Malaysia's opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan (PH) is fielding its chairman Mahathir Mohamad in the Langkawi parliamentary seat for the May 9 general election.

Langkawi has often been associated with Tun Dr Mahathir, who transformed it from a sleepy backwater when he was prime minister, with its mostly Malay residents now expected to return the favour by voting him into Parliament.

He cannot afford to lose this fight as he is PH's candidate for prime minister.

Dr Mahathir was previously the MP for Kubang Pasu on mainland Kedah until he left politics in 2004.

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