Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said today he would not contest upcoming general elections, marking the end of a parliamentary career which began 40 years ago.

Mahathir, 78, who was first voted into parliament in 1964 and served as prime minister for 22 years from 1981 until his retirement last October, still holds his seat in his home state of Kedah.

But the veteran politician told reporters after attending a function in Kuala Lumpur he would "definitely not" stand in elections expected to be called this month by his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Mahathir said he believed the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition could retain its two-third majority in parliament and perform better than in the last elections in 1999 because anger over the 1998 sacking and jailing of his then-deputy Anwar Ibrahim had subsided.

Abdullah's Umno, the linchpin of the coalition, stands a "good chance" of wresting back control of the northeastern states of Kelantan and Terengganu from the hardline Islamic Party (PAS), he said.

"I think it will be better than in 1999. In 1999, they exploited the issue of Anwar Ibrahim but now the people have accepted that what has been done was the right thing," Mahathir said.

Dr M denies pulling strings

The BN's share of the popular vote dropped to 56 percent in 1999 polls from 65 percent in 1995 elections, with Umno losing 20 parliamentary seats to PAS.

PAS, which vies with Umno for the votes of the Malay majority, also won control of a second state - Terengganu - but votes from minority Chinese and Indians helped the coalition retain its two-third parliamentary majority.

Mahathir dismissed accusations by PAS that he was still pulling strings behind the political scene, saying: "If they want to imagine, they can imagine what they want."

The New Straits Times said upcoming polls would mark the end of an era for Mahathir and many other veteran politicians who have dominated the country's political landscape since independence in 1957.

Others vacating their parliamentary seats include former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, former transport minister and Chinese leader Ling Liong Sik and several former ministers who have retired.

But the newspaper said some veterans were still not ready to go, such as former deputy premier Ghafar Baba who has contested and won every general election since 1955 and has offered himself as a candidate again.

Elections are not due until the year's end, but analysts say new Prime Minister Abdullah wants to capitalise on a "feel-good" factor from the smooth transition of power and his pledges to fight corruption and government inefficiency. - AFP