Hated 92-year-old Mahathir Mohamadon to contest Malaysian election — on opposition ticket
Kuala Lumpur — At the age of 92, Malaysia’s one-time strongman Mahathir Mohamad is again seeking the leadership, but this time at the helm of the opposition that he crushed while in power. Mahathir was named the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate Sunday after weeks of infighting, in an extraordinary turnaround as his heirs in government face a massive financial scandal. He will be the world’s oldest leader if the coalition backing him wins a general election due by August, although analysts believe this is unlikely. The authoritarian leader known for his acid tongue ruled the country for 22 years until 2003, making him Malaysia’s longest-serving premier. He jailed opposition members without trial on security grounds in 1987 and was seen as an authoritarian figure who trampled over human rights. Even in retirement, he could not resist sniping at his successors. When allegations emerged that huge sums were looted from a sovereign wealth fund set up by current Prime Minister Naji...
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