18-7-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the 99-year-old former Prime Minister who has twice held the nation’s highest office, has been admitted to hospital due to a persistent cough, according to a statement from his spokesman on 18 July.
The nonagenarian statesman, whose influence on Malaysian politics spans more than half a century, is currently receiving treatment at the National Heart Institute. He was admitted on 15 July and is expected to remain under medical supervision for several days. While details about his condition remain scarce, the mention of his admission to the cardiac facility has naturally raised concerns given his history of heart-related health issues.
This latest hospitalisation adds another chapter to Dr Mahathir’s ongoing health saga. It was only in January that he was discharged from the same institute after a nearly three-month stay for an unspecified infection. Throughout his long and storied career, the former premier has battled various health challenges, including multiple heart attacks and even a bout with Covid-19.
Dr Mahathir’s political journey is as remarkable as it is controversial. His first stint as Prime Minister lasted an unprecedented 22 years, ending in 2003. However, in a twist that captured global attention, he returned to the premiership in 2018 at the age of 92, leading an opposition coalition to a historic election victory against the very party he once headed. This second term was short-lived, however, as his government collapsed after less than two years due to internal conflicts.
