Tun Dr Siti Hasmah remembered as a mother figure in Malaysian badminton after decades supporting national players and the sport
KUALA LUMPUR: The passing of Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali today has left a profound impact not only on her family and the nation but also on the entire Malaysian badminton community, who regarded her as a ‘mother figure’ to the national players.
The deep love that the wife of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad held for the sport was evident not merely through her role as the former patron of Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), but also through her own active participation in competitive badminton until the age of 75.
Dr Siti Hasmah served as BAM Patron for over two decades until 2007, a tenure that included witnessing Malaysia’s historic Thomas Cup victory, defeating traditional rivals Indonesia 3-2 in the 1992 edition at Stadium Negara here.
At a ceremony commemorating that triumph in 2019, she was visibly moved while reminiscing about that historic moment, including the role she played in ensuring the national squad remained united as a team.
“My role as the badminton patron at the time was to be a mother to them all, and my main priority was ensuring that whenever I was present, they played together as a team.
“It is the hardest thing a mother can do—to turn a family into a team, especially in sports and we should be proud of that moment in 1992… the young men rose to the occasion, and I will never forget that,” she said during the event.
Even more compelling is the behind-the-scenes story Dr. Siti Hasmah once shared regarding the men’s doubles pair Cheah Soon Kit and Soo Beng Kiang, who were reportedly experiencing friction with one another at the time.
Following this, she met with the pair and advised them that there was no better partner for Soon Kit than Beng Kiang.
The message Dr. Siti Hasmah conveyed clearly resonated with them; they went on to secure the winning point for the national squad, lifting the Thomas Cup for the fifth time after defeating Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky 15-2, 10-15, 15-8.
Other players in the glorious 1992 Thomas Cup squad included singles players Datuk Rashid Sidek, Foo Kok Keong, and Kwan Yoke Meng, as well as the doubles pair Datuk Razif Sidek and Datuk Seri Jalani Sidek.
Beyond badminton, Dr. Siti Hasmah also served as the patron of the Wheelchair Tennis Association of Malaysia for over two decades, a role she held until 2018.
Dr. Siti Hasmah passed away at the National Heart Institute (IJN) this morning.
She breathed her last at the age of 100 and is survived by seven children.
