Quick medical attention

A medical officer attending to Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin after he collapsed while Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was giving a speech to civil servants at the monthly assembly in Putrajaya. Hanipa (left in inset picture) is seen listening to the speech moments before he fainted.

PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin is in stable condition at the hospital here after fainting during the monthly assembly.

He is expected to be discharged today.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was addressing the assembly when Hanipa suddenly slumped and fell off the stage, said he “was found to be okay now”.

Hanipa’s media officer Anas As-Said Zaharuddin said the 49-year-old Sepang MP was still being treated at the Putrajaya Hospital.

“Doctors are still examining him to determine why he fainted and collapsed,” he said.

During the 8.40am incident, a shocked Dr Mahathir stopped his speech as his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail rushed down from the stage to check on Hanipa.

Officers on duty also immediately attended to Hanipa and a doctor on standby provided him with medical attention before he was taken in an ambulance to the hospital.

Yesterday was the first time that Hanipa had attended the assembly after being sworn-in last week.

He had a previous “medical incident” in 2016 when he was found slumped in his seat in Dewan Rakyat due to a brain haemorrhage.