Johor polls: Dr M to skip campaign trail on medical advice

PUTRAJAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will not be on the campaign trail during the Johor election.

"I would like to go to Johor but I cannot because my doctors cannot guarantee that I will not get infected.

"I am not sure what the result would be if I get attacked again," he told a press conference Wednesday (Feb 23).

In the press conference, the 97-year-old former prime minister shared his thoughts when he was admitted to the hospital recently and his recovery process.

"I have recovered, to my own surprise, as I didn't think I would.

"But I have recovered as I can talk and think logically," he said, adding that he has yet to fully recover 100%.

Dr Mahathir was admitted to the National Heart Institute for an elective procedure on Jan 7 and was discharged on Jan 13.

He was readmitted for follow-up treatment on Jan 20 and subsequently discharged on Feb 5.

The Election Commission has fixed Feb 26 as nomination day and March 12 as polling day for the Johor polls.

Dr Mahathir, who is Parti Pejuang Tanahair Malaysia (Pejuang) chairman, also announced that the party would field 42 candidates in the election.

He said the candidates would be a mix of young and senior individuals, whom he described as "nationalists".

"Many of them are not well-known politicians but they are nationalists who want our nation to be governed well," he said.

The list of candidates will be announced in Johor at 2.30pm at a venue to be confirmed.

Asked why contest in 42 state seats and not all 56 in Johor, Dr Mahathir said this was done after considering several factors.

Among them, he said, was the racial demographics of a particular constituency.

"We took into consideration if the seat is suitable (to contest).

"If the area is dominated by non-Malays, then it will not be that suitable," he said, adding that Pejuang would stand on its own during the polls and not rely on others.

"We don't want to be greedy. If we can win even half the seats, that would be good enough," he added.

Dr Mahathir also launched the Pejuang manifesto titled "Aspirasi Johor", which outlines the party's offer to the people of Johor.

More to come