ALOR SETAR (April 24): Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed was a great leader with a sharp mind but “his time has passed”, says the incumbent Member of Parliament for Langkawi, Datuk Nawawi Ahmad.

“He definitely has some limitations such as physical strength and energy, and cannot work 24 hours like young people, like us in Langkawi,” said Nawawi, who has been retained as the constituency’s Barisan Nasional candidate for the May 9 general election.

The Langkawi native’s opponents on the island this time will include Mathathir, who is now the chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).

Speaking to reporters after his candidacy was announced here today, Nawawi said while he respected Mahathir, he believes Langkawi voters would prefer a local man who “can work day and night” to represent them.

Kedah BN chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah said the people in Langkawi were questioning Mahathir’s decision to contest there.

“Shouldn’t he be contesting in Kubang Pasu, his former Parliamentary seat instead of Langkawi? Maybe the voters in Kubang Pasu don’t like him, but why? There must be a reason,” he added.

Nawawi, a 57-year-old engineer by profession polled 21,307 votes to beat PKR’s Ahmad Abdullah and independent Marina Hussein by a majority of 11,861 votes in 2013. Prior to that, he was the assemblyman for Kuah, one of two state seats in Langkawi, for two terms.

Mahathir, who confirmed his candidacy in the BN stronghold last week, highlighted haphazard development and land grab issues as problems faced by the islanders.

This was backed former Finance Minister and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) chairman Tun Daim Zainuddin who said development on the island was allegedly not in accordance to a former structure plan drawn up by the local council in 1985.

However, it is understood that the authorities are using the Langkawi Tourism Development Blueprint 1.0 and 2.0 to develop the island, which some locals claim was not adhered to when it comes to high-rise construction by the beach and sale of Malay reserve land.

“Land issue is not a problem in Langkawi because we need development,” said Nawawi. “The land that is sold is not existing land (belonging to the locals) but reclaimed land.”

“We are creating new land...not stealing land. It is good that we are reclaiming land because we can expand the island,” he added.