Mahathir Mohamad announces his intention to run in the general elections at the age of 97
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is preparing to run for the general election at the age of 97.
Mahathir Mohamad is one of the most experienced politicians around the world, and has served as Prime Minister twice; The first of them lasted for 22 years, before he returned once more in 2018 at the age of 92.
Mahathir was hospitalized earlier this year with heart problems, but says he is now feeling well enough to defend his seat.
Mahathir did not announce his intention to run for prime minister if the coalition, which is running in the parliamentary elections within its ranks, wins.
At a press conference, Mahathir Mohamad said: “We have not yet decided who will be prime minister, because running for this position depends on first winning the elections.”
Malaysia’s parliament was dissolved on Monday, opening the door to a general election that the government hopes will put an end to political instability in Malaysia following one of the world’s biggest financial scandals.
The scandal affected a government fund in Malaysia known as “1MDB”, and involved the embezzlement of billions of dollars of state funds and their spending around the world.
Mahathir Mohamad became a member of Parliament for the first time in 1964. He is credited with the rapid rise and transit of his country’s economy from the 1980s.
Mahathir, along with a number of Malaysian politicians, managed to transform Malaysia from an agricultural country into a modern industrial country. Some see the Malaysian experience as a successful example that can be emulated in many developing countries.
Mahathir was prime minister from 1981 to 2003, and was a long-time member of the Barisan Nacional party.
In 2018, Mahathir Mohamad returned from retirement to oust former Prime Minister Najib Razak – who was accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars in state funds.
With the help of a former opponent, Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir Mohamad was once more elected Prime Minister of Malaysia, while Najib Razak was charged with money laundering and abuse of power, and Abdul Razak was convicted and imprisoned.
But the alliance between Mahathir and Ibrahim did not hold up in the face of internal opponents. In February 2020, Mahathir found himself isolated. Mahathir had suddenly submitted his resignation following the opposition accused him of treason.
Mahathir Mohamad, 97, has a history of heart disease. The man has survived a number of heart attacks, as well as a number of surgeries. Mahathir Mohamad was released from hospital last month following contracting a COVID-19 infection.