Former Malaysian PM Mahathir’s Wife, Siti Hasmah, Dies at 100

Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, has died at the age of 100. Siti Hasmah died on Monday, September 28, 2026, at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur, according to Malaysia’s state news agency Bernama. Her death was confirmed by her son, Mokhzani Mahathir.

She is survived by her husband, Mahathir, who is 101, and their seven children. The couple had been married since 1956 and recently marked 70 years of marriage.

Siti Hasmah was a doctor and prominent public health advocate who built a public profile beyond her role as the wife of one of Malaysia’s most influential political figures. She was among the first Malay women to become a medical officer in Malaya after graduating from the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore in 1955.

Throughout her public life, she advocated for maternal and child health, family planning, literacy, rural healthcare and other social causes. Her work in public health earned her recognition in Malaysia, while she remained a prominent figure during her husband’s long political career.

Mahathir and Siti Hasmah met while studying medicine in Singapore and married in 1956. They raised seven children, including businessman Mokhzani Mahathir, social activist Marina Mahathir and politician Mukhriz Mahathir.

Mahathir served as Malaysia’s prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and returned to office in 2018, serving until 2020. His wife remained a familiar public figure throughout both periods, particularly through her work in healthcare and community welfare.

Following the announcement of her death, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed condolences to Mahathir and the family. He said the nation would remember Siti Hasmah’s contributions and directed officials to arrange a state funeral for her.

Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah also expressed condolences to the family following her death.

Siti Hasmah’s death marks the end of a seven-decade marriage that spanned some of the most significant periods in Malaysia’s modern political history. She is being remembered not only as Mahathir Mohamad’s wife, but also for her own career in medicine and her decades of work in public health and social causes.