FORMER Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reportedly still holds bitterness over losing his election deposit in the Langkawi constituency during the last general election.
Mahathir was left with feelings of frustration and sorrow after being defeated by voters in the 15th General Election (GE15) last November.
He expressed his discouragement following his unsuccessful attempt to retain the Langkawi parliamentary seat he won during GE15, which resulted in the forfeiture of his election deposit.
Mahathir was outspoken in his belief that the voters in Langkawi disregarded his past efforts as prime minister during the 1980s and 1990s, during which he developed the island.
He listed down some of the work he has done for Langkawi to be on the world map, including the commitment to developing the legendary island through the granting of tax-free status in 1987. But the terrible trashing he registered in the defeat on Nov 19 made it seem like he was not appreciated locally.
“Not sullen, but a little disappointed (over the heavy defeat in GE15) because I have done all kinds of (development) in Langkawi.
“I was rejected and fell and lost by 14,000 votes,” he said at a press conference after attending the Remembered Service Program at the Goldsands Hotel here last night, with his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.
In his own sarcastic way, he said he was surprised that he was rejected by the voters, as he was confident he had not committed any wrongdoing or harmed the people.
“I don’t even know what mistake I made (to be rejected),” he said.
In the last GE15, the statesman won only 4,566 votes, losing badly to the Perikatan Nasional candidate, Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah, with a majority of 13,518 votes.
Nevertheless, netizens on Twitter have some “advice” for the elderly statesman.
User @MahazanAmie said:
Rakyat sayangkn tun.. xtergamak nk tgk tun di usia menjangkau 100 masih nk keje ke opis, joint meeting bagai tu.. kami nk tun berehat di sisi Tun Hasmah & cucu cicit je la..”kalau” laa tun xde duit belanja ke, ape2 keperluan kt umah da abis, cakap je..6t ada la yg hanto..ðŸ¤
— Baba Rayyan (@MahazanAmie) February 5, 2023
[The people love you (Mahathir)… “We just do not want to see you at the age of 100 still going to the office, in a joint meeting like that.. we want you to rest by Tun Hasmah & great grandson’s side.”
[If you don’t have money for shopping, What are the needs of the family? Just say we will send help.]
User @zoo_war added:
Tun berehat la Tun, cari aktiviti baru di hujung² hayat ni. Bagi la peluang untuk yg muda pulak memimpin.
— azuar yahya (@zoo_war) February 5, 2023
[Tun rest, Tun, find new activities at the end of this life. Give the opportunity for the young to lead.]
Meanwhile, user @MOHAMADALQUDS seemed sour about Mahathir:
Tua kutuk tak sedar diri. Pengundi skrg dah bijak. Kau balik langkawi bukan sgt nak bantu sebab ada kepentingan.
— MOHAMAD (@MOHAMADALQUDS) February 5, 2023
He is saying Mahathir is not conscious that voters are now more clever than before. He accused Mahathir of going to Langkawi not to help the rakyat but to gain something from it. — Feb 5, 2023
