AP Features, May 14th, 2007
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was put in intensive care Monday after experiencing breathing difficulty, the third time he has been hospitalized since November, when he suffered a heart attack.
Doctors and family members said his condition was stable.
"The situation needs some monitoring, but it is not critical. We are very optimistic that he will be able to recover from this small episode," Mahathir's youngest son, Mukhriz, said after visiting his father.
He said Mahathir, 81, was conscious and under mild sedation. The problem was likely caused by exhaustion as well as his previous health problems, said Mukhriz, who came with his elder brother, Mirzan, and sister Marina.
Another brother, Mokhzani, was on his way to the resort island of Langkawi in Mahathir's home state of Kedah, where the former leader had been on holiday when he fell ill. His wife had already been with him.
It was not clear when Mahathir could be released. Doctors have advised complete rest.
Also Monday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and neighboring Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong were in Langkawi for their first bilateral meeting in nearly three years.
It was not clear whether the two leaders would interrupt their two-day meeting to visit Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years.
He was one of Asia's longest serving leaders until he retired in 2003 after handing over power to Abdullah, his hand-picked successor.
Abdullah's aides said he decided not to visit on Monday because doctors were allowing only immediate family members to see Mahathir.
Concerns about the former leader's health have increased since he was hospitalized for a week in November after a mild heart attack. He underwent coronary bypass surgery in 1989. Mahathir was last hospitalized again in February when he was treated overnight for flu.
Despite retirement, Mahathir had maintained a busy schedule until the heart attack.
But in the past year, he had largely devoted his energies to mounting a series of attacks against Abdullah, whom he accuses of corruption, nepotism and mismanaging the economy. Abdullah has rejected the allegations.
The attacks have lessened considerably since the heart attack.
Hasnah Ismail, Kedah state's health director, said that Mahathir had suffered breathing difficulties and that the ex-leader, his wife and his personal physician had arrived at the hospital in Mahathir's vehicle.
Mahathir was sent to the emergency ward before being admitted to the intensive care unit, Hasnah said.
"His condition is stable. On the advice of the doctors, only his closest family members are allowed to visit him," she said.
