The wife of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, passed away at the National Heart Institute (IJN) earlier today (28 September).
Born on 12 July 1926, Tun Dr. Hasmah Mohamad Ali sadly passed away at the age of 100 years old and leaves behind seven children.
Tun M’s wife passes away at the age of 100
Her passing was confirmed by her son, Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir, when contacted by BERNAMA today.
Dr Siti Hasmah was not only known as the wife of a former Prime Minister, but also for her own contributions to medicine, community welfare and sports.
She made history as the first Malay woman to be offered the opportunity to pursue medical studies at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore.
Her medical career also saw her break new ground, including:
- 1965: Became the first woman appointed as a Medical Officer in the Maternal and Child Health Division
- 1974: Became the first woman appointed as the State Maternal and Child Health Officer
First Prime Minister’s wife to receive ‘Tun’ title
Beyond medicine, Dr Siti Hasmah was actively involved in community welfare. As the former President of the Welfare Association of the Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (BAKTI), she took part in various efforts to educate Malaysian youths about the dangers of drug abuse. Her work eventually led to an invitation from former US First Lady Nancy Reagan to attend the First Ladies’ Conference on Drug Abuse in Washington in 1985.
Dr Siti Hasmah was also passionate about badminton and continued playing competitively until she was 75. Her deep involvement in the sport led her to be regarded as a “mother” figure to the country’s badminton player, where she served as the former patron of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and the Malaysian Wheelchair Tennis Association.
In recognition of her contributions, Dr Siti Hasmah became the first wife of a Malaysian Prime Minister to receive the Federal award of Seri Setia Mahkota Malaysia (SSM), which carries the title of Tun.
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Also read: 64 Years of Love: Tun M & Tun Siti Hasmah Celebrate Wedding Anniversary By Feeding Each Other
