PETALING JAYA: Banking on Dr Mahathir Mohamad for support in Kedah may be a double-edged sword for Pakatan Harapan (PH) as the former prime minister’s past and present political ties could throw voters off, an analyst says.

Serina Rahman, a visiting fellow at the Malaysia Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, said older voters who had traditionally voted for Umno credited Mahathir for many years of economic growth.

In a commentary on Channel NewsAsia, she said they also appeared nostalgic for “better times” under the veteran statesman, “when prices were stable and the ringgit was under control”.

However, Mahathir’s alliance with PH, particularly the “Chinese DAP”, had thrown them a curve ball which could affect the opposition’s outcome in the state, she added.

Younger voters, meanwhile, appeared by and large to support PH, especially Mahathir’s party, PPBM.

Serina said these voters had told her they were disappointed with Umno’s administration of the country and were “unabashed” in their support for PPBM.

“While they all acknowledged that they benefited from the social assistance scheme BR1M and had no trouble accessing the handouts, those below 35 said that the current government took back much more than what it gave.

“Youths said they were eager and willing to give the opposition a shot, regardless of their families’ political loyalty.”

For this group of voters, she said, the issue lay not with Mahathir’s new allegiance, but with his old.

“Younger voters who had hoped that the opposition would shake up Malaysian politics with younger political leaders like Mukhriz Mahathir and Azmin Ali may be stumped at the prospect of voting for a face inextricably linked to old Umno politics,” she said.

“While some pundits have said that Mahathir’s candidacy for prime minister has clearly strengthened the opposition’s hand against Umno, perhaps the story in swing state Kedah is less clear.”

Mahathir, who is now PH chairman, was prime minister and Umno president for 22 years until 2002.

On Jan 7, PH announced Mahathir as its prime ministerial candidate, while pledging to clear the legal path for Anwar Ibrahim to replace him should the coalition win the next polls.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail meanwhile was named as candidate for deputy prime minister.

The decision received unanimous agreement from all four PH parties, but was criticised by Barisan Nasional leaders as well as opposition activists.