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SHAH ALAM – Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has announced the death of his wife, Tun Dr Hasmah Mohamad Ali, who died at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur today. She was 100.
Born in Klang, Selangor, on July 12, 1926, Tun Dr Hasmah celebrated her 100th birthday just over two months before her death.
She was among Malaysia's earliest Malay women doctors and went on to build a distinguished career in public health, particularly in maternal and child health, family planning, rural healthcare and community development.
Dr Hasmah studied medicine at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore, where she met Dr Mahathir as a fellow medical student in 1947.
The couple married on Aug 5, 1956, and marked their 70th wedding anniversary less than two months before her death.
Their marriage spanned seven decades, including Dr Mahathir's two terms as prime minister, from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020.
During both periods, Dr Hasmah served as the prime minister's wife while continuing her work and advocacy in medicine, public health, women's welfare, education and social causes.
The couple had seven children, including Marina, Mirzan, Mokhzani and Mukhriz Mahathir.
A centenarian milestone
Dr Hasmah's death came only weeks after she and Dr Mahathir reached a rare series of milestones together.
Dr Mahathir turned 101 on July 10, while Tun Dr Hasmah turned 100 on July 12, bringing their combined age to 201 years.
In August, they were recognised with three records by Asean Records and Asia Records at a ceremony at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.
Dr Mahathir was recognised by Asean Records as the Oldest Living Former Prime Minister, while Tun Dr Hasmah was recognised as the Oldest Living Spouse of a Former Prime Minister.
The couple also jointly received an Asia Records recognition as the First Former Head of Government and Spouse to Both Become Living Centenarians.
The records were presented on Aug 11, with the adjudication teams saying they found no equivalent achievement publicly documented across the Asean region and major Asian markets.
Seven decades together
Dr Hasmah often spoke about the importance of companionship, trust and mutual care in sustaining her long marriage to Dr Mahathir.
In her memoir My Name Is Hasmah, she described trust, love and care during good and difficult times, protecting each other's image and integrity, and sharing responsibilities as parents as among the "ingredients" of a long and happy marriage.
She also acknowledged that disagreements were part of married life, saying couples should seek forgiveness and avoid allowing arguments to continue for too long.
In a previous interview with Sinar, Tun Dr Hasmah also recalled the more private side of their relationship, describing Dr Mahathir as a firm but gentle disciplinarian at home.
She said that despite his public image as a strong and demanding leader, she saw a different side of him when he returned home after work.
She also recalled making it a routine to hug and kiss her husband before going to bed while praying for his long life, strength and protection.
A life in medicine and public service
Beyond her role as the wife of a prime minister, Dr Hasmah was a doctor who spent much of her professional life in public service.
Her work included maternal and child health, family planning, rural healthcare, literacy, drug abuse prevention and mental health.
She was also associated with initiatives involving women's welfare, education and community development throughout her public life.
Dr Hasmah served as the prime minister's wife during Dr Mahathir's two terms in office, from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020.
Her public role continued beyond those years, with her contributions extending across medicine, public health and social causes.
The death of Tun Dr Hasmah brings to a close a life spanning a century, seven decades of marriage and a long career in medicine and public service.
She is survived by her husband and their seven children.
