Mahathir to defend Langkawi seat in GE15

Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) founding chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad today confirmed that he would defend his Langkawi parliamentary seat in the 15th general election (GE15). 

Speaking at a press conference after chairing a GTA meeting in Putrajaya, the former prime minister said he would contest as a people’s representative, not as a candidate for prime minister.

"We made the decision that the Langkawi candidate is Dr Mahathir Mohamad, not as a prime minister candidate but as an ordinary people’s representative.

"We have not decided who will be the prime minister as the candidate for prime minister is only relevant if we win (GE15)," he said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the dissolution of the 14th Parliament to make way for GE15.
 
In June, Mahathir was reported as saying that he would consider contesting Langkawi in GE15 if there was no suitable candidate.

Mahathir won the Langkawi seat in GE14 with 18,954 votes, defeating Barisan Nasional’s Nawawi Ahmad and Zubir Ahmad of PAS with a 8,863 vote majority.

Mahathir, who is also Pejuang chairman, said the meeting also decided that GTA would contest on a Pejuang ticket as the movement’s registration has yet to be approved by the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

"But using the name of Pejuang does not mean the candidate is from Pejuang. Those from GTA are merely managed by Pejuang. 

"We also agreed to field 120 or more candidates including in Sabah," he said, adding that the list of candidates will be drawn up by the party president and non-government organisations in GTA.

However, Mahathir said GTA candidates in Kelantan will contest using the flag and logo of Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra).

GTA, which was set up on Aug 4, submitted its application for registration to the RoS on Aug 18.

It comprises a coalition of four parties, namely Pejuang, Berjasa, Putra and Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional (Iman), and is open to NGOs, individuals as well as Malay academics and professionals.

On the movement's strategy for GE15, Mahathir said GTA would be fielding candidates who are corruption and crime-free as well as young women candidates, in line with the implementation of Undi 18 which was first implemented in the Johor election in March.