KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today thanked medical experts at the National Heart Institute (IJN) and external medical specialists for treating him while he was undergoing treatment at the heart treatment centre last January.

The former Prime Minister said with the treatment provided by them, as well as staff at IJN, his health was restored.

"To me this is a miracle, I didn't expect to live. I expected to die because I am old and also I am suffering from serious diseases effecting...first my heart, when the heart is weak, it affects the lung and when the lung is weak, it effects the kidney and so on.

"But somehow or rather the doctors turn me around and eventually I was discharged and am quite well, not one hundred percent, but enough for me to continue with the little work I have to do," he said through his official YouTube CHEDET channel today.

Tun Mahathir said this was something to be proud of because it showed that Malaysians no longer needed to go abroad for treatment because the country already had doctors who could treat serious illnesses, like those affecting him.

"...as you know I was also trained as a doctor and when I started practice in the late1950's and early 1960's, at that time there were 'slot khas' for Malaysian doctors, especially Malay doctors, the doctors at the hospital at that time where known as assistante medical officer...no Asian can become full medical officer... because there was no faith in Malaysian doctors.

"I believe fully that we can do what others can do. During my time (as prime minister) I used to say that Malaysia can... we are competent," he added.

In the eight-minute video, Dr Mahathir, who is also the Member of Parliament for Langkawi, looked energetic and healthy.

He was admitted to IJN on Jan 7 to undergo an elective medical procedure a day later and was discharged on Jan 13, but he was admitted again and was discharged Feb 5.

--BERNAMA