Mahathir expects early polls, ruling party gains in Malaysia

By EILEEN NG
Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad expects Malaysia’s graft-tainted ruling party will hold general elections in coming months — and could win big. But the 97-year-old former leader told The Associated Press in an interview that if he was strong enough he would contest the polls because he would fight “even a losing battle” on principle. In the wide-ranging interview, Mahathir also described President Joe Biden as “ineffective” and “anti-Islam” for supporting Israel, accused the U.S. of trying to provoke a war in Taiwan and slammed Europe for provoking Ukraine to fight. Malaysia’s next elections are not due for another year, but some members of the ruling party want early polls to be called.