Nearly two months after being sent to the hospital due to an infection, Mahathir Mohamad, the former prime minister of Malaysia, was released from the hospital on Monday, according to his office.
When he was appointed prime minister a second time in 2018, the 98-year-old was named the oldest serving leader in history. On January 26, he was hospitalized to the National Heart Institute.
“Mahathir will be resting at home for a while,” an aide told AFP on condition of anonymity.
When Mahathir’s protracted admission caused alarm, his staff released pictures of him reading newspapers and taking notes.
In a brief statement sent out on Monday before the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, he thanked Malaysians for their well-wishes and prayers.
After serving as Malaysia’s leader from 1981 to 2003, Mahathir stepped out of retirement to spearhead a reforming alliance that overthrew Najib Razak’s scandal-plagued government in 2018.
He became prime minister again that year at the age of 92, but his coalition collapsed two years later due to infighting.
Despite shockingly losing his parliamentary seat in 2022, Mahathir is still involved in politics and has become a vocal opponent of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
For medical examinations, he was also admitted to the hospital in December 2021, January 2022, and August 2023.
Over the years, Mahathir has experienced multiple heart attacks and bypass surgery due to his cardiac troubles.
