Mahathir turns 100, still shaping Malaysia’s political landscape

The former prime minister’s work ethic ‘puts many to shame’, his honorary ‘grandson’ Syed Saddiq says

Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad turned 100 on Thursday, marking a rare milestone for any world leader while defying age with his sharp mind and relentless work ethic.

Mahathir’s social media platforms have been inundated with well-wishes over the last few days from Malaysians as well as admirers abroad, particularly in the Muslim world, where he is seen as an icon of moderate Muslim leadership who dares to speak up against the West.

The two-time prime minister, whose 24 years in power left an indelible mark on Malaysia, spent his last day as a nonagenarian as he often does – in his Putrajaya office, meeting people, as well as reading and writing about the country he helped shape, one where his legacy is still up for debate.

Former youth minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said Mahathir’s work ethic at 100 “puts many of us to shame”.

“He still reads, writes, exercises, and speaks with clarity – proof that age is just a number when the mind and body are kept sharp,” Syed Saddiq told This Week in Asia.

Keeping himself busy in body and mind has long been Mahathir’s answer to questions about his longevity, alongside the trained doctor’s oft-repeated advice to “eat and stop before you get full”, which he credits for maintaining his 62kg (137lbs) weight for over four decades.

‘Most remarkable statesman’

Often dubbed Mahathir’s “grandson”, Syed Saddiq was only 26 when he entered cabinet in 2018, signalling the veteran leader’s openness to youth participation in national politics. This translated into the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18, an effort championed by Syed Saddiq.

“You may disagree with his politics, but no one can deny that he remains one of Malaysia’s most remarkable and recognisable statesmen, both at home and abroad,” he said.

Though Mahathir’s political influence has waned – he failed to defend his seat in the 2022 election and fell out with his own party, as has happened before in his long career – he remains a force in Malaysian politics, sharing stinging commentaries and retrospective insights drawn from his decades at the helm.

His latest commentary on Friday jabbed at Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcements of billions of dollars in foreign direct investments (FDI) into the country.

He chided them as “invisible” as their effects were hardly felt by taxpayers. “We want more visits to foreign countries so that more invisible FDI will come,” he quipped.

Many have called for Mahathir to follow his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who spent his retirement in quiet seclusion away from public commentary. But Mahathir believes it is his duty to speak up.

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“People come to me telling me about their problems and ask me to say something, so I cannot remain silent,” he told This Week in Asia in an interview in May.

Fresh from meeting Mahathir at his office on Wednesday, Razlan Rasyid, who was his chief communications officer during his second term, said witnessing Mahathir’s discipline changed his attitude towards his enigmatic boss.

While Mahathir is known for being the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave, Razlan also shared a lesser-known side of him: his commitment to press freedom in his second term, in stark contrast to his tight grip over the media in the 1990s.

“He told me to allow the press to interview him at any time, to doorstop him at any time, and to welcome any media agency to the prime minister’s office – be it local or foreign,” Razlan said. “No one is not allowed to ask questions.”

His trademark wit has also made him a favourite with the press. As he approached his centenary, he loved joking about his longevity. When his supporters greet him with “Hidup Mahathir” (“Long live Mahathir”), he quips with “Saya masih hidup” (I’m still alive”). Last August, he set the court laughing with his reply to how many of his siblings were alive: “Saya lah, saya masih hidup” (“Me, I am still alive”).

This new-found belief in a free press carries on through his regularly uploaded podcast, discussing both local and global issues. His first order of the day as a centenarian was to go live on his podcast on Thursday morning and answer questions about his long life.