Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad turned 100 on Thursday, marking a rare milestone for any world leader while defying age with his sharp mind and relentless work ethic.
Mahathir’s social media platforms have been inundated with well-wishes over the last few days from Malaysians as well as admirers abroad, particularly in the Muslim world, where he is seen as an icon of moderate Muslim leadership who dares to speak up against the West.
The two-time prime minister, whose 24 years in power left an indelible mark on Malaysia, spent his last day as a nonagenarian as he often does – in his Putrajaya office, meeting people, as well as reading and writing about the country he helped shape, one where his legacy is still up for debate.
Former youth minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said Mahathir’s work ethic at 100 “puts many of us to shame”.
“He still reads, writes, exercises, and speaks with clarity – proof that age is just a number when the mind and body are kept sharp,” Syed Saddiq told This Week in Asia.
