.png)
SHAH ALAM – Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad admitted that he did not expect his wife, the late Tun Dr Hasmah Mohamad Ali, to die suddenly on Monday as she appeared to be in good health just a day earlier.
In a video uploaded to Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Facebook page, he appeared emotional as he spoke briefly with Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who visited him to pay his final respects to the late Tun Dr Hasmah.
“I didn’t expect Hasmah to pass away today (Monday). She appeared quite healthy yesterday,” he told Al-Sultan Abdullah.
Al-Sultan Abdullah’s visit to Dr Mahathir’s residence at The Mines Resort City, Seri Kembangan was also accompanied by Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah.
During the meeting, Dr Mahathir expressed his appreciation to the Pahang royal family for taking the time to visit him and pay their final respects to his wife despite travelling from outside the state.
Dr Hasmah passed away at the age of 100 at the National Heart Institute (IJN) at 9.20am on Monday before being laid to rest at the Heroes’ Mausoleum in Precinct 20, Putrajaya.
She was born on July 12, 1926 and married Dr Mahathir on Aug 5, 1956.
The couple had seven children, comprising three daughters and four sons, during their seven decades of marriage.
Dr Hasmah was among the country’s earliest Malay women doctors and had served in public health before becoming actively involved in various community programmes, particularly those related to welfare, women’s health and family matters.
She was the wife of the prime minister during Dr Mahathir’s two terms in office, from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020.
In July, the late Dr Hasmah celebrated her 100th birthday and recently received an Asean Records recognition with Dr Mahathir as the oldest living spouse of a former prime minister.
