At 101, Dr Mahathir celebrates Merdeka - waving from a wheelchair at the parade

PUTRAJAYA — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad once again drew attention when he appeared at Dataran Putrajaya on Monday to join Malaysians in celebrating the 2026 National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations - this time from an electric wheelchair.

At 101, the statesman arrived in an electric wheelchair, but his presence still drew warmth and excitement from the crowd.

In a livestream posted on TikTok by @chedetofficial, Dr Mahathir was seen waving to visitors from his wheelchair as he took in the atmosphere of the national celebration.

He also took time to meet and greet members of the public, with Malaysians and security personnel alike seizing the opportunity to shake his hand and take selfies with the former Langkawi MP.

For a man who has spent decades at the centre of Malaysia's political history, the moment offered a strikingly human glimpse of a former leader now attending the nation's celebrations from a wheelchair.

Dr Mahathir also recorded a brief National Day message on his Facebook page, accompanied by a video tracing his years leading Malaysia - from his first tenure as prime minister from 1981 to 2003, and his return to office from 2018 to 2020.

"Happy Independence Day and the 69th National Day, Malaysia," he said in the posting. 

This was not Dr Mahathir's first appearance at the National Day celebrations in Putrajaya. However, it marked the first time he attended the event in a wheelchair.

At last year's National Day celebration, Dr Mahathir told the media that he had never received an official invitation to the annual event, although he said he was not offended by it.

As a Malaysian, he maintained that anyone had the right to attend the national celebration.

His appearance this year comes after a difficult period for the 101-year-old statesman.

On Jan 6, Dr Mahathir was admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for rehabilitation after suffering a fractured hip following a fall while exercising at his home in The Mines.

It was not the first time his health had forced him into hospital.

On July 13 last year, he was rushed to IJN after experiencing exhaustion during a Picnic & Potluck programme held to mark his 100th birthday on July 10, as well as the 99th birthday of his wife, Tun Dr Hasmah Mohd Ali.

He was admitted at around 10am and was allowed to return home at 4.45pm the same day.

Yet this morning, amid the flags, crowds and celebrations of a country he led for more than two decades across two separate terms, Dr Mahathir was once again among Malaysians - waving from his wheelchair, meeting the public and marking another National Day.

At 101, his appearance was more than just another public outing.

It was a reminder of the long and extraordinary journey of a man whose life has been deeply intertwined with the story of modern Malaysia.