Is Joe Biden Too Old to Be U.S. President? Malaysians Don’t Think So
Is Joe Biden Too Old to Be U.S. President? Malaysians Don’t Think So
In the U.S., calls for President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 presidential race are growing louder, coming from various quarters including members of Congress, Hollywood celebrities, and wealthy donors. Many American voters are expressing concerns about Biden’s age and performance. Meanwhile, his opponent, 78-year-old Donald Trump, who recently survived an assassination attempt, is also nearing his twilight years.
However, in Southeast Asia’s Malaysia, age is not a barrier to political power. Malaysian politics has seen leaders rise to prominence despite their advanced age. Notable examples include Mahathir Mohamad, who at 92 became Malaysia’s seventh prime minister in 2018, and Anwar Ibrahim, who assumed office as the country’s 10th prime minister in his mid-70s in 2022.
Malaysians who spoke to Al Jazeera emphasized that the policies of leaders like Mahathir and Anwar outweighed their ages during elections. “I did consider their age, especially Mahathir's, since he was in his 90s,” said Layla Subra, a 35-year-old business executive. “But they appeared sharp and focused, so their age didn’t strongly influence my vote.”
Mahathir, who previously served as Malaysia’s prime minister from 1981 to 2003, made history in 2018 as the oldest prime minister, earning a place in the Guinness World Records. Despite Malaysia’s official retirement age of 60, the country has been accustomed to elderly lawmakers.
In China, age is also less of an impediment in politics. Xi Jinping, now 71, secured his third term as president last year, and Deng Xiaoping, at 87, led a significant economic reform tour in 1992. Malaysia’s oldest parliament member, Fong Kui Lun, 77, of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), has held his seat since 1999. While some Malaysians express a desire for younger candidates, many prioritize policies over age. “I’d prefer a leader with a better plan, regardless of age,” said Shaun Ho, a 40-year-old office manager.
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During the 2018 election, Mahathir campaigned strongly against corruption, notably targeting his former protege Najib Razak, who was later convicted in the 1MDB scandal. Najib received a 12-year prison sentence, later reduced by the country’s pardons board.
In Malaysia, voters choose candidates based on party policies rather than individual attributes. “We vote strategically for the party whose policies we support,” said Nicholas Chin, a 40-year-old businessman.
Mahathir, now 99, and Anwar, 76, continue to show physical and mental vitality. Mahathir, a former doctor, maintains his fitness with exercise and a disciplined diet. Anwar, despite past health issues and political imprisonment, received a clean bill of health from his doctors last year.
Political analyst Bridget Welsh from the University of Nottingham Malaysia noted that while age can be a factor for some voters, a candidate’s competency and ideas are more critical. “For Mahathir, health wasn’t a major issue; it was the ideas he presented,” Welsh said. “For Biden, it’s his health that is of concern.”
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Calls for Biden to withdraw from the presidential race have increased following his recent COVID-19 diagnosis and public gaffes. His performance in a contentious debate with Trump has intensified scrutiny, while Trump faces criticism for his inflammatory rhetoric.
Elza Irdalynna, a 37-year-old Malaysian writer and actor, believes that in the U.S., political personalities often overshadow policies. “Biden and Trump both appear physically and mentally unfit,” she said. “In the U.S.’s polarized climate, a popular figurehead often overshadows better, younger candidates.”
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