A: Hey there! Guess who just turned a century old?
B: Who's that now, Mahathir Mohamad from Malaysia, right?

A: Exactly! Can you believe it? He served as prime minister for 24 years and led the country's economic development.
B: Wow, that's impressive! So what's he up to nowadays?

A: Well, in an interview on Facebook, he said he doesn't want to act his age. He wants to stay active and live life as he used to when younger.
B: That sounds like a great mindset! I wish more people had it.

A: Definitely! He also criticized the prolonged conflict in Gaza, saying it's the greatest injustice seen in modern times.
B: Yeah, it's been a real mess over there for a while now...

A: Lastly, he's known for promoting policies that encourage learning from Japan's post-war development. He says Malaysia learned the Japanese ethic of working hard to be valued in the world.
B: That's a powerful message, indeed. Happy 100th birthday to Mahathir!
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Malaysia's longest serving prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has turned 100. On his birthday, the veteran politician explained why he is still active and engaged in global affairs.



Mahathir served as prime minister for 24 years in total, and led Malaysia's economic development. In an interview posted Thursday on his Facebook account, he dismissed people who want to rest when they get older.



He said: "I want to behave almost as if I'm not getting old. I try to live the same life that I live when I was younger. I think being active in work is what keeps me alive."



Mahathir has been a stern critic of Israel and the US over the prolonged conflict in Gaza, where civilian casualties are increasing.



He said "I think this is the greatest injustice ever seen in modern times."



Mahathir is also known for pushing policies to encourage learning from Japan's post-war development. The centenarian said what Malaysia learned was the Japanese ethic of working hard to be valued in the world.