LANGKAWI: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at 93 years old, is officially contesting for the parliamentary seat here as a PKR candidate, making him the oldest candidate participating in the 14th General Election (GE14).
However, the record for an oldest ever candidate taking part in the general polls is still held by 94-year-old Maimun Yusof who stood as an independent candidate for the Kuala Terengganu Parliamentary seat in the 13th general elections five years ago.
Dr Mahathir, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman will be facing a three-cornered fight with Barisan Nasional (BN) incumbent Datuk Ir Nawawi Ahmad who is defending the seat for the second term and Pas candidate Zubir Ahmad.
Dr Mahathir is making a comeback into the general polls after almost 20 years in his bid to return to Parliament as the prime minister candidate for the DAP-led four-party opposition pact.
He is the longest serving prime minister holding the post for 22 years before finally stepping down in 2004.
Dr Mahathir had served as the Kubang Pasu member of Parliament in Kedah mainland for five terms or 22 years, since the constituency was formed in 1974 until his retirement from politics.
On April 15, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail announced that Dr Dr Mahathir will contest for the Langkawi Parliament seat on PKR ticket, during a rally in Padang Mat Sirat here.
PKR was formed following the controversial sacking of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim by Dr Mahathir in 1998, that has sparked the biggest reformation movement in the country’s political history.
The official announcement of the Langkawi parliamentary seat candidates was made by the Election Commission (EC) Returning Officer Muhamad Arof Darus at 11.30am after the objection period was closed.
Nawawi had won the seat in the GE13 five years ago after defeating PKR’s Ahmad Abdullah and independent candidate Marina Hussein with an 11,861 vote majority.
Meanwhile, Nawawi who is defending the seat for the second term said he is not intimidated by Dr Mahathir but at the same would not take the challenge lightly.
“I am prepared, both physically and mentally, and I am not cowed by the challenge from a person who has no power.
“I am confident that my services to the people here for the past one term would be fairly judged by the voters and we are poised to defend the 3-0 victory for Langkawi parliamentary seat and two states seats, Kuah and Ayer Hangat,” he told reporters after the nomination process at Langkawi District Office.
