ANKARA

Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to the hospital for coughing, his spokesman confirmed on Thursday.

The 99-year-old ex-premier has been at the National Heart Institute since July 15 and will remain in hospital for a few days, the spokesman told Anadolu, without providing further details about his condition.

"Yes, I can confirm that Tun (Mahathir) has been hospitalized since Monday. Hospitalization will be for a few days at the IJN (Institute Jantung Negara (Kuala Lumpur)," he said.

"He is being treated for coughs but I am not able to go beyond that without official medical statement at the moment," he added.

Mahathir has had a history of heart problems and was last admitted to the institute in January for an unspecified infection. He was discharged nearly three months later.