PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe left Harare on Friday for Malaysia where he will attend an international dialogue on “smart partnerships” shrugging off renewed media speculation over his health.

A privately owned daily newspaper claimed Mugabe’s huge motorcade was seen outside the Medical Chambers clinic in Harare’s Avenues area on Thursday, the second time the 87-year-old has been to the clinic in the recent past.

Mugabe was also reported to have had a rare mental lapse while attending the recent SADC meetings in South Africa where he reportedly referred to President Jacob Zuma as Nelson Mandela and then appeared to think that South Africa’s first black President was dead.

The Zimbabwean leader has, this year alone, made at least five trips to the Far East – a favourite destination since he was banned from travelling to Europe -- with officials claiming he was receiving treatment over a cataract complaint.

Meanwhile, Mugabe said Zimbabwe has benefitted from the Lankawi International Dialogue series, which was started by his friend and former Malaysia Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Several leaders are expected to attend this year’s three-day event which will focus on advancing the “Smart Partnership” dialogue and enhancing socio-economic development in participating countries.

The dialogue seeks to promote the principles and practice of “smart partnership” and enhance cooperation between governments and other sectors in pushing economic growth.

Meanwhile, arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Saturday, Mugabe said Zimbabwe had capitalised on the ideas and principles of the smart partnership in charting its programmes and policies.

"The ideas (of smart partnerships) must be backed by quite a number of things... you need capital, you need expertise and you need technology. And all these come in as input," he said.