Siti Hasmah, wife of former Malaysian PM Mahathir, dies aged 100
Hasmah was a doctor who used her platform as the former prime minister’s wife to advocate for maternal health, literacy and other causes. She and Mahathir met as medical students in Singapore and married in 1956.
Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali died at the National Heart Institute at about 9.20am on Monday. (Photo: Facebook/Marina Mahathir)
KUALA LUMPUR: Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, died on Monday (Sep 28) at the age of 100.
She died at the National Heart Institute at about 9.20am. This was confirmed by her son Mokhzani Mahathir when contacted by state news agency Bernama.
Hasmah was a doctor who used her platform as the former prime minister’s wife to advocate for maternal health, family planning, literacy, drug abuse prevention and mental health.
She had celebrated her 100th birthday on Jul 12. The following month, she was recognised by ASEAN Records as the Oldest Living Spouse of a Former Prime Minister.
Mahathir, 101, posted an obituary on social media with her image accompanied by a prayer: “May God forgive her, have mercy on her and grant her peace.”
The post garnered over 169,000 “likes” and 36,000 comments in six hours on Facebook, and over 250,000 “likes” and 11,000 comments on Instagram.
Malaysian king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar expressed condolences on the passing of Hasmah in a Facebook post.
“Their Majesties prayed that her entire family would be granted strength, fortitude and patience in coping with the loss of their beloved family member,” Sultan Ibrahim posted.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described Hasmah as “a gentle speaker, yet steadfast and strong in spirit, always caring for those around her with the love of a mother”.
“Today, the country has lost a figure close to the hearts of the people,” he wrote on social media.
Hasmah was accorded a state funeral and laid to rest at the National Mausoleum at about 6.36pm, Bernama reported.
Anwar and his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail paid their respects at As Syarif Mosque in Selangor where funeral prayers were held at about 4pm. They were accompanied by the prime minister’s senior political advisor Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak were also seen at the mosque.
Earlier, mourners showed up at the Mahathirs’ home in Seri Kembangan, Selangor after Hasmah’s body was transported there from the National Heart Institute at about 11.15am, local media reported.
They included Pahang sultan Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and his wife Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and singer Siti Nurhaliza.
Mahathir served as Malaysia’s prime minister for two periods - from 1981 to 2003 and from 2018 to 2020.
Hasmah had been married to Mahathir since 1956 and they marked 70 years together in August.
They met as medical students at what was then known as King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore.
In her memoir titled "My Name is Hasmah" that was published in 2016, she described Mahathir as her "hero" who helped her with her studies, as she struggled with physics and chemistry.
Upon graduation, Hasmah, who was born in Selangor, became the first woman to be appointed a medical officer in the government service in Kedah, her husband’s home state.
They have seven children, including social activist and writer Marina Mahathir and former Kedah chief minister Mukhriz Mahathir.
