JOHOR BAHRU - Political figures and family members gathered at Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) in Johor Bahru as former Johor Bersatu associate chief Datuk Tan Lek Khang remained under close observation following surgery on Tuesday night.
Former Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin confirmed that Tan is still in the recovery phase and cannot yet receive visitors, including close relatives.
“For now, he is still in the recovery period. So we will wait until he comes out of the operating theatre and is moved to the ICU, then visits can be allowed and at that point we will know his actual condition.
“The operation has been completed, just finished. As he is my friend, I am personally waiting to see his condition,” he said.
Hamzah, who is also the Larut Member of Parliament (MP), arrived at the hospital around midnight accompanied by several political leaders, including Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal and Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
At the hospital, family members including his wife Datin Tan Nie Nie, along with close associates, had been waiting since early evening for updates on his condition but declined to speak to the media.
Hamzah also expressed shock over the incident and said he would refrain from speculation until an official police report is released.
“Of course I was shocked. As a friend, I see what has happened and we ourselves do not know the reason and so on. So I will wait and I also want to obtain the police report first,” he said.
Tan was earlier reported to have been injured after allegedly shooting himself during what is believed to have been a training session at a shooting range in Kota Tinggi.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement, with a press conference expected to be held at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters at 11am on Wednesday.
Tan had previously stepped down from Bersatu on Feb 13, citing a loss of confidence in party leadership.
He had also contested the Bekok state seat under Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the 2022 Johor state election but was unsuccessful.