KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today he would make a political comeback to lead Malaysia if voters still wanted him and if there are wrongdoings in the administration of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Nikkei Asian Review reported him as saying in an interview published today.

He also said he feared Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi could get their charges reduced as Umno was now part of the new administration.

Dr Mahathir told the Japanese news service that it would be selfish for him to retire as he was still Langkawi MP.

"Even now, they are coming to see me,” Dr Mahathir said, referring to his supporters.

"I tell them, look, I’m old, 94 years old, but they say they [don’t] see people with experience. I had experience as PM for many, many years [and] I learned something, so they think that I can resolve many of the problems.”

Dr Mahathir added that "I cannot stand seeing a government that does something wrong. I feel I have a duty to do something.”

Asked if he wants to contest in the next general election, he said: "If you ask me, I don’t want to do it because by then I would be 98.”

Dr Mahathir quit as Bersatu chairman and prime minister, triggering the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government, after he lost majority support for his administration.

He had previously explained that his decision was not made in the heat of the moment, but only after he believed that he no longer commanded the majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

"I don’t regret resigning,” Dr Mahathir told Nikkei.

"Thinking about it now, I only did what was right when my own party didn’t agree to my views.”

Dr Mahathir said he was disappointed when some MPs shifted their support to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and some to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin after promising to support him, Nikkei reported.

"Well, I feel disappointed,” Dr Mahathir said. "Disappointed because they all practically swore and even signed statutory declarations saying that they supported me, but it’s all bluff.”

Dr Mahathir added that some MPs also wanted to break PH away from DAP by using him as a wedge.

He told Nikkei he now fears Najib might use his current influence in Umno to minimise charges in relation to former state wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and its subsidiary SRC International. Najib currently faces 42 money laundering and corruption charges regarding dealings with 1MDB and SRC.

"The government may [now] need to please [Najib and Ahmad] by not charging them more,” Dr Mahathir told Nikkei.

"Alternatively, [Najib] may want to leave the country… During my time, he was not allowed to leave the country.

"But now he might leave the country either legally or illegally, stay abroad and escape punishment like Jho Low.”