KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia’s iconic former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, aged 98, has been discharged from the hospital after nearly two months of treatment for an infection. Mahathir, known as the world’s oldest serving leader during his second tenure as prime minister from 2018, was admitted to the National Heart Institute on January 26.
An aide confirmed that Mahathir would be recuperating at home for the time being, expressing gratitude for the prayers and well wishes from Malaysians. Despite concerns over his prolonged hospitalization, photos shared by his office depicted him engaged in reading newspapers and writing notes.
Mahathir, who previously led Malaysia from 1981 to 2003, made a remarkable political comeback in 2018, spearheading a reformist coalition that ousted the scandal-ridden Najib Razak’s administration. However, his coalition disbanded due to internal conflicts, and Mahathir faced a surprising defeat in the 2022 parliamentary elections.
Despite his electoral setback, Mahathir remains an active figure in Malaysian politics and a prominent critic of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. This isn’t Mahathir’s first hospitalization, as he had been admitted several times in recent years for medical check-ups due to heart-related issues, including heart attacks and bypass surgery.
