Dr Mahathir Mohamad's son Mokhzani denied rumours which has been circulating today that his father is in critical condition.

"I was just given a briefing by the doctors that he is in a good condition. Rumours stating otherwise are just that - rumours," said Mokhzani when contacted by Malaysiakini at 6.30pm .

Doctors at the National Heart Institute where Mahathir had his surgery also said Mahathir's condition was stable.

In a statement released tonight, the hospital said that Mahathir "remains stable in intensive care after his second surgical procedure last Saturday".

"He is concious and continues to be on close monitoring," it added. "IJN doctors are happy with his current progress."

According to Mahathir's daughter, the former premier was sedated but responsive two days after undergoing surgery for a chest infection following a recent heart bypass.

"I know that yesterday and last night, there were many rumours circulating

about my father's condition, some of which border on the sensational," Marina Mahathir said in her blog which was posted this morning.

"All the media are getting their information only from my family and from this

blog."

She cautioned that "anything that comes from elsewhere at the very least needs to be checked."

"He's still very much sedated because he needs to rest... But he does wake up from time to time and he can hear us and respond to what we say.

"I told him I was there and he did a typical Dad thing: he winked. I wanted to both laugh and cry."

Slow recovery

Mahathir, 82, underwent three-hour surgery late Saturday to remove infected tissue from his chest. He had the heart bypass operation on Sept 4. He previously had bypass surgery in 1989.

Doctors at the National Heart Institute said the infection was the cause of Mahathir's slow recovery and persistent weakness after the September operation, Marina added.

"Right now they are pleased with how he's doing but they are being super-cautious because it is a day-to-day thing. We are optimistic but we also don't want to celebrate too early," she said.

Mahathir resigned in 2003 after 22 years in power, handing the reins over to the current prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Despite retiring from office, Mahathir remains a hugely influential figure and has become an outspoken critic of his successor, accusing him of economic mismanagement, nepotism and corruption.