PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is not ready to hold a general election due to present challenges, said former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The focus, he said, should instead be on curbing the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Some say we should have an election now, but at this moment the country is not fit for an election because we cannot campaign, cannot have crowds and do what we used to do during elections," he said, adding that an election would also be costly.
Speaking in a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here today, Dr Mahathir said if the attention was diverted towards holding an election, people would suffer.
Asked if he had the majority support to return as prime minister, Dr Mahathir said he did not know the answer as "the number keeps on appearing and disappearing."
On his relationship with PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Mahathir said he did not have any problems with Anwar, adding, "maybe he has a problem with me, that you (reporters) need to ask him." –BERNAMA