In a blog post, the former Langkawi MP said he had been frequently told to “keep quiet and rest” after failing to defend his parliamentary seat in GE15.

Mahathir added that he was puzzled as to why certain quarters did not want him to be vocal.

“In the past, they said I was senile. Now, they’re telling me to keep quiet because I lost my deposit. To me, the truth must be said even though no one might listen.

“Truth is not monopolised by the majority, minority, or those who have lost their deposits. If that were the case, then minorities should just keep quiet and accept any decision made by the majority, though it may be wrong.

“As long as I am alive, I will continue to speak up against anything that is not right, though it may be hard for those who did not lose their deposits to accept,” said Mahathir.

Mahathir was among the 369 candidates who lost their deposits in GE15. It was only his second parliamentary election defeat, having been defeated by PAS’ Yusof Rawa in the Kota Setar constituency in 1969.

He has since left his former party Pejuang after it decided to leave the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition. All of Pejuang’s candidates lost their deposits in GE15.