Malaysia’s 92-year-old former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to hospital for a chest infection, a government hospital said in a statement on Saturday.
“Currently, Dr Mahathir is being treated in a general ward for chest infection following a bout of cough,” the National Heart Institute said.
He was admitted on Friday night and will stay for several days for treatment and observation, the hospital said.
His eldest daughter, Marina Mahathir, tweeted a photograph of her with her father that was taken in hospital. They were seated on a sofa smiling for the camera.
“Went to visit dad this morning. He’s good, just needs some rest. He’ll soon be back to kick some butts again soon,” she wrote.
Mahathir, who ruled from 1981 to 2003 and is gunning for a comeback to helm the nation, this time with the opposition, has had many health scares in the past.
He had his first heart bypass in 1989, and in 2007 underwent another heart procedure. But despite his heart problems, he is still very energetic and alert and looks young for his age.
Although retired in 2003, Mahathir is still politically active. He has been busy going around the country speaking in rallies in his campaign to unseat his successor Najib Abdul Razak, who is ensnared in a corruption scandal surrounding the state-owned 1Malaysia Development Fund that he founded.
