KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has been hospitalized due to a respiratory infection, his office announced on Wednesday, following media reports that the 99-year-old missed a court hearing related to a defamation case he had filed.
Mahathir, who has served as prime minister for over two decades, has a history of heart issues and has undergone multiple bypass surgeries. In recent years, he has been in and out of the hospital, with his most recent hospitalization occurring in July.
He was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for a defamation case he filed against the current deputy prime minister. However, local media reported that the hearing was postponed after his lawyer confirmed that Mahathir had been admitted to the National Heart Institute.
An aide told Reuters that Mahathir was admitted on Tuesday evening due to coughing caused by a lower respiratory tract infection and will be on medical leave until October 25.
Mahathir initially served as prime minister for 22 years, stepping down in 2003. He returned to office in 2018 after leading the opposition to a landmark victory, though his government collapsed in less than two years due to internal conflicts.
