Muhyiddin, who was sworn in as Pagoh MP this morning, said although his condition was improving, his doctor had advised him to take time off to focus on his treatment.
“I am feeling refreshed for now,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby. “For cancer cases such as this, it is normal to go through follow-up treatment including chemotherapy for 12 rounds over the duration of six months.”
He added that he would undergo treatment in Singapore as well as Malaysia, both under the supervision of specialists.
“Meanwhile, I’m gathering the spirit to fight this as hopefully my condition improves from day to day.”
Muhyiddin, who had been on leave since July 12 to undergo follow-up treatment, returned to the Dewan Rakyat today to take his oath as Pagoh MP and attend meetings later in the day.
He told reporters that he might attend the Cabinet meeting on Friday.
“I’m not fully back to work yet. I was just here to attend my swearing-in, which was important,” he said, adding that his seat would become vacant if he was not there for six months.
“When I will start my work depends on my state of health. If I become a bit more healthy, I might start doing some light work. If I attend meetings, it will not be for too long. Those are the doctor’s orders.”
The 71-year-old also thanked Dr Mahathir Mohamad for his support and understanding, saying the prime minister had told him not to think too much about work but to focus on his health.
Mahathir had previously hinted at the nature of Muhyiddin’s illness, saying the PPBM president could be undergoing chemotherapy.