Ex-Malaysian PM Mahathir hospitalized due to fatigue after 100th birthday celebrations

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was hospitalized due to fatigue, his office announced on Sunday, just days after his 100th birthday on Thursday.

According to a statement sent to Anadolu from his office, he was taken to the National Heart Institute in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur for observation related to fatigue but has since rested and been allowed to return home.

A physician who was a member of parliament until 2022, Mahathir Mohamad drove himself on Sunday to the celebration, which also marked the 99th birthday of his wife, Hasmah Mohd Ali, a day earlier, local media reported.

The reports said he cycled for an hour before appearing tired. His birthday was on Thursday.

The 100-year-old veteran politician, who has dedicated two decades to serving Malaysia, has a history of heart issues. In recent years, he has frequently been hospitalized and has undergone bypass surgeries.

His most recent hospitalization was in October due to a respiratory infection.

This seasoned politician, who served as prime minister for 24 years across two non-consecutive terms, retired in 2020. He made a return to the role in 2018, but his government fell apart in under two years due to internal conflicts.