Wife of Malaysia’s longest-serving PM Mahathir dies aged 100

Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, has passed away at the age of 100. The veteran leader's office announced her death on Monday, with a funeral planned for the same evening. Siti Hasmah, a public health advocate, will be buried in a Muslim cemetery in Malaysia's administrative capital, Putrajaya.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed condolences, stating that she would receive full state honors. The nation will remember her for her motherly figure and her significant contributions.

Mahathir, who is 101, is often credited with modernizing Malaysia. He served two terms as prime minister, totaling more than two decades. During his first tenure from 1981 to 2003, he oversaw rapid industrial growth, transforming Malaysia into one of Southeast Asia's economic tigers. His second term began in 2018 after he returned from retirement to replace Najib Razak, who was embroiled in the 1MDB financial scandal. His second term lasted less than two years due to political infighting within his coalition.

Mahathir and Siti Hasmah met while they were both students at a medical school in Singapore in the late 1940s. They celebrated 70 years of marriage in August and had seven children together, including businessmen, social activists, and politicians. Known for her unassuming personality and good humor, Siti Hasmah was a popular figure in her own right.

She was the first woman to become a medical officer in Mahathir's home state of Kedah and advocated for maternal health and family planning as a political spouse. Mahathir once described her as the backbone to his success, praising her determination to obtain a university degree, which was rare among ethnic Malay women at the time.