KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir has appealed to the public to allow his father, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, time and space to grieve following the passing of his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali.
Mukhriz said the loss was weighing heavily on his father, who had spent more than 70 years with his late wife, adding that adjusting to her absence would take time.
"Tun Mahathir has not even gone through a week since the passing of his beloved wife, whom he had been with for 70 years," Mukhriz said.
"What is happening now is, to some extent, a manifestation of his emotional and health condition."
Speaking after a Yasin and tahlil recitation for Siti Hasmah at Masjid Saidina Umar Al-Khattab in Bukit Damansara on Thursday (Oct 1), Mukhriz explained that remaining at the family home was difficult for Dr Mahathir due to lingering memories.
"If he stays at home, everything he sees will remind him of my late mother," Mukhriz said. "Therefore, it may be better for him to remain at the National Heart Institute (IJN) for the time being until he has fully recovered."
Mukhriz noted that his father had visited his wife's grave earlier in the day, describing it as a positive step in his grieving process.
He strongly urged the public and media to respect Dr Mahathir's privacy and avoid placing unnecessary pressure on his emotional state.
"Imagine if we were in the same situation; of course, we too would feel an immense sense of loss," Mukhriz said.
"Please give him some space and time to recover on his own."
Siti Hasmah passed away at IJN on Sept 28 at the age of 100, concluding more than seven decades of marriage to Dr Mahathir.
