Siti Hasmah, wife of Mahathir, dies at 100

Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has died at the age of 100. Her death was announced by Mahathir’s office on Monday.

A funeral service was scheduled for Monday evening. She was expected to be buried at a Muslim cemetery in Putrajaya, Malaysia’s administrative capital. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his condolences and said Siti Hasmah would receive full state honours.

Siti Hasmah was widely recognised for her work in public health and social welfare. She became Malaysia’s first woman medical officer in the state of Kedah. Over the years, she advocated maternal health, family planning and other issues affecting women and families.

She was also known for maintaining a low-profile public image despite being married to one of Malaysia’s most prominent political figures. Her calm personality and sense of humour often contrasted with Mahathir’s outspoken public style.

Siti Hasmah met Mahathir while the two were studying medicine in Singapore in the late 1940s. They married and remained together for seven decades. The couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in August and had seven children, including businessman Mokhzani Mahathir, social activist Marina Mahathir and politician Mukhriz Mahathir.

Mahathir, now 101, served as Malaysia’s prime minister for more than two decades across two terms. His first tenure lasted from 1981 to 2003, during which Malaysia experienced rapid industrialisation and significant economic growth.

He returned to the premiership in 2018 after leading an opposition coalition to victory against then-prime minister Najib Razak. Mahathir became the world’s oldest serving prime minister at the time. His second administration lasted less than two years before political divisions caused the coalition government to collapse in 2020.

Mahathir had frequently spoken about Siti Hasmah’s role in his life and career. He described her as a major source of support and praised her determination to pursue higher education at a time when university opportunities were limited for many Malay women.