Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has admitted that his present popularity will not last forever.

Asked in an interview with South China Morning Post about the longevity of his appeal to Malay voters, he predicted an end to it.

“Well, I can’t always be popular, one day I will become unpopular because when you are in the government, you have to do unpopular things.

“That is not something permanent,” Mahathir told the Hong Kong-based daily.

The Langkawi MP further analysed that suburban and urban Malay voters had rejected Umno due to corruption scandals like 1MDB, while rural voters were mostly swayed by cost of living issues, enabling Harapan to make inroads into the large voter base.

Pollster Merdeka Center previously analysed that the Mahathir-led Pakatan Harapan had managed 30 percent of the Malay vote, the same as PAS.

Umno, on the other hand, had retained a higher 40 percent.

Mahathir reiterates he could stay on

In the interview, Mahathir also reiterated that he could remain in power longer than the initially planned two years.

“Well, I don’t know whether people will permit me to stay longer.

“If there is some work I can still do, if I am still healthy, I can think and talk,” said the 93-year-old.

Pressed on whether he would stay on as the prime minister, he said “Ya”.

While he has maintained that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim remains his successor, Mahathir has several times in the past said that the timeframe for this power transfer was not fixed.

Nevertheless, doubt persists over whether he would indeed make way for Anwar, due to the contentious past between the two.

Anwar had once been Mahathir's protégé, and served as his deputy during the latter’s first reign as prime minister. In 1998, Anwar was unceremoniously sacked from cabinet and later charged with both sodomy and corruption and convicted.

This led to the Reformasi movement, and eventually the formation of PKR.

PKR, as well as Mahathir-led Bersatu, are now part of Pakatan Harapan.

When Harapan won the 14th general election, Anwar was still serving his second sodomy conviction.

Harapan sought and obtained a full royal pardon for him on May 16.