KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's nearly centenarian former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has officially been discharged from the hospital after a two-week battle with a respiratory infection, his office confirmed on Tuesday, October 29.

The 99-year-old statesman was admitted shortly after his birthday in July due to persistent coughing. His health issues had initially raised concerns given that he had spent almost three months in the hospital earlier this year for various complications. However, his office shared a welcome update stating, “Mahathir was discharged from the hospital yesterday (Monday). He will be working at the office as usual.”

Despite reaching an impressive milestone of 99 years, Mahathir remains a formidable figure in Malaysian politics.

He led the country with distinction from 1981 until 2003 and then made a remarkable comeback in 2018, returning to the prime ministership at the age of 92. His latest term was met with challenges, including a coalition collapse due to in-fighting just two years later, which left the nation stunned.

In the aftermath of a shock defeat in the 2022 elections, which saw him lose his parliamentary seat, many wonder if Mahathir will attempt another political revival.

Known for his sharp critiques, he has positioned himself as one of the leading voices against current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, calling into question the direction of Malaysia's governance.

As Mahathir returns to work, his supporters are eager to see how he will influence Malaysian politics in the months to come.

Will this political heavyweight weigh in on pressing national issues or perhaps even rally support for a new movement? Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: at 99, Mahathir's journey in politics is far from over!