Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 96, was admitted to hospital on Thursday and will undergo a full medical check-up, the medical facility said.

The National Heart Institute said Mahathir arrived at 7:00 pm (1100 GMT) and is expected to stay there for the next few days.  It did not say why he had been admitted and his aides declined to give further details. Mahathir has had heart problems in the past, suffering several heart attacks and undergoing bypass surgery.