Doctors rule out hip surgery for former Malaysian leader Mahathir, 100, after fall at home

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Doctors have advised against performing surgery on Dr Mahathir Mohamad after the former Malaysian prime minister fractured his hip in a fall, citing concerns related to his age of 100.

Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Dr Mahathir’s son, said medical specialists did not recommend an operation, as it would not be a wise option given the risks associated with his father’s advanced age.

Mukhriz said Dr Mahathir sustained the fracture after falling during his routine morning exercise on the balcony of his residence. He was subsequently admitted to the National Heart Institute, also known as Institut Jantung Negara (IJN).

Speaking in a video posted on 7 January 2026, Mukhriz provided an update on his father’s condition following the incident, which occurred a day earlier on 6 January.

Two to three weeks of hospital treatment expected

“The report from IJN is that as he had fractured his hip, it would take two to three weeks of admission at the hospital,” Mukhriz said. He added that doctors had advised against surgery due to Dr Mahathir’s age.

Mukhriz said treatment and recovery would take time, and he thanked members of the public for their messages of support and concern.

“I thank everyone, including strangers, who texted their well wishes to the family,” he said.

“I also request that everyone gives the space for Dr Mahathir to rest and get better as quickly as possible.”

Mukhriz was speaking from the office of Parti Pejuang in Kuala Lumpur, the political party founded by Dr Mahathir after the collapse of his second administration.

Dr Mahathir was admitted to IJN at about 9.30am on 6 January after falling at his residence. His press secretary, Sufi Yusoff, later told media via WhatsApp that the former prime minister was conscious when taken to hospital.

Dr Mahathir’s daughter, Marina Mahathir, said on the same day that the fracture was “serious but not dangerous”, adding that for someone of his age, “everything is relative”.

“For his age, everything is relative… he’s fine,” she said, seeking to reassure the public about her father’s condition.

Prime minister Anwar Ibrahim sends well wishes

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently overseas on a working visit, also expressed his concern and support.

In a social media post, Anwar said that he and his wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, were praying for Dr Mahathir’s health and speedy recovery.

The message carried particular significance given the long and often combative political history between the two leaders.

Dr Mahathir had previously dismissed Anwar from government and jailed him during his first tenure in office.

Despite later political cooperation, their relationship deteriorated again in recent years, with Dr Mahathir becoming a vocal critic of Anwar’s current administration and its policies.

IJN, where Dr Mahathir is receiving treatment, is Malaysia’s premier cardiac referral centre and has treated him on multiple occasions in the past. He is known to have a long history of heart-related health issues.

Dr Mahathir has previously suffered at least two heart attacks and has undergone major heart surgeries, including a quadruple bypass in 2007. These procedures were widely reported during and after his time in office.

In December 2021 and January 2022, Dr Mahathir was hospitalised on separate occasions for medical checks. At the time, his office said the admissions were precautionary and part of ongoing health monitoring.

Dr Mahathir, who turned 100 in July 2025, has faced recurring health challenges in recent years, particularly related to his heart.

Despite this, he has remained active and visible in public life.

He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Malaysia’s modern political history. His first term as prime minister, from 1981 to 2003, spanned more than two decades of rapid economic growth and industrialisation.

He returned to office in 2018 at the age of 92, leading a coalition that ended more than six decades of uninterrupted rule by the same political alliance. The comeback was seen as historic both domestically and internationally.

That administration collapsed in 2020 following internal power struggles and defections, triggering a period of political instability and a series of changes in national leadership.

In the 2022 general election, Dr Mahathir lost his parliamentary seat, marking his first electoral defeat at the federal level. Despite this setback, he continued to play an active role in political discourse.

He later aligned himself with several Malay-based political parties in efforts to challenge the current government, ensuring his continued presence in national debates even without holding elected office.