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SHAH ALAM – Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali today marked their 70th wedding anniversary, celebrating seven decades of marriage that have endured political upheavals, public life and the passage of time.
As Malaysians extended their well wishes, the milestone also drew renewed attention to Dr Hasmah's reflections on the values she believes have sustained their relationship since they married in 1956.
In her memoir, My Name Is Hasmah, the former physician shared what she described as the "ingredients" for a long and happy marriage.
“These are my ingredients for a long and happy marriage.
“Trust, constant love and care in good times and bad times, always guarding your spouse’s image and integrity and doing the same for yourself and sharing duties as parents.
“People always ask, ‘Don’t you fight?’ Of course we do and sometimes for stupid reasons. He gets irritated when I cannot see something and I get upset with him because he cannot hear me, what a pair we are!
“What we do is to ask for forgiveness as soon as possible. You cannot let a fight drag on for too long and one party must initiate the process of getting back together,” she wrote.
Tun Mahathir and Dr Hasmah met while studying medicine in Singapore before marrying in 1956. Over the next seven decades, they raised a family while navigating the demands of public life, with Dr Mahathir serving twice as Malaysia's prime minister and Dr Hasmah becoming one of the country's most respected public figures in her own right.
Their 70th wedding anniversary places them among Malaysia's longest-married and most recognisable public couples, with their relationship continuing to be viewed by many as a symbol of resilience, partnership and mutual respect.
