Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was discharged from the Epworth Hospital, Melbourne, Australia at 9am (Malaysian time) today.

mahathir mohamad hari raya open house 2 According to his special officer, Sufi Yusoff in his e-mail to Bernama, the medical team was happy with Dr Mahathir's rate of progress but he would still be placed under observation for an unspecified period.

"Throughout this period, the medical team will continue to administer antibiotics treatment and physiotherapy as they had been doing since his admission last Saturday for chest infection," he said.

The discharge from the hospital today to a nearby hotel was also part of the rehabilitation process to speed up Dr Mahathir's rate of recovery, Sufi said.

Dr Mahathir is in Melbourne, accompanied by his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali since Thursday and had been expected to address a seminar on human development last Saturday afternoon, organised by the Umno Club of Melbourne at the University of Melbourne.

- Bernama