KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam has announced his departure from politics and a return to practising medicine after failing to defend his Segamat parliamentary seat for the fourth time.

The 65-year-old said failure in politics did not mean the "end of life”, The Star daily reported today.

"When something ends, there will always be a beginning. I was already thinking that this would be my last term as I don’t want to be involved in politics in my 70s.

"The election results show that politics has ended earlier for me,” he was quoted as saying.

The dermatologist was defeated by PKR’s Datuk Seri Santhara Kumar with a 5,476-vote majority in a three-cornered fight with PAS’ Khairul Faizi Ahmahd Kamil in the May 9 polls.