'I need time to do things' – Dr M may stay on more than two years as PM

GE14 | Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he might need “two or three years” as prime minister if the opposition coalition wins the May 9 general election.

Prior to this, Harapan stated Mahathir would remain at the helm for two years, following which, he would hand over the reins to Anwar Ibrahim after the latter secured a royal pardon.

“It won't take too much time to pardon Anwar, but I need to have time in office – two years, three years – because there are things that I need to do, which my experience will help,” he told The Guardian.

Anwar is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for a sodomy conviction and is slated to be released on June 8.

During a Facebook live session in February, Mahathir had said that two years provided sufficient time for him to solve certain problems given his vast experience.

“I know all the responsibilities of a prime minister. In two years, I might be able to solve some of the problems.

“We can also establish guidelines for problems that will take longer to solve,” he had said.

In the same month, Mahathir, who turns 93 in July, told Japanese daily The Manichi the same thing, saying he was realistic about his age.

"I can't stay for very long. At the most, I can last for two years," he said.

Meanwhile, in the British newspaper interview, Mahathir also expressed surprise that the opposition was willing to accept him into his fold given their acrimonious past.

“People who described me as a dictator, throwing people in jail, now they are asking me to lead them,” he said.

“I never really thought the opposition would accept me, and I didn’t really think I would accept them.

“But we were all very much against (caretaker prime minister) Najib and they consider that more important than any differences we had before. So now I am with them and they are with me,” he added. - Mkini