Malaysia's evergreen Mahathir, older than superman and sliced bread, eyes 100
For a man who never thought he would live beyond 75,
Mahathir Mohamad is doing pretty well.
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Whip-sharp and typically acerbic, he still walks unaided at 99 years old. Just last year, he was filmed gleefully tearing around a Formula One racetrack in an Audi SUV. Not bad for a nonagenarian who, in a little over two months, will hit a century.
Still, he isn't taking any of it for granted. 'I am not yet 100, I don't know if I will reach 100. ' Mahathir told This Week in Asia, with characteristic candour. 'Nothing is certain.'
For Malaysians, Mahathir's presence has been one of the few constants in a shifting political landscape, his continued presence acting as a barometer of time and shared history. Prime ministers come and go, but Mahathir – Malaysia's most famous politician – is always there, ready to offer a scolding or chide rivals. Even now, their names still provoke an animated response, despite his advancing years.
Mahathir Mohamad (front row, third from left) pays his last respects at former Malaysian prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's funeral in Kuala Lumpur on April 15. Photo: Reuters
As the joke goes, in coffee shops and chat groups alike: 'We'll all die one day, and Mahathir will attend our funeral.'
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Another running gag among Malaysians is comparing things younger than Dr M, as he is fondly known. Superman? Created in 1938. Sliced bread? Invented in 1928.
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Asia Times
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Asia Times
30-05-2025
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Anwar's bold and conflicted bid for legal immunity
KUALA LUMPUR – In the corridors of Malaysian power, the language of justice often changes depending on who is speaking — and who is being spoken about. Several years after alleging Anwar Ibrahim sexually assaulted him in a private residence in Segambut, Yusoff Rawther's civil suit has reached a legal crescendo — just as Anwar, now prime minister, seeks to halt the case by invoking what he calls a 'qualified immunity.' But this is no ordinary courtroom drama. It is a test of institutional resolve, of whether Malaysia's judiciary can still call to account the most powerful office in the land. The story began on October 2, 2018. Yusoff, then a young research assistant, claimed he was assaulted by Anwar, the man then touted as Malaysia's next prime minister. In December 2019, he went public, took a polygraph test and filed a police report, but no criminal charges followed. By July 2021, Yusoff took matters into his own hands by launching a civil suit against Anwar. The High Court refused to strike it out, sending the case toward trial. Then came a twist: Yusoff was arrested in September 2024 with imitation firearms and over 300 grams of cannabis. His defense insists he never entered the car where the contraband was found, never had control over it and was immediately handcuffed outside. Three prosecution witnesses appeared to support that view. If he was being framed, as his lawyers claim, the motive was as political as it was personal. On May 27, 2025, Anwar made a move no Malaysian prime minister has made before. He applied to the Federal Court to be granted immunity — not for his actions as a sitting prime minister, but for something alleged before he took office. The timing is curious. The civil suit is scheduled for trial on June 16. The Chief Justice, Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat — known for her judicial independence — retires in June. 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As Malaysia positions itself as a stabilizing force in ASEAN — mediating conflicts in Myanmar, projecting soft power in Palestine and countering great-power rivalry in the South China Sea — its domestic credibility matters more than ever. A nation that cannot resolve its own crises transparently cannot lecture others on justice. A prime minister who claims global moral leadership must not seek local legal exemption. This case, in its quiet courtroom battles and explosive political undertones, will be remembered not just for what was said under oath, but for what it revealed about the state of Malaysia's democracy. Amir Al Fateh is an independent journalist based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, specializing in political analysis, governance and civil liberties. He is a verified contributor to Newswav and his work has been featured in MalaysiaNow and Utusan Malaysia. His professional portfolio is accessible via on his Muck Rack profile .
