After media reported that he had missed a court hearing in a defamation case he has filed, former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was admitted to a hospital on Wednesday ( October 16 ). His office confirmed this on Wednesday ( October 16 ).
The 99-year-old Mahathir, who served as prime minister for more than two years, has a history of heart troubles and has undergone bypass therapies. He has recently been in and out of hospitals, and his last visit was in July.
Mahathir was scheduled in court on Wednesday for a defamation case against deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, but local media reported that the reading was postponed after his solicitor claimed he had been admitted to the National Heart Institute.
Mahathir’s family secretary reported to Reuters that he was taken to the hospital on Tuesday night because he had a lower respiratory tract infections and was taking health leave until October 25.
Up until 2003, Mahathir served as prime minister for 22 times. After leading the opposition alliance to a legendary victory, he was elected prime minister in 2018, but his government fell apart due to infighting in less than two years.