Oldest election candidate Tok Mun dies at 103

 

Maimun Yusof, known as Tok Mun, was an independent candidate at the 2008 and 2013 general elections. (Bernama pic)

KUALA TERENGGANU: Malaysia’s oldest election candidate, Maimun Yusof, better known as Tok Mun, died today at the age of 103.

Tok Mun made international headlines when she contested the 2008 and 2013 general elections as an independent candidate in the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat.

She died at her home in Kampung Sungai Atas Tol here at 3.30pm, two weeks after celebrating her birthday on June 24.

Her granddaughter, Tuan Norazlina Tuan Lah, 51, said Tok Mun’s health had deteriorated over the past three or four months due to various complications of old age.

“Tok Mun lived alone in her house but many nephews, nieces and grandchildren who live nearby took turns to take care of her because Tok Mun refused to live in another house.

“Our daily routine was to send food, clean and accompany her to sleep. However, this afternoon I received a phone call informing me that Tok Mun was unconscious and had died,” she said when met by reporters here.

Tuan Norazlina described her grandmother as a very brave, principled and ambitious person who was always willing to help the community.

Tok Mun will be buried at the Atas Tol cemetery at 10am tomorrow,.

Tok Mun’s candidacy in Kuala Terengganu in 2008 caused a split in votes and enabled Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate the late Razali Ismail to win by a slim majority of 628 votes.

Maimun obtained 685 votes. Razali secured 32,562 votes and Mohamad Sabu of PAS obtained 31,934 votes. In the 2013 elections, Maimun contested against Mohd Zubir Embong of BN and Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad of Pakatan Harapan. - FMT