Former Malaysia prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said he would not contest in the upcoming general election (GE) as he would be 98-years-old then, if the polls go according to schedule.

However, Mahathir said he would be willing to offer advice and share his experiences with members of his party, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang).

He told this to reporters who met him at his Langkawi MP service centre on Saturday, Sep. 26.

Son to carry on legacy

Mahathir had made similar comments a few days earlier when he spoke to a Kyodo news agency in Putrajaya.

“I want to stay a bit longer but I thought I will serve for a short period,” he earlier said.

“But I will not be contesting in the 15th election,” said Mahathir, who was elected Langkawi MP in 2018.

Mahathir also said he hoped his son, Mukhriz, would carry on his legacy.

“It is up to him. I will not stand in his way. It’s not fair to him,” Mahathir said.

Mukhriz is interim president of Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) that Mahathir founded after leaving PPBM.

Covid-19 election a bad idea

When asked if parliament should dissolve for a general election given the last development with Anwar Ibrahim announcing he has a majority, Mahathir said the Covid-19 pandemic posed a risk.

“Under normal circumstances, it can (be dissolved) because the GE gives power to the people to decide who becomes the government," Mahathir said.

"But at this time, the country is facing the Covid-19 problem, this problem causes the cost of holding the GE to be high and also exposes the people to the spread of the disease."

“I am confident that if the GE is held, many people will be affected by Covid-19, many will die. The question is whether we give priority to politics or the people’s lives,” he added.

Mahathir's legacy

Mahathir, 95, held the record as the world’s oldest head of government when he had a second stint as prime minister after Pakatan Harapan won power in the May 2018 general election.

He had previously been Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister, from 1981 to 2003.

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Top photo via Mahathir Mohamad Facebook