PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has hit out at detractors asking him to retire and stay quiet after losing his deposit in the 15th General Election (GE15).
The former prime minister said he would continue to speak out against wrongs as long as he lives.
“As long as I am alive, I will continue to speak out against everything that is not right even though it is bitter for those who have not lost their deposits to swallow,” the 97 year-old said in a series of tweets.
“I found that since the elections, every time I called out (someone or something) or expressed my concerns related to current developments, I was told to rest and keep quiet after losing in the elections and losing my deposit,” he said of his failure to defend the Langkawi seat in the national polls last year.
He said he was astonished at how people wanted him to not speak up.
“Previously, I was told that I am senile. Now I am told to keep quiet after losing my deposit,” he said.
The veteran statesman said all truth must be spoken even though there is no one listening.
“The truth is not a monopoly of the majority, minority or those who did not lose their deposit. If that is the yardstick, I feel the minority will have to stay quiet and accept any decision by the majority including those which are wrong,” he said.
Perikatan Nasional’s Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah emerged the winner of the Langkawi parliamentary seat after receiving 25,463 votes for a majority of 13,518 in GE15.
Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Armishah Siraj came in second place with 11,945 votes followed by Pakatan Harapan’s Zabidi Yahya (5,417) and Dr Mahathir (4,566).