JAKARTA - FORMER Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad, 82, another of South-east Asia's long-serving leaders, visited the critically ill Suharto at the Pertamina Hospital here on Monday, as doctors are battling to save the life of the former Indonesian leader.

Accompanied by several staff from the Malaysian Embassy here, Dr Mahathir entered the hospital under tight security without making any statement to waiting journalists.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad's time in office overlapped Mr Suharto's. He resigned in 2003 after more than two decades in power.

The 86-year-old Suharto, a former general, who ruled for more than three decades, is still on a ventilator and doctors said his health had worsened on Sunday morning as fluid in his left lung triggered organ failure.

The head of the medical team told a news conference on Monday that there were still big concerns over fluid build-up and infection in the lungs.

'The general condition this morning is improving. His breathing is still assisted and heart functions have also shown some improvement,' said Mardjo Soebiandono, adding that Mr Suharto's consciousness, which has fluctuated in recent days, had improved with a reduction of sedatives.

After the news conference, he told reporters: 'He is ex-army, his fighting spirit is extraordinary.'

Dr Soebiandono had said on Sunday there was only a 50-50 chance Suharto could survive.

Another doctor, Muhammad Munawar, told the news conference on Monday that the situation remained very serious. 'The condition is still critical, it can go up and down,' he said.

Hadiarto Mangunnegoro, a lung specialist, said that along with fluid there were dark patches in Mr Suharto's lungs and he was being given antibiotics in a bid to stem infection.

Legal proceedings
Mr Suharto, who also suffered multiple organ failure on Friday and has since been on a ventilator, was visited by friend and contemporary Lee Kuan Yew at the weekend.

Lee, 84, now Singapore's Minister Mentor, was prime minister for decades overlapping much of Mr Suharto's rule in Indonesia.

He told Singapore media that he felt Suharto was not getting the honour he deserved.

'Yes, there was corruption. Yes, he gave favours to his family and his friends. But there was real growth and real progress,' Mr Lee was quoted as saying in a report carried by Singapore-based Channel News Asia.

With the former strongman in a critical condition, the question of whether to continue legal proceedings against him for corruption is being vigorously debated by politicians and members of the public.

In an apparent attempt to defuse the debate and avoid openly criticising Suharto, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told a news conference on Saturday afternoon that this was not an appropriate time to discuss the civil case against Suharto.

Mr Suharto was taken to Pertamina hospital on Jan. 4 suffering from anaemia and low blood pressure due to heart, lung and kidney problems.

Preparations have already been made for his burial near the Javanese royal city of Solo.

Mr Suharto came to power after an abortive coup in 1965 that was officially blamed on the communist party. Up to 500,000 people were killed in anti-communist purges in the months that followed.

After Mr Suharto quit office, he was charged with embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars of state funds, but the government later dropped the criminal case due to his poor health.

He and his family deny any wrongdoing. -- REUTERS