PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says he is close to full recovery after being discharged from the National Heart Institute (IJN) on Saturday.

       In a video clip posted on his Facebook, he said his recent hospitalisation had been a huge personal challenge, adding that he was not hopeful of recovering.

       “There were times that I have had no hope of recovering. But Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), with treatment given by IJN, I managed to recover.

       “Now I can walk, eat, sleep, sit. I am almost like normal, but not that strong to work and so on.

       “But I hope I can (fully) recover,” he was quoted as saying in the post.

       In the video, Dr Mahathir was seen with his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali enjoying the outdoors at Taman Tasik Putrajaya.

       Several other pictures of him with Dr Siti Hasmah at the lake were also posted on his Facebook page.

       Dr Mahathir was admitted to IJN for an elective procedure on Jan 7 and discharged on Jan 13.

       He was readmitted for follow-up treatment on Jan 20.