Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Malaysia’s 99-year-old former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says people should not be judged on their age, but on their abilities.

Speaking of America’s 78-year-old President-elect Donald Trump, Mahathir told Nikkei Asia: “Trump still functions well, comparable to someone much younger. Therefore, a test to determine capability rather than relying on age would be a much better way to assess someone’s suitability. We should have a test to determine a person’s abilities.”

“To this day, there is still no educational qualification required to become a candidate in political elections. However, even for a laborer, some level of qualification is usually needed. It seems wrong that we do not apply similar standards to those entering politics.”

The former Prime Minister suggests that Asian countries could lead the way in establishing a standard that is not solely based on age, developing an alternative approach to evaluating leaders, regardless of their age.

Mahathir speaks from experience, having made a return to power in 2018 when he was 92. He puts his longevity down to a healthy diet. “I don’t eat too much,” he says. “Obesity isn’t good for survival. Age follows bodily health. Because of that, old age is not because of time; it’s not because you are 60 that you are old. You may be 90, but if people at 90 are still strong, still able to work and function, then 90 would not be old age.”

Mahathir believes in shifting the retirement age. “Society must accept that people at 60 are not yet ready to be pensioned off,” he says, adding that he regrets resigning in 2003 when he was approaching 80.

“We have set our minds to the idea that older people should retire early so that younger people can take their place,” he says. “Society must accept that people are living longer. You must remember that with age, you accumulate more experience. You gain knowledge about many things and losing these people means losing the valuable experience they have. Without them, you risk repeating mistakes, because the individuals who have already faced and solved such challenges are no longer there to guide you.”

Mahathir also envisages a future where borders have less meant and immigration helps to fill in holes in the workforce.

“In the future, there will be no country that is entirely single-ethnic,” he explains. “For example, Japan tries to maintain a population where everyone is Japanese, but that cannot last forever. The time will come when people from other countries will move in and live there. Why? Because you can’t stop people from crossing borders. People must learn how to live together in multicultural societies, adapting to diversity.”