Dr M may not be sole nonagenarian in GE14 as Maimun guns for hat-trick

There has been much debate surrounding Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad's return to politics and being named as the opposition coalition's prime minister candidate at the age of 93.

However, the former premier might not be the sole nonagenarian hoping to grace Parliament's August halls.

In Terengganu, Maimun Yusof, 99, is seeking to contest in the coming general election after her previous two attempts in 2008 and 2013 ended in defeat.

According to Harian Metro, the grandmother's ambition is being thwarted by financial constraints.

“If I have the money, I wish to contest again. But how, right now, Tok Maimun has no money,” she told the Malay-language tabloid.

Maimun said despite two defeats in the past, she is still keen on contesting in the election as she is in good health.

However, the former Kuala Terengganu parliament candidate added that she might not be able to raise the RM10,000 deposit required to contest a parliament seat before the polls.

Harian Metro said it was previously reported that Maimun spent about RM60,000 in the previous two elections to become a candidate and for campaigning.

She lost her deposit in both elections.

The tabloid also claimed that Maimun's decision to contest the Kuala Terengganu seat affected Amanah president Mohamad Sabu's chances in the 2008 election.

Mohamad Sabu, who was with PAS then, lost to BN's Razali Ismail by a mere 628 votes.

In 2013, the grandmother only garnered 182 votes. The seat fell to Terengganu Amanah chairperson Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, who had contested under a PAS ticket.

In an interview with Malaysiakini in 2008, Maimun said she wanted to contest in order to raise the plight of Terengganu in Parliament.

“It is a sin to remain silent when you see people committing wrongdoings. Nothing would happen if you just shout about it by the roadside.

“They want to sell our state to outsiders but Tok does not want them to sell,” she added.

Maimun also claimed that PAS wanted to “sell Terengganu to the Japanese” because its logo is similar to that of the Japanese flag.

-Mkini