Mahathir Mohamad, the nearly 100-year-old elder statesman of Malaysian politics, submitted his candidacy on Saturday in what may be his last race as campaigning for the upcoming general election got underway.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob called elections 10 months ahead of schedule, with the graffiti-stained ruling party of jailed ex-leader Najib Razak trying to cement its political comeback four years after its dramatic ouster.

97-year-old Mahathir, who held the Guinness World Record as “the world’s oldest current prime minister” when he became prime minister for a second time in 2018, will stand again to defend his seat in parliament on the resort island of Langkawi in November by 19 votes.

Visibly slowed down by age but still looking healthy, Mahathir was greeted by dozens of supporters waving flags of his Homeland Fighters’ Party as he reached a local government office in Kuah, the island’s capital, to register his candidacy.

Ismail of the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of the Pakatan Harapan coalition have also submitted their candidatures elsewhere in the country.

Anwar urged voters to show up in large numbers amid fears that torrential rains during the monsoon season could dampen turnout.

“I am optimistic that we will win,” he told AFP from his constituency in northern Perak state.

In Langkawi, Mahathir told reporters he had “a good chance” of winning and laughed at suggestions he should withdraw.

“I’m still standing around talking to you, I think I’m giving sensible answers,” he said.

He added his party would not form alliances with parties run by “crooks or jailbirds,” an obvious reference to UMNO.

The 90-year-old, who once ruled the Southeast Asian nation with an iron fist from 1981 to 2003, came out of retirement to lead the opposition Pact of Hope alliance in the 2018 general election.

The reformist alliance won an impressive victory over then-incumbent Najib, who was later convicted of corruption related to the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund financial scandal and is now serving a 12-year prison sentence.

Mahathir became prime minister again just two months before his 93rd birthday, but his government collapsed in less than two years due to power struggles.

He has warned that Najib would be released if the jailed politician’s allies in UMNO win and signaled that corruption will be a key issue in the elections.

He also offered to become prime minister for a third time.

“You should see the circumstances of my country… so much corruption and so much wrongdoing. It’s time to fight, fight, fight!” said Hamidah Ayub, 66, a Mahathir supporter.

While Mahathir is expected to win easily in Langkawi, seeking the premiership for a third time would be difficult, an analyst said.

At least four blocs – including the one he chairs – are fighting for a majority in the 222-seat lower house, making it close competition.

The 21 million voters also include more than six million new registrations, many of them young, who came on board after the electoral reforms.

“Mahathir’s time is up,” Bridget Welsh of the University of Nottingham Malaysia told AFP.

“He was given a second chance and he blew it. His chances of running for Prime Minister this time are extremely slim.”