KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS) - Malaysia's 96-year-old former premier Mahathir Mohamad has been discharged from the National Heart Institute, the hospital said on Saturday (Feb 5).

The country's longest-serving prime minister, who served for more than two decades in the top job, will have follow-ups for continuation of his medical treatment as required, the hospital said in a statement.

"He shall now continue recuperating at home," the hospital said.

Tun Dr Mahathir, still an active lawmaker, underwent an elective medical procedure on Jan 8 and was re-admitted to the hospital later that month for treatment.

The National Heart Institute did not say at the time what procedure Dr Mahathir, who has a history of heart problems, had undergone.

On Friday, Dr Mahathir's office said he had been permitted to go home and return to the hospital for physiotherapy and further treatment and has been advised not to receive visitors.

Earlier, in a video message on Friday, Dr Mahathir said that he goes back to the hospital in the evenings after spending the day at home as he still has to undergo certain procedures.

"I have recovered, not fully," he said in the video, in which he was also seen walking slowly.