KUALA LUMPUR – Just a week after turning 100 and four days after recovering from fatigue following a birthday picnic which turned into a brief moment of panic, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad returned to the public stage Thursday night with a familiar message – calling for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to resign.
Addressing thousands at a Perikatan Nasional (PN) rally in Stadium Suka Menanti in Alor Setar, Kedah, the former prime minister said public anger alone, not just elections, can force a leader out of office.
“It’s not always through elections that a prime minister steps down. In the UK, Boris Johnson resigned because the public was furious over a lockdown tea party.
“In Bangladesh, the prime minister fled to India when the people pressured her, and eventually she stepped down.
“In Japan, even minor mistakes can topple a prime minister. When the people are unhappy, the leader must go. They must be sensitive to public sentiment,” he said at the Himpunan Mandat Rakyat gathering last night.
Citing himself as an example, Mahathir said: “I’ve stepped down before – not because of public demand, but because my party no longer supported me. Now the public is calling for him (Anwar) to resign, but he won’t… too comfortable in the seat.”
In one of the night’s more memorable moments, Mahathir was reported to have quipped: “That’s why we’re gathered here tonight – to bring down AI. And I don’t mean artificial intelligence, I mean Anwar Ibrahim.”
Mahathir told the crowd he was not aiming for a third term as prime minister.
“I’m old now…100 years old. I can’t speak the way I used to. I’m not here to take the place of the younger generation.
“I don’t want to be prime minister again. But I do want to offer advice. I’ve been in politics for more than 80 years, and served as PM for 24. Surely I have something to contribute.”
He said a government under PN would be more open to feedback and better able to address public grievances.
“If there’s a change in government, we’ll have a prime minister who listens. If leadership is willing to accept advice, many of our problems can be solved.”
Mahathir also criticised the current administration’s handling of the economy and national wealth, according to reports.
“This country is rich. Everyone should be able to live comfortably. But mismanagement has left people struggling, while we park our reserves in the US buying their bonds.”
He accused the government of stifling free speech and using legal tools selectively.
“We can’t even talk about Malay issues anymore. The so-called 3R topics are off limits. In Parliament, you get suspended for raising them. Is this the reformist democracy Anwar promised?”
Mahathir, who appeared wearing a set of black Baju Melayu and a tanjak (Malay traditional head gear) which seemed to be made of songket, also urged Malays to set aside political divisions and come together in the name of national stability.
“Malays are still the majority, but our internal divisions have weakened us. We need to prioritise unity. Not to reject others, but to ensure we’re strong enough to protect this country.”
He warned that unchecked power-sharing could eventually erode Malay political influence.
“We’re not being greedy. We’re willing to share. But don’t share so much that we lose power and the country.”
Mahathir closed by stressing that Malaysia’s multiracial harmony must be preserved through respectful cooperation – but that it must rest on a foundation of firm and stable leadership.
The 100-year-old’s appearance marked his first public outing since being discharged from the National Heart Institute (IJN) on July 13, where he was admitted briefly for observation after feeling fatigued at a birthday Picnic & Potluck event.
The rally in Alor Setar was also attended by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, and Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
PN leaders described it as a curtain-raiser for a larger anti-Anwar gathering planned for July 26 in Kuala Lumpur. – July 18, 2025