FORMER prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will not defend his Langkawi seat in the next general election (GE15), Utusan Malaysia reported.

The 97-year-old cited his poor health and age as well as his recent admission to the National Heart Institute (IJN) as to why he is not contesting in the polls. 

“I have yet to recover. I’m still weak. So, I think we should give the opportunity to someone else (to stand in Langkawi),” he told reporters in Langkawi today. 

The two-time prime minister also told the press his party has yet to identify a successor. 

“It would be someone younger than me,” he said. 

Dr Mahathir said, however, he would still be campaigning for Pejuang in the Johor polls and GE15.

“I might talk a little during the election campaign to help Pejuang candidates,” he said.

Dr Mahathir first became prime minister in 1981 and resigned in 2003.

He made a comeback in 2018, becoming prime minister under the Pakatan Harapan government but again resigned due to internal politics in Bersatu, a party he founded after ditching Umno in the build up to GE14. – March 9, 2022.