PETALING JAYA: A moving tribute by Public Health Malaysia following the passing of Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali captured the grief of her husband, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, saying his final goodbye after seven decades together.
“In this picture, we do not see a former Prime Minister. We see a husband,” the health advocacy and public education platform posted on Facebook on Monday (Sept 28). “70 years together. Today, Tun sits by her side for the last time.”
Dr Siti Hasmah passed away at 9.20am on Monday at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur at the age of 100. One of the nation's pioneer Malay female doctors, she was widely respected for her lifelong dedication to maternal healthcare, child welfare, and rural public health services.
The couple, who married in 1956 and raised seven children, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary just last month.
Reflecting on their shared history from their youth through the heights of political life, the post noted: “Today, Tun Dr Mahathir has lost more than just a wife. He has lost a life partner who walked alongside him for almost his entire adult life.”
The tribute resonated strongly online, garnering over 7,000 likes and more than 1,500 shares within 20 minutes as thousands offered their condolences to the former Prime Minister and his family.
