TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) due to a lung infection, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today.
According to reports in the New Straits Times, the 99-year-old's admission to IJN yesterday evening saw his defamation trial against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi fixed for today and tomorrow vacated.
The trial will continue on Oct 29.
Dr Mahathir's lawyer Mior Nor Haidir Suhaimi told judicial commissioner Gan Techiong that the former two-time prime minister has been given a 12-day medical leave from Oct 14 to Oct 25.
A letter from IJN cardiologist Dr Hisham Md Shahrom tendered to the court stated that Dr Mahathir is currently admitted due to a lower respiratory tract infection and will require in-patient treatment for symptomatic relief and chest physiotherapy.
Mior Nor Haidir, in his letter to the court, said they had at 9.15 pm last night (Oct 15) received a letter and medical certificate from IJN on Dr Mahathir's health and requested the two-day trial dates to be vacated.
He said the trial on Monday had lasted until noon and continued in the afternoon due to Dr Mahathir's poor health.
According to NST, Zahid's lawyer, Mohamed Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman did not object, noting that he, too, had observed Dr Mahathir to be unwell on Monday.
Gan set the further trial dates on Oct 29, 30; Dec 5,6 and 9.
Dr Mahathir will be cross-examined on Oct 29 and 30 and his son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir will be called as a witness.
Zahid is scheduled to take the stand on the dates after.
Dr Mahathir is testifying as a witness in his defamation suit against Zahid's remarks in 2017 alleging the former's real name was Mahathir a/l Iskandar Kutty.
On July 20, 2022, Dr Mahathir filed the suit and named Zahid, who is the Umno president, as the defendant.
Dr Mahathir stated that he genuinely believes that Zahid's reference in the alleged defamatory statement to "that person", "he" and "Mahathir, the son of Iskandar Kutty", explicitly referred to him.
He said his status as a statesman and an influential political figure in the eyes of the world was also skewed as a result.
The statement made him out to be a liar, untrustworthy, selfish and unethical while holding public office and unfit to be a leader or public figure, he said. - October 16, 2024
