Almost 100-year-old Mahathir Mohamad
A trained doctor, he had two stints in power – the first from 1981 to 2003 when he led the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition and the second from 2018 to February 24, 2020, when he was backed by the Pakatan Harapan ruling coalition. Mahathir had joined forces with his on-again, off-again rival Anwar Ibrahim to pull off a surprise election victory in 2018 to oust disgraced former leader Najib Razak, who has been implicated in a multi-billion dollar scandal involving state investment firm 1MDB.
For Malaysians, Mahathir’s presence has been one of the few constants in a shifting political landscape, his continued presence acting as a barometer of time and shared history. Prime ministers come and go, but Mahathir – Malaysia’s most famous politician – is always there, ready to offer a scolding or chide rivals. Even now, their names still provoke an animated response, despite his advancing years.
