Political rallies take centre stage for urban Malaysia

Ahead of May 9 polls, the opposition's candidate for prime minister has been speaking across the country at nighttime political rallies known as "ceramah" - a first for the 92-year-old.

"He was saying to me, 'It's so amazing. All these people come out and they come out on their own, in the rain or shine, whatever, they come and they donate money'," Marina Mahathir told Channel NewsAsia.

"And I said to him, 'You know, that's what it's like on this side. You've always been on that side, so you didn't get a chance to see this.'"

Dr Mahathir was Malaysia's prime minister for 22 years when he was with the coalition that has led the country since independence, Barisan Nasional (BN).

This time, however, he has jumped ship - forming his own party after losing faith in current prime minister Najib Razak.

With the switch, has come adapting to the ways the opposition has been campaigning - setting up stages and loudspeakers anywhere from the middle of fields to spaces between apartment blocks.

It is a style of canvassing votes that analysts say grew in popularity out of necessity during, ironically, Dr Mahathir's time in office.

"It started gaining traction in the 80s - due to the tight media controls imposed then under his premiership especially after 1987," said political risk analyst Amir Fareed Rahim from KRA Group.

"It was the best outlet or platform to get their messages out to the masses".