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Graphic shows profile of Mahathir Mohamad.
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POLITICS

Malaysia’s Mahathir becomes world’s oldest prime minister

By Jordi Bou

May 10, 2018 - Malaysia’s former leader Mahathir Mohamad is to become the world's oldest elected leader at 92, after a shock victory in the country's bitterly fought election.

The former PM came out of retirement and defected to the opposition to take on his one-time protégé Najib Razak, beset by corruption allegations.

The election marks the first time Mr Najib’s United Malays National Organisation (Umno) party and its allies have lost an election since independence in 1957.

Mahathir led the coalition as Malaysia’s prime minister for 22 years, starting in 1981. As one of the country’s most eminent leaders, he was pugnacious, uncompromising and intolerant of dissent, but turned Malaysia from a sleepy backwater into one of the world’s modern industrialised nations.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 10/05/2018; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
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