KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad suggested that Singapore could also experience an unprecedented change of government similar to Malaysia when the republic holds its general election next month.

On Tuesday, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that his country’s 13th Parliament was dissolved to pave way for a general election that has since been set for July 10.

Dr Mahathir noted that Singapore’s PAP government has been in power for decades and that Singaporeans may be ready for an alternative.

When asked if he wished to see a new party in power, Dr Mahathir responded positively.

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“Well, lah, we hope there is a change. [Laughs] But knowing Singapore, they are not very cooperative. They don’t want to change anything.

“Everything is to their advantage, so they want to keep it that way. I do hope the brother, who has differences with his elder brother, would have a different attitude towards Malaysia,” he told Asia Times in an interview, referring to Lee Hsien Yang, the estranged brother of Singapore’s PM.

Hsien Yang has joined an Opposition party that will challenge his brother’s PAP in the poll, but has not said if he will compete.

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Dr Mahathir and the Pakatan Harapan coalition won an unexpected victory in Malaysia’s 13th general election in 2018 and he was appointed the prime minister for a second time.

However, his administration collapsed in February this year after his unforced resignation caused a political crisis, which allowed the informal Perikatan Nasional coalition to take control of the country.

Dr Mahathir had been rivals with the Lee siblings’ father, the late Lee Kuan Yew, with whom he had clashed over a variety of issues.