Malaysia's presidents lead nation despite advanced years Age no barrier

At the intersection of politics and age, Malaysia has carved a unique path with its leaders Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim, both assuming the country's highest office well into their senior years.

Members of Congress one day, Hollywood stars or wealthy donors the next — all united in urging President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 presidential race.

Surveys indicate widespread voter concerns about Biden's age and performance, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

Meanwhile, his 78-year-old rival, Donald Trump, who narrowly escaped an assassination attempt last week, presents a formidable challenge.

"Age seems to pose no barrier to political leadership in Southeast Asia's Malaysia, where top politicians have ascended to power with strong popular backing despite their advanced years. Examples include Mahathir Mohamad, who became the country's seventh prime minister at 92 in 2018, and the current incumbent, Anwar Ibrahim, who assumed office as Malaysia's 10th premier in his mid-70s in 2022."

"Malaysian voters interviewed by Al Jazeera emphasized that the policies advocated by leaders Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim outweighed concerns about their age during national elections.

‘I did take Mahathir's age into consideration, especially since he was in his 90s by then,’ said Layla Subra, a 35-year-old business executive. ‘However, both leaders conveyed a sense of sharpness and focus despite their age, which ultimately did not heavily influence my voting choices,’ Subra added."

Mahathir, who had previously served as Malaysia’s prime minister for a total of 22 years from 1981 to 2003, achieved a historic milestone by re-entering office in 2018 at the age of 92 years and 141 days, earning him a place in the Guinness World Records as the oldest serving prime minister.