Marina Mahathir says her father’s health has improved over two weeks, but he is not ready for discharge as the family continues to mourn Tun Dr Siti Hasmah.
PUTRAJAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is showing signs of recovery, with an improved appetite and increased activity, but remains hospitalised at the National Heart Institute (IJN) and has yet to be cleared to return home.
His eldest daughter, Datuk Paduka Marina Mahathir, said the former prime minister’s condition had improved compared with two weeks ago as he continued to receive treatment following the death of his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.
“He is getting healthier, he can talk and he wants to eat. So, it can be said that he is almost back to how he was before,” she said.
Marina added that her father had become more active and energetic but was still not well enough to be discharged.
She was speaking to reporters after attending a tahlil prayer gathering for Dr Siti Hasmah at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here today.
Marina also spoke about the family’s grief, saying it remained difficult to come to terms with her mother’s death just two weeks ago.
“We accepted her passing from the beginning, although it was difficult at first. After all, it has only been two weeks. It is still hard to believe that she is no longer here,” she said, holding back tears.
She expressed gratitude to members of the public who had visited her mother’s grave at the National Mausoleum in Precinct 20 to offer prayers and pay their respects.
“Every time I visit the grave, I see many people who come to recite Surah Yasin and scatter flowers.
“Our family is grateful for their prayers and for those who come to visit. I know some have travelled from far away to pay their respects. This shows how much they loved my mother,” she said.
Marina said the continued outpouring of support and prayers from the public had deeply touched the family.
Asked what she missed most about her mother, she said it was the everyday moments they had shared, including being able to seek her advice or tell her about events in her life.
“Everything. Sometimes I did not see her every day. But there were times when I wanted to ask her something, leave her a message about something or share a story with her.
“Then I would realise that I could no longer do any of those things. That is the hardest thing for me to go through,” she said.
More than 200 guests attended the tahlil gathering, including Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, former AmBank Group chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim, PUTRA president Datuk Dr Ibrahim Ali and former minister Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Mohd Yunus.