Malaysia Edition: Why hip fractures may be a concern for Malaysian seniors | Anwar loses landmark reform vote

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When Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was admitted to hospital at the start of 2026, many brushed it off as yet another visit for the long-serving former Malaysian prime minister, despite being over a century old.

But when news broke that he had fallen and sustained a hip fracture, many feared the worst. Depending on which experts you ask, up to a third of those who break a hip may die within a year.

Dr Mahathir is still soldiering on. But unlike previous bouts of illness, he remains under close medical watch. He has been allowed “home leave” but continues to make frequent visits to the National Heart Institute for treatment and observation.

The development got us thinking about a story that has touched many of us whose loved ones have suffered a fall and a hip injury with dire consequences.

The story hit close to home for our correspondent Hadi Azmi, who interviewed doctors, fitness coaches and patients, including Nancy Koh – whose experience closely matched his mother’s struggle with severe arthritis.

At 66, Hadi’s mother has had to rely on walking frames and a wheelchair for longer periods. This discourages her from leaving the house – more so now that she has grandchildren to play with.

“Seeing the joy sucked out of the life of my mother, who previously travelled through Istanbul and Australia alone and was furiously active in her kitchen, was similar to the motivation for fitness instructor Jerald Kang,” Hadi said about one of his interviewees.

“Seeing his grandmother withdraw from life due to arthritis drove him to train seniors,” he added.

While Dr Mahathir continues to recover, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces setbacks of his own, having failed to get two signature reforms through Parliament this week.

A bill to cap the maximum length anyone can serve as prime minister at 10 years was defeated. It fell just two votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to amend the Federal Constitution. A separate move to strip the prime minister-appointed attorney-general of powers over criminal prosecution was deferred.

This comes against the backdrop of the Democratic Action Party – the largest party in the ruling coalition – moving its national conference to July 12 from September, to determine whether the pace of reforms justifies its continued role in the administration.

More on these stories below, including Malaysia's response to the US-Israeli strike against Iran. If you have other suggestions for the bureau, let us know here.