activist who faces trial over FB live stream of a police raid (5,107 votes)

Khairuddin Aman Razali, the minister who flouted home quarantine and fined (5,113 votes)

Shafie Apdal, Warisan leader who lost Sabah and named as potential Harapan Plus PM candidate (5,359 votes)

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, former minister who broke away from his mentor, Mahathir, to form a youth party (5,362 votes)

Ebit Lew, celebrity Muslim preacher and philanthropist (5,456 votes)

Samuel Isaiah, aka Teacher Sam, 2020 Global Teacher Prize finalist for his work with Orang Asli children (5,821 votes)

Azmin Ali, the man who played a key role in the Sheraton Move (6,044 votes)

Anwar Ibrahim, the perpetual prime minister-in-waiting? (6,132 votes)

Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah (6,177 votes)

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, two-time PM who resigned but found himself betrayed by his own men (6,179 votes)

Veveonah Mosibin, the Sabah university student who climbed a tree to get internet access (6,216 votes)

Najib Abdul Razak aka Bossku, from former prime minister to a convict (6,345 votes)

Muhyiddin Yassin, he came from behind to take over from his boss, Mahathir (6,424 votes)

Noor Hisham Abdullah, the public face of Malaysia’s coronavirus fight (7,740 votes)

Covid frontliners, our doctors, nurses, first responders, other hospital staff, police and firefighters (8,006 votes)

Top news of 2020 - Malaysiakini readers' choice

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