KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has been hospitalized, a spokesman from his office said Saturday.

The 96-year-old is being treated at the National Heart Institute's cardiac care unit, the spokesman said in a brief statement.

Prior to this, Mahathir was admitted to the National Heart Institute for a full medical check-up and observation on Dec. 16-23 last year.

He was admitted to the same hospital for an elective procedure on Jan. 7 and was discharged on Jan. 13.

Mahathir has served as prime minister for two terms: the first between 1981 and 2003 and the second from 2018 to 2020. ■