Tun Dr Siti Hasmah's remains taken home from IJN

KUALA LUMPUR: The remains of Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, were taken home from the National Heart Institute (IJN) at 10.48am today.

Her son, Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir, has confirmed the matter.

The remains were understood to have been taken to Dr Siti Hasmah's residence at The Mines, Seri Kembangan, Selangor.

IJN has so far said it will not issue any statement regarding Dr Siti Hasmah's passing.

Dr Siti Hasmah, who turned 100 on July 12, was among the pioneering generation of Malay women to pursue a medical career and was a prominent advocate for maternal and child health.

Born in Kampung Jawa, Klang, Selangor, in 1926, she studied medicine at King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore on a government scholarship, where she was the only Malay female student in her batch.

It was there that she met Mahathir, whom she married in 1956.

She began her medical career in government service and in 1965 became the first woman appointed as a medical officer in the Maternal and Child Health Department in Kedah.

In 1974, she made history again when she became the first woman appointed as Kedah's State Maternal and Child Health Officer.

Her work included health programmes for rural communities, with a particular focus on maternal and child healthcare.

She retired from government service in 1979 and later served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Malaya's Faculty of Dentistry before Mahathir became Prime Minister in 1981.

As the wife of Dr Mahathir, who served as Malaysia's fourth and seventh Prime Minister, Dr Siti Hasmah was First Lady during his two tenures in office, from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020.

She was also involved in various charitable, educational and community organisations and was known for her advocacy of women's welfare, public health, youth development and family well-being.

Dr Siti Hasmah and Mahathir have seven children.

She was also an accomplished violinist and pianist and remained passionate about music throughout her life.