Malaysians are rallying to wish Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad a happy birthday on his 94th celebrations.
Posting on Instagram under Chedet Official moniker, Dr Mahathir says: “Thank you for all the birthday greetings I received today. My birthday wish is very simple, that I can finish my work setting Malaysia on the road to recovery. It is a privilege and honour to serve this country.”
The Instagram post got 89,883 likes at the time of writing and at least 9,000 comments.
Dr Mahathir is seen on a daily basis walking around the corridors of power in Putrajaya and at the Parliament lately, greeting people and carrying out his duties without limitations.
Age does not seem to have hindered the elderly statesman who came back to power after a shock electoral win in 2018, defeating his nemesis Najib Razak in a hotly contested poll.
The government under Dr Mahathir is to bring a series of reforms with the main objective to eliminate corruption, which became the main reason for the defeat of the Najib Razak regime.
Nevertheless, netizens are also waiting to see if Dr Mahathir will keep his promises of leaving power within two years.
A deal between the Pakatan Harapan leaders says Dr Mahathir was given two years at least to fulfil his wish and redress the country’s economy and get Najib behind bars.
He is almost there with Najib, says observers, but will probably not make it in terms of economic redress. The country is in a bad shape, worst than the Pakatan Harapan had expected when they took power.
However, some observers told The Independent Dr M’s message is cryptic in nature as he seems to be asking the people in particular for more time, which may be more than the two years he is expected to be PM.