The Dalai Lama congratulates Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad

DHARAMSALA, May 14: His Holiness the Dalai Lama has congratulated Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad who became the world’s eldest elected leader last week.

“I would like to congratulate you on the historic victory of your Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) coalition in the national elections and on your becoming Prime Minister once more. The votes of the people have brought about change and demonstrated how well rooted democracy is in Malaysia,” the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote in a missive to the seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia, the official website of the Tibetan spiritual leader, dalailama.com reported.

“I have fond memories of my visit to Malaysia in 1982 and I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that these days I meet many Malaysian friends who come to India on pilgrimage. I appreciate the interest and support many of them show for my efforts to encourage the cultivation of fundamental human values such as compassion, as well as the promotion of harmony among our religious traditions,” the Dalai Lama said.

The Tibetan Nobel Laureate concluded his missive by offering his prayers and good wishes for the 92-year-old Malaysian Prime Minister as he sets on to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the people of Malaysia.

This is Mahathir’s second stint as Malaysia’s Prime Minister, he has previously governed Malaysia as its fourth Prime Minister for two decades.

Mahathir Mohamad became the world’s eldest elected leader after his shock election win last week which toppled the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and its corruption-mired leader Najib Razak, a regime that had led Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957.