Ma was born into a Hui family in Jingyuan County, Ningxia, in November 1943, during the Republic of China.
In 1963, he entered Central University for Nationalities, and forced to work in the Beidahuang 3168 Troops after graduation in 1968.
He was appointed deputy party secretary of Yinnan (now Wuzhong) in September 1988, concurrently holding the governor position.
In December 1997, he took office as chairman of Ningxia, and held the position for ten years.
[1] He became vice chairperson of the National People's Congress Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, and soon was appointed chairperson of the National People's Congress Ethnic Affairs Committee in March 2008.