KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said there is a possibility for him to make a comeback, if the current administration failed to tow the line and voters still want him.
He said he planned to keep his Langkawi seat which he won in 2018 and was open to contesting in the next general elections if the people wish it.
He said this in a Nikkei Asian Review interview at his office in Putrajaya. The article was published today.
The 94-year-old was also quoted as saying that he has no intention to retire so long as he still has the people's confidence.
"I cannot stand seeing a government that does something wrong. I feel I have a duty to do something," he said.
Dr Mahathir, the oldest man to be appointed prime minister in the world, also vowed to make a political comeback if there is wrongdoing in Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's administration.
Asked if he would contest in the next GE, Dr Mahathir said: "If you ask me, I don't want to do it because by then I would be 98."
"I tell them, look, I'm old, 94 years old now, but they say they [don't] see people with experience.
"I had experience as PM for many, many years [and] I learned something, so they think that I can resolve many of the problems," he said, justifying his reasons for not stepping aside from politics.
Speaking on the collapse of his Pakatan Harapan government and his resignation three weeks ago, Dr Mahathir told Nikkei Asian Review that it was Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's impatient for power that had cost both of them the chance to lead Malaysia.
He claimed that since 1998, Anwar had been wanting to become the prime minister, at a time when he was the PM and Anwar his deputy.
"Well, I think he has always been impatient. During the last time when he was in Umno, I promoted him until he became the second man, where he would take over when I retire. But he couldn't wait because I was staying too long and he started some movement to overthrow me but of course he failed."
After just 20 month holding the premiership, due to some disagreement with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) party's leadership, including Muhyiddin, who wanted to work with Umno and Pas, Dr Mahathir tendered his resignation on Feb 24.
In the interview Dr Mahathir also explained that he has no regret in resigning from the premiership.
"I don't regret resigning. Thinking about it now, I only did what was right when my own party didn't agree to my views." he was quoted as saying.