Mahathir reconsiders decision not to contest in next GE
Less than two weeks after telling Kyodo News that he would not be contesting in the 15th general election, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has told Singapore's Straits Times that he is now likely to contest.
In an interview on Friday (Oct 2), the Langkawi MP said that his proposal not to stand "has caused a lot of unhappiness among my supporters".
"They still want me to say that I want to contest. It is true that most people at 95 would not be functional.
"I am more fortunate; I am still able to be active. But they don't seem to think I will deteriorate when I grow older.
"They see me as I am now. So they want me, at least, not to say that I won't contest," he said.
Mahathir's earlier stand had been that he would continue to fight corruption through his new vehicle Parti Pejuang Tanah Air but that he would not be contesting in the next election as he could be as old as 98 should it be called in 2023.
His latest about-face brings about the possibility that Mahathir, who served as Kota Setar Selatan MP from 1964 to 1969 and Kubang Pasu MP from 1974 to 2004, could run in the next general election should snap polls be called.
Based on the vote for the new speaker of Parliament on July 13, it is estimated that current prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has a 111-109 advantage in Parliament, a majority of just two seats.
Furthermore, opposition leader and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has claimed that he has the support of the majority of MPs, but he has to prove this claim, which he said he would do so in an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
