Published: 11:14 PM, 28 September 2026
Siti Hasmah, wife of Malaysian ex-PM Mahathir, dies at 100
Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, died at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 28, Malaysian media reported. She was 100.
She had been married to Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister since 1956. The couple had seven children.
Mahathir has confirmed his spouse passing away in a Facebook post. Clad in a black mask, Mukhriz Mahathir, the youngest son of Siti Hasmah, was seen escorting his mother's body away from the hospital.
Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah offered their condolences to Siti Hasmah's family.
"Their Majesties pray that the family of the deceased is given the strength, resilience and patience in facing the loss of their loved one," said Sultan Ibrahim's Facebook page.
Upon learning of Siti Hasmah's passing, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim asked the audience to recite a prayer for the departed during an event.
"May I share some sad news this morning. We have learned of the passing of Tun Dr Siti Hasmah. May Allah bless her soul," Anwar was quoted as saying in The Star.
In a separate statement later, Anwar said Siti Hasmah would be conferred a state funeral assisted by the Chief Secretary to the Government and the Chief of Defence Force. Siti Hasmah was laid to rest at Pusara Negarawan, a national cemetery in Presint 20, Putrajaya, at 4.30pm on Sept 28.
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, wife of PM Anwar, said Siti Hasmah was a person whose tranquility, fortitude and kindness left an everlasting impression.
"Personally, Tun (Siti Hasmah) was not only a respected figure; she taught me how to conduct myself with dignity and elegance. Her wisdom, coupled with her warmth and pleasant demeanour, made her someone who was so easy to love," she told The Straits Times.
Despite sharing a close personal bond, Siti Hasmah and Wan Azizah faced a challenging rift when their husbands publicly clashed in September 1998, following Anwar's dismissal as deputy prime minister.
The two women reunited in an emotional, tearful embrace in November 2016 after Mahathir and Anwar reconciled to form a political alliance ahead of the 2018 General Election.
Siti Hasmah was born in Klang, Selangor, on July 12, 1926.
Their enduring marriage has inspired many, leading former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and his fiancée, singer-actress Bella Astillah, to seek their marital advice on Sept 26 ahead of their upcoming wedding.
Expressing his grief, Syed Saddiq wished his final moments with Siti Hasmah could have lasted forever, describing her as funny, warm and full of wisdom.
"Today, Tun (Siti Hasmah) is no longer with us. I still can't process the news. Thank you for giving Bella and me such a wonderful memory.
"We won't be able to fulfil our wish of having Tun attend our wedding. But I promise you, Tun, your advice will be carried into our marriage, into our home, and, Insya-Allah, for the rest of our lives," Syed Saddiq wrote on Facebook.
She obtained her medical degree from King Edward VII College of Medicine - a predecessor of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore. Upon graduating in 1955, she became one of the first Malay female medical officers in Malaya.
She married her university classmate, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in 1956. The couple recently celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary on Aug 5.
In the post, Siti Hasmah was pictured cuddling a teddy bear while taking a photo with Syed Saddiq and his fiancée, Bella.
Singapore's Senior Minister and former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed his condolences on the passing of Siti Hasmah. "I was saddened to learn of the passing of Tun Dr Siti Hasmah earlier today," he wrote on Instagram and Facebook posts on Sept 28.
"I have known Tun Siti Hasmah for many years and always enjoyed meeting her. She was warm and gracious, full of life, and had a wonderful sense of humour. I fondly recall our chats about her love for music and the violin. She continued performing well into her 90s, including to raise funds for charity. Her zest for life was remarkable. As a doctor, she devoted much of her life to improving the health and well-being of Malaysians, particularly women, children, and families."
"Ho Ching and I will remember Tun Siti Hasmah fondly. Our deepest condolences to Tun Mahathir and his family during this difficult time. May she rest in peace," he added.
Former Singapore President Halimah Yacob also expressed her deepest condolences to Mahathir and his family on the passing of Siti Hasmah whom she described as a "warm, friendly and humble person" in a Facebook post on Sept 28.
"I met Dr Siti Hasmah during my term as President... I remembered, in particular, what she said to me as she was leaving the event. She held my arm and said that she was so proud to have met the female President of Singapore. Simple kind words of encouragement, solidarity and support seared in my memory," Halimah wrote.
Singapore's Emeritus Senior Minister and former prime minister Goh Chok Tong said he was "deeply saddened" to learn about the passing of Siti Hasmah, calling her "a remarkable woman with many achievements".
"We will always remember her for her grace, sincerity, and warm friendship. We got to know her well on the sidelines of my official meetings with Tun Dr Mahathir in Malaysia and Singapore, as well as during ASEAN, APEC, Commonwealth Heads of Government and other international gatherings. We recall fondly our last two meetings with her in 2018 and 2019," he wrote on Facebook and Instagram posts on Sept 28.
