THE 14th general election (GE14) is the most restrictive election campaign ever, with government parties going all out to stop opponents from contesting, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

The Pakatan Harapan chairman and prime minister candidate said it was the most “unusual” election campaign and a “new experience” for him.

“This is the first time I get to experience a campaign in which government parties go all out to prevent people from participating in the elections.

“Even my picture cannot be shown. There was no such ruling in the past,” he told reporters at his office at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya today.

“I was told I cannot even walk around and campaign. (But) Prime Minister Najib Razak is free to go anywhere. Why isn’t his picture taken down?”

Dr Mahathir said the experience had shown him the difference between “a rotten election as compared to a clean election”.

His photo has been cut out or pasted over by Election Commission enforcement officials from campaign billboards in several places nationwide.

This follows rules imposed by the EC a week before nomination day barring the image of anyone except a candidate and the president and deputy president of the party whose ticket the candidate is standing on.

As all Pakatan parties are standing on the PKR ticket, this effectively prevents Dr Mahathir’s image from being shown anywhere, except in Langkawi where he is contesting.

The 92-year-old has been traversing the peninsula, speaking at ceramah almost every night.

He is to give a final push in a special address at 10pm in Langkawi on May 8, the eve of polling day.

It was announced today that any PH ceramah held around the country would pause at 10pm for Dr Mahathir’s speech to be live streamed. – May 4, 2018.