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Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali

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In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Mohamad Ali is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Hasmah. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Dr.
Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali
SSM SSDK DUPN SPDK DUNM DA SMK KMN PCK
حسمه محمد علي‎
Hasmah in 2019
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
In role
10 May 2018 – 24 February 2020
Spouse of the Interim: 24 February - 1 March 2020
MonarchsMuhammad V
Abdullah
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
Preceded byRosmah Mansor
Succeeded byNoorainee Abdul Rahman
In role
16 July 1981 – 31 October 2003
MonarchsAhmad Shah
Iskandar
Azlan Shah
Jaafar
Salahuddin
Sirajuddin
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
Preceded bySuhailah Noah
Succeeded byEndon Mahmood
Spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
In role
5 March 1976 – 16 July 1981
MonarchsYahya Petra
Ahmad Shah
Preceded bySuhailah Noah
Succeeded byInes Maria Reyna
Personal details
Born
Siti Hasmah binti Mohamad Ali

(1926-07-12) 12 July 1926 (age 98)
Klang, Selangor, Federated Malay States, British Malaya
CitizenshipMalaysia
Spouse
​
(m. 1956)​
Children7 (including Marina, Mokhzani and Mukhriz)
RelativesIsmail Mohamed Ali (brother)[1]
Alma materKing Edward VII College of Medicine (MBBS)
OccupationPhysician

Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali (Jawi: حسمه بنت محمد علي; born 12 July 1926) is a Malaysian physician who was the spouse of the prime minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020, as the wife of Mahathir Mohamad.[2][3] In Malaysia, Siti Hasmah is respectfully known as Ibu Negara (Mother of the Nation).[4] At the age of 98, she is currently the oldest-living spouse of a prime minister of Malaysia.

Siti Hasmah was chancellor of the Multimedia University. As a doctor in Kedah, she actively promoted public and rural health by organizing initiatives to improve hygiene, encourage healthy lifestyles, and provide immunizations for children.[5]

Early life and education

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Young photos of Siti Hasmah and Mahathir

Siti Hasmah was born on 12 July 1926 in Klang, Selangor, as an ethnic Malay (retired) physician of Minangkabau descent from Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Siti Hasmah's father, Haji Mohd Ali, was a government officer, while her mother, Hajah Siti Khatijah binti Ahmad, was a housewife.[6]

Siti Hasmah, the sixth of ten siblings, hails from a family distinguished by significant contributions to Malaysia's development. Her elder brother, Ismail Mohamed Ali, served as the second Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia from 1962 to 1980 and was the inaugural chairman of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB). Another brother, General (Rtd) Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali, held the position of Chief of Defence Forces from 1987 to 1992. Additionally, her brother Ahmad Razali Mohd Ali was the 10th Menteri Besar of Selangor, and her sister, Saleha Mohd Ali, was instrumental in the founding of UMNO and was a prominent figure in Malaysia's medical community.[7]

Siti Hasmah schooled in SMK St. Mary. She obtained her MBBS from the University of Malaya in Singapore.[8] She was one of the first Malay women to enroll for a medical course at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore (now the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine).[9][10]

In 1955 she graduated as a medical doctor from the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, which was then located in Singapore. She subsequently joined the government health service. She was one of the first Malay woman doctors in then Malaya.[11]

Siti Hasmah achieved several firsts at the Ministry of Health, including being the first woman in Malaysia to serve as a medical officer in the Maternal and Child Health Department in 1965.[12] In 1966, she attended a public health certificate program at the School of Public Health, the University of Michigan.[13]

In 1974, she was the first woman to be appointed State Maternal and Child Health Officer in Kedah. During her tenure, Siti Hasmah successfully reduced the infant mortality rate from 75 per 1,000 to only 6 per 1,000.[14]

She is also the author of several articles on family medicine and the socioeconomic factors associated with pregnancy and childbearing in Malaysia.[15] Additionally, Siti Hasmah had once served as a lecturer at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya.[15]

Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia

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Siti Hasmah (center) seen alongside her husband, Mahathir during a visitation trip at Bukit Merah, Perak

Siti Hasmah used her position as the wife of the Prime Minister to advocate for women's health, family planning, drug abuse control, and adult literacy.[16] She also served in various positions as follows:

  • President of the Malaysian Girl Guides Association[16]
  • Chairman of the Kedah Family Planning Association[16]
  • President of the Malaysian Medical Association Foundation[16]
  • President of the Association for the Rehabilitation of Handicapped Children[16]
  • Vice-President of the Federation of Family Planning Associations of Malaysia[16]
  • Patron of the Malaysian Association of Maternal Health and Neonate[16]
  • Patron of the Malaysian Pediatric Association[16]
  • Patron of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM)[17]

As Patron of the Pan Pacific South Asia Women's Association, (PPSEAWA) Malaysia, Siti Hasmah attended and presented keynote addresses at the Triennial Conferences in Tokyo (1984), Bangkok (1991) and Tonga (1994).[18] She also once served as the first Chancellor of Multimedia University (MMU) for 15 years, from 1997 to 2012.[19]

Siti Hasmah played a key role in bringing Malaysia and its women into the international spotlight. She met and held discussions with prominent figures, including Nancy Reagan, wife of U.S. President Ronald Reagan; Rosalynn Carter, wife of U.S. President Jimmy Carter; Queen Fabiola of Belgium; Queen Noor of Jordan; Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom; and Cherie Blair, wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whom she had once engaged with in diplomatic conversations.[20]

In September 1995, Siti Hasmah led the Malaysian delegation to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, where she delivered a speech titled “Equality, Development and Peace: A Caring World”.[21]

In August 1999, a man attempted to ram a government vehicle carrying Siti Hasmah, but was intercepted by security personnel and eventually apprehended.[22]

In March 2000, Siti Hasmah led a Malaysian delegation on a five-day goodwill visit to Iraq to assess the impact of economic sanctions on women and children. The delegation visited hospitals, orphanages, and old folks' homes, bringing essential medical supplies. During the trip, she met Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and was later invited for a brief meeting with President Saddam Hussein.[23] She later recalled that the meeting was kept secret until it occurred, even from her security team and Mahathir, and that during their conversation, Saddam expressed gratitude to Malaysia for its support in efforts to lift the sanctions.[24]

In October 2003, before her tenure as the wife of the Prime Minister ended, Siti Hasmah chaired the First Ladies Dialogue on "Women, Peace, and Development" during the 10th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit. The dialogue focused on women's roles in nation-building, and a 10-point resolution was submitted to promote sustainable development and gender equity.[25]

In 2018, Siti Hasmah accompanied Mahathir on his visit to Indonesia and met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his wife Iriana

Siti Hasmah again served as the wife of the prime minister after her husband was reappointed on 10 May 2018.[26] Later in November, she launched Malaysia's first 24-hour bookstore, BookXcess Cyberjaya, where she signed a plaque inscribed with the words: ‘A book warrior and a true believer in the power of reading’.[27][28] Around the same time, a video of Siti Hasmah asking Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan if she could hold his hand went viral, with commentators describing the moment as refreshing and surpassing conventional diplomacy.[29]

Social contributions

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Drug abuse

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As the President of BAKTI (Welfare Club of the Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers), Siti Hasmah actively participated in initiatives to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of drug abuse. In 1985, she accepted an invitation from United States First Lady Nancy Reagan to attend the First Ladies' Conference on Drug Abuse in Washington D.C.. Two years later, in 1987, she represented Malaysia at the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Vienna.[16]

Rural women

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Siti Hasmah was also active internationally in promoting the cause of rural women. In 1992, at the invitation of Queen Fabiola of Belgium, she attended the First Ladies Summit for the Economic Advancement of Rural Women in Geneva. She was chosen as one of the six Core-Group Initiators of First Ladies representing the Asia-Pacific Region.[16]

In February 1994, Siti Hasmah participated in the ISC Council Meeting held in Brussels. The following year, in September 1995, she was named Chairperson of the Regional Steering Committee on the Economic Advancement of Rural and Island Women for the Asia-Pacific region. By November 1996, she had assumed the role of president.[16]

Mental health

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Being a medical doctor by training, Siti Hasmah also has an interest in mental health. Former First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn Carter invited Siti Hasmah to serve on the National Committee of the World Federation of Mental Health which Carter chaired.[18]

Personal life

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Siti Hasmah and Mahathir married in August 1956

In August 1956, Siti Hasmah married Mahathir Mohamad. They have seven children: Marina, Mirzan, Melinda, Mokhzani, Mukhriz, Maizura, and Mazhar.[11] They met as students while studying at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore in 1947.[30] Their son Mukhriz served twice as the Menteri Besar of Kedah, from 2013 to 2016 and again from 2018 to 2020. In Siti Hasmah's 2016 memoir, My Name is Hasmah, she described Mahathir as her 'hero' who supported her throughout her studies, particularly when she struggled with Physics and Chemistry.[31] She also referred to Mahathir as her 'boy from the Paddy Fields State', a nickname highlighting his origins from Kedah.[32]

Known to be a loving person, Siti Hasmah is a cat lover and music enthusiast.[33] She began learning the violin at 16 but stopped after a few years, only to resume playing more than 70 years later.[34] By 2018, her violin was auctioned for RM35,000 to support Pakatan Harapan’s campaign for the 14th General Election.[35] Additionally, in her 70s, she dedicated herself to learning French and successfully passed the examinations.[36] In December 2015, Siti Hasmah learned to play a new instrument, the erhu.[37]

Siti Hasmah often accompanied Mahathir on official visits and holidays, starting with their first trip to Japan in 1961. Over the years, she has traveled to nearly every country, including remote islands and Antarctica, with Afghanistan being the only exception. Japan remains their favorite holiday destination. Siti Hasmah once mentioned that she watched Star Wars with Mahathir in Houston, US.[38]

Unlike many Malaysian Muslim women who follow the tradition of wearing the tudung (headscarf), Siti Hasmah does not wear one.[39]

In March 2019, Siti Hasmah underwent surgery to remove a small lump in her left breast after a mammogram and biopsy confirmed its presence. After recovering, she shared her experience of undergoing breast cancer treatment during the Kuala Lumpur-level Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, urging women to prioritize early screening and treatment.[40][41]

On 26 August 2019, Siti Hasmah was admitted to Prince Court Medical Centre due to mild food poisoning.[42][43] She had been scheduled to accompany Mahathir on his three-day official visit to Vietnam.[44] While in Hanoi, Mahathir assured reporters that her condition had improved and expressed his intention to visit her upon returning to Kuala Lumpur, saying, “I miss her… we have been married for 60 years.”[45] After three days of treatment, Siti Hasmah was discharged from the hospital on 29 August.[46]

On 27 October 2024, Siti Hasmah revealed in an interview on the Coffee with Ryan podcast that her original name did not include "Siti". She explained that the prefix was added in the 1970s when she was appointed as a medical officer, as "Siti" was a popular trend at the time. She requested that people no longer use "Siti" before her name.[47]

Siti Hasmah is also the honorary advisor of the Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF).[48]

Awards and recognitions

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Main article: List of awards and honours received by Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali
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Siti Hasmah has been portrayed in theater, documentaries, and films. She was portrayed by Erra Fazira in the theater Mahathir, the Musical (2010) and in Teater Tun Siti Hasmah (2012), a Malaysian play directed by Erma Fatima and starring Lisa Surihani, Eja, Nazim Othman, and Esma Danial. The play, staged at Istana Budaya, focused on her early life as a doctor and medical officer before becoming Malaysia's First Lady.

She was also portrayed in two films—by Fadhilah Mansor in Kapsul (2015) and by Fauziah Latiff in Mahathir: The Journey (2022 or 2023), as it was shot in 2019 and early 2020 before the Movement control order COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

Publications

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  • My Name is Hasmah. Karangkraf Group, 2016.[49]
  • Speaking of Mass Destruction, 2021.[50]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Dr Siti Hasmah pays tribute to brother Ismail Ali, the first Malaysian Bank Negara governor". Malay Mail. 8 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Don't forget Dr Siti Hasmah". New Straits Times. 30 October 2003.
  3. ^ "Thanks also to Dr Siti Hasmah". New Straits Times. 31 October 2003.
  4. ^ "Dr Siti Hasmah named 'Ibu Negara' for contributions to country". www.malaymail.com. 22 August 2019.
  5. ^ Ismail, Fauziah; Jay, Beatrice Nita (12 May 2019). "Siti Hasmah: 'Take care of your babies, take care of yourself'". NST Online.
  6. ^ "Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Bt Mohd Ali". Perdana Leadership Foundation.
  7. ^ Tan, Wu Zhen (14 May 2018). "4 amazing things you might not have known about our First Lady: Tun Dr Siti Hasmah".
  8. ^ Biografi Wanita Malaysia (in Malay). Kuala Lumpur: Pertubuhan Tindakan Wanita Islam (Malaysia). p. 138. OCLC 559286367.
  9. ^ AR, By Zurairi (12 July 2018). "In birthday wish, Marina says Dr Siti Hasmah 'strong, steady hand' behind Dr M". Malay Mail.
  10. ^ Toh, Terence (20 September 2020). "Discover the pioneer life of Tun Dr Siti Hasmah in a new children's book". The Star.
  11. ^ a b Information Malaysia. Berita Publ. Sdn. Bhd. 1975. p. 44.
  12. ^ Singh, Sharanjit (13 November 2018). "Dr M, wife conferred doctorate by Singapore alma mater". NST Online.
  13. ^ Biography of the Early Malay Doctors 1900-1957 Malaya and Singapore. Kuala Lumpur. 2012.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ^ "Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah". Prestige Woman. 24 February 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Faculty of Dentistry". dentistry.um.edu.my. 9 December 2021.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Dr Siti Hasmah a model for women". New Straits Times. 1 November 2003.
  17. ^ A Pictorial Journey Tun Dr. Mahathir. Kuala Lumpur: Utusan Publications & Distributors. 2004. p. 249. ISBN 967-61-1637-8.
  18. ^ a b "Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Bt Mohd Ali". Perdana Leadership Foundation.
  19. ^ "Dr Siti Hasmah celebrates 93rd birthday... by playing the violin for charity". www.malaymail.com. 12 July 2019.
  20. ^ "Tun Dr Siti Hasmah VIP Lounge Official Opening". Women's Institute of Management. 19 December 2014.
  21. ^ "Happy 96th Birthday, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah". Perdana Leadership Foundation. 12 July 2022.
  22. ^ "Man tries to ram car carrying Mahathir's wife". The Straits Times. 14 August 1999.
  23. ^ ALI, AISHAH (12 July 2019). "Happy sweet 93, Dr Siti Hasmah". NST Online.
  24. ^ Jay, Fauziah Ismail and Beatrice Nita (13 May 2019). "'I didn't even tell security chief I was going to meet Saddam'". NST Online.
  25. ^ "A `heavier' agenda perhaps?". New Straits Times. 27 October 2003.
  26. ^ Goh, Geraldine Tong & Norman (6 June 2018). "M'sians can hold their heads high after May 9, says Siti Hasmah". Malaysiakini.
  27. ^ "Siti Hasmah launches nation's first 24-hour bookstore". The Edge Malaysia. 9 November 2018.
  28. ^ Bernama (9 November 2018). "Siti Hasmah launches nation's first 24-hour bookstore". Malaysiakini.
  29. ^ "Malaysian PM Mahathir's wife holds Pakistan PM Khan's hand, winning hearts and tickling netizens". The Straits Times. 27 November 2018. ISSN 0585-3923.
  30. ^ "Marina Mahathir celebrates parents' 64th wedding anniversary in a heartfelt Facebook post". TODAY. 5 August 2020.
  31. ^ "Mahathir's wife Siti Hasmah has mixed feelings about his return to politics, but will stand by her man". TODAY. 8 May 2018.
  32. ^ "On Dr M's 90th birthday, Siti Hasmah wishes to 'see his fight end'". TODAY. 10 July 2015.
  33. ^ Kamal, Intan Maizura Ahmad (13 February 2022). "Being Siti Hasmah: Malaysia's former first lady's rare insights on what makes her tick!". NST Online.
  34. ^ Ismail, Fauziah; Jay, Beatrice Nita (26 May 2019). "Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali shows one can master the violin at any age!". NST Online.
  35. ^ "Happy 95th, Tun Dr Siti!". Perdana Leadership Foundation. 12 July 2021.
  36. ^ Au, Rachel (24 May 2018). "Tun Dr Siti Hasmah: 7 Things to know and what makes Malaysians love her". BURO.
  37. ^ FMT (12 July 2016). "Happy 90th birthday, Mummy". Free Malaysia Today | FMT.
  38. ^ "An intimate moment with Dr Siti Hasmah". The Malaysian Reserve. 15 February 2019.
  39. ^ "Dr Mahathir forbade me from wearing hijab, says Dr Siti Hasmah". www.themalaysianinsight.com. 24 November 2017.
  40. ^ Bernama (15 October 2019). "Siti Hasmah, the breast cancer survivor". Malaysiakini.
  41. ^ "Siti Hasmah reveals successful breast cancer treatment". thesun.my. 16 October 2019.
  42. ^ "Dr Siti Hasmah down with food poisoning". www.malaymail.com. 26 August 2019.
  43. ^ Bernama (26 August 2019). "Dr Siti Hasmah down with food poisoning". Free Malaysia Today | FMT.
  44. ^ Ismayatim, Wan Faizal (29 August 2019). "PM: Find out what caused KLIA glitch". NST Online.
  45. ^ BP 3 (28 August 2019). "Mahathir says wife has recovered from food poisoning". Borneo Post Online.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  46. ^ "Dr Siti Hasmah discharged from hospital". The Malaysian Reserve. 29 August 2019.
  47. ^ "'My name is just Hasmah, not Siti Hasmah'". The Star. 27 October 2024.
  48. ^ "Malaysia all for peacekeeping, says Tun Dr Siti Hasmah". The Malaysian Reserve. 22 April 2019.
  49. ^ "Dr Siti Hasmah celebrates 90 years with biography". www.malaymail.com. 30 June 2016.
  50. ^ Yusof, Teh Athira (5 December 2021). "Scenes in Iraq 'have haunted me since'". NST Online.
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