PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad wants Parti Bumiputra Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), which he recently joined, to form a political coalition comprising parties and individuals who are against corruption to contest in the 16th General Election (GE16).
In an interview with Japanese financial publication Nikkei Asia, Dr Mahathir said although he would not be contesting in GE16 due to his age, he would actively help the party.
"We want to collect all the people who are against corruption to contest together as a group. So if we can get Putra to be joined by other political parties, NGOs and even individuals, we may be able to contest... not as Putra but as a group of people who are concerned about the situation in the country," he was quoted as saying.
He confirmed that this coalition would contest in GE16.
Although he will not be running as an election candidate anymore, Dr Mahathir said he believed he has a lot to offer Putra and the government as a whole.
He noted his long involvement and experience in the political scene.
"I have experienced a lot of changes in Malaysia and I would be willing to help, to advise future governments of Malaysia on how best to develop the country," he said.
Dr Mahathir contested in the 15th General Election (GE15) but failed to defend the Langkawi parliamentary seat and even lost his deposit.
He contested as the chairman of the three-year-old party Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, which he had helped found, but quit Pejuang on Feb 10 and joined Putra as an advisor the same month.
Dr Mahathir also said he intends to write a book on the history of Malaysia which would include events not reported in history books, stressing the need for young people to know the country's history so they would be able appreciate the struggle for independence and how the government managed to develop the country.
