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LANGKAWI: Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Saturday (September 26) that he will not participate in the upcoming general elections if they are held as scheduled, as he would then be 98 years old.
Instead, he added, he will offer advice and share his experiences with members of his party, Pejuang.
Malaysia’s next general election will be held in 2023, but there has been talk of possible early elections.
Dr. Mahathir had said earlier this month that his party aims to win about 30 seats in the 15th general election and become the kingmaker in the formation of a new government.
READ: Pejuang only needs 30 seats to be the kingmaker in the next general election: Mahathir
Pejuang was recently formed, and Dr. Mahathir then announced that he will not be part of the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition or the Pakatan Harapan (PH) opposition coalition.
The former prime minister of the PH government had previously been ousted from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), which he founded, after refusing to support the PN government led by Bersatu President Muhyiddin Yassin.
READ: Anwar Ibrahim says he has a ‘strong majority’ to form a new government in Malaysia
Speaking to reporters at his Langkawi MP service center on Saturday, Dr. Mahathir said there is a risk of calling elections now due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Under normal circumstances, it can be (dissolved) because the GE empowers the people to decide who becomes the government.
“But right now, the country is facing the problem of COVID-19, this problem makes the cost of maintaining the GE high and also exposes people to the spread of the disease,” he said when asked if there was a need. dissolve Parliament after recent political events.
“I am sure that if GE takes place, many people will be affected by COVID-19, many will die. The question is whether we give priority to politics or people’s lives, “he added.
READ: Malaysian King Will Not Take Short-Term Meetings Amid Political Struggle Due To Poor Health, Palace Official Says
READ: ‘Focus on us,’ Sabah voters say about upcoming state elections as Anwar’s assertion of parliamentary majority shakes political scene
Earlier this week, Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim announced that he had obtained a “strong, formidable and convincing majority” of members of Parliament to form a new government.
Muhyiddin cast doubt on the claims of the President of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), saying that he has not specified the number of MPs who are supposedly backing him.
