KUALA LUMPUR: Ninety-two-year-old Mahathir Mohamad was sworn in as the world’s oldest elected leader on Thursday after a stunning election win that swept Malaysia’s establishment from power after more than six decades.
In a huge political upset, former strongman Mahathir’s opposition alliance broke the grip on power of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which had governed Malaysia uninterrupted since its birth as an independent country in 1957.
It capped a dramatic political comeback for Mahathir, who previously ruled the country with an iron fist for 22 years and came out of retirement to take on Prime Minister Najib Razak after the leader became embroiled in a massive corruption scandal.
In a ceremony at the national palace steeped in centuries-old Malay tradition, Mahathir was officially sworn in as prime minister by King Sultan Muhammad V.
Mahathir, dressed in traditional Malay dress, took the oath of office in a elaborately decorated room, with political allies and senior government officials in attendance.
“I, Mahathir Mohamad, after being elected as prime minister, swear to carry out my task with all my ability, and that I will be loyal to Malaysia and preserve and defend the constitution,” he said.
As he was sworn in, fireworks lit up in the night sky across Kuala Lumpur as people celebrated.
Earlier, Mahathir and his wife Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali were driven into the palace past hundreds of well-wishers waving flags and chanting the national anthem.
Mohamad Azlan Shah, a member of Mahathir’s party in the crowd, said he was “very proud”.
“Our struggle to change Malaysian politics is not wasted. We believe Mahathir can make a change,” he said.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Mahathir’s comeback has been his reconciliation with jailed opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim, his former nemesis.
As it became clear that BN was facing a historic wipeout, Najib disappeared for hours and only surfaced on Thursday morning to tell a press conference that he accepted the people’s will, although he stopped short of conceding defeat.
The opposition’s shock victory triggered euphoria and a sense of relief that a leader who was accused of massive graft and fanning racial tensions in the multi-ethnic country was finally on his way out.
“We have been waiting for so long for this to happen,” Larson Michael, 35, a voter from just outside Kuala Lumpur, said.
“(Mahathir) has come back to help us regain the country. Now we want to see if he will fulfil... his promises.”
Najib’s defeat could be just the start of his problems — Mahathir has vowed to bring him to justice over allegations that billions of dollars were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, which the scandal-hit leader set up and oversaw. — AFP
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