Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Dato' Seri
Hasmah Mohamad Ali
SSM SSDK SPDK DUPN DUNM DA KMN PCK
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| حسمه محمد علي | |
Hasmah in 2019
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| Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia | |
| In role 10 May 2018 – 24 February 2020 Spouse of the Interim Prime Minister of Malaysia: 24 February – 1 March 2020 |
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| Monarch | |
| Preceded by | Rosmah Mansor |
| Succeeded by | Noorainee Abdul Rahman |
| In role 16 July 1981 – 30 October 2003 |
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| Monarch | |
| Preceded by | Suhailah Noah |
| Succeeded by | Endon Mahmood |
| Spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia | |
| In role 5 March 1976 – 16 July 1981 |
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| Deputy Prime Minister | Mahathir Mohamad |
| Preceded by | Suhailah Noah |
| Succeeded by | Ines Maria Reyna |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Hasmah binti Mohamad Ali
12 July 1926 Klang, Selangor, Federated Malay States |
| Died | 28 September 2026 (aged 100) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Resting place | Pusara Negarawan, Putrajaya, Malaysia |
| Citizenship | Malaysia |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 7 (including Marina, Mokhzani and Mukhriz) |
| Relatives |
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| Education | King Edward VII College of Medicine (MBBS) |
| Occupation | Physician, civil servant |
| Awards | Full list |
Hasmah binti Mohamad Ali (12 July 1926 – 28 September 2026) was an inspiring Malaysian physician. She was one of the earliest female doctors in the old Federation of Malaya. She also served as a dedicated civil servant for many years. Hasmah became famous as the spouse of the prime minister of Malaysia. She held this national leadership position across two different time periods. Her husband was Mahathir Mohamad, who served as the fourth and seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia.
During her career, she helped thousands of mothers and young children. She worked hard in rural clinics to make healthcare safer. She encouraged children to read books and enjoy music. She was also a talented violin player and an author. She reached the milestone of becoming a centenarian when she turned 100 years old. People across Malaysia admired her as a caring, motherly role model.
Contents
Early Life and Growing Up in Selangor
Hasmah was born on 12 July 1926 in the town of Klang. Klang is located inside the state of Selangor. Her father was Haji Mohd Ali, an active government officer. Her mother, Hajah Siti Khatijah binti Ahmad, managed their home and family. She grew up with nine brothers and sisters. Many of her siblings grew up to hold very important leadership roles.
Her family cared deeply about public service and helping their country grow. Her elder brother was Ismail Mohamed Ali. He later became the second Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia. He also led the national investment organisation called Permodalan Nasional Berhad. Another brother was General Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali. He rose through the military to become the Chief of Defence Forces.
Her brother Ahmad Razali Mohd Ali became the 10th Menteri Besar of Selangor. That role is the head of the regional government. Her sister, Saleha Mohd Ali, was also a well-known community leader. Saleha helped create the important political group known as UMNO. Saleha was an active worker for modern community healthcare. Young Hasmah grew up surrounded by conversations about medicine, leadership, and public good.
She began her early school studies at SMK St. Mary. She was a dedicated student who loved reading and science. She dreamed of curing sick people and studying the human body. After finishing high school, she decided to pursue professional medical training.
Medical Education and University Studies
Hasmah gained entry into the famous King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore. This historic medical school later joined Raffles College to form the University of Malaya. Today, the school is recognized as the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Entering this institution was a huge achievement for a young woman at that time.
She was one of the very first Malay women to study there. In fact, she was the only female Malay student in her entire class. Science classes were very challenging, but she worked diligently. She sometimes found difficult subjects like physics and chemistry quite tough. A fellow student named Mahathir Mohamad often helped her understand hard scientific ideas.
The two students became very good friends while working on medical projects. They both wished to use medicine to help rural families. In 1955, she successfully finished her university studies. She earned her official bachelor's degree in medicine and surgery, called an MBBS.
Pioneering Career in Public Health
After earning her medical degree, Hasmah joined the government health service. Malaya was still developing its public health systems at the time. Very few women practiced medicine as certified doctors. She became one of the first female Malay physicians in the country. She traveled to distant villages to deliver direct healthcare to families.
In 1965, she achieved a historic breakthrough at the Ministry of Health. She was appointed as the first female medical officer in Maternal and Child Health. She wanted to ensure mothers gave birth safely in clean clinics. In 1966, she traveled abroad to the United States. She studied at the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. There, she earned an advanced public health certificate.
She brought her new medical knowledge back home to Malaysia. In 1974, she was named State Maternal and Child Health Officer in Kedah. She was the first woman ever to hold this top post. She taught mothers about proper nutrition, clean drinking water, and immunisations. Thanks to her programs, the regional infant mortality rate dropped dramatically. It fell from 75 deaths per 1,000 babies to only 6.
She wrote research papers about healthy families and maternal healthcare. She examined how everyday lifestyle factors influenced childhood growth. Later, she taught students as a lecturer at the University of Malaya. She shared her practical clinical wisdom with future dental and medical students.
Public Life and National Leadership
In 1981, her husband became the fourth prime minister of the nation. Hasmah stepped into the role of spouse of the prime minister of Malaysia. She used this public platform to champion many important community causes. She worked to improve public literacy, healthy living, and disability sports.
She held leadership roles in numerous major social and medical organisations:
- President of the Malaysian Girl Guides Association
- Chairman of the Kedah Family Planning Association
- President of the Malaysian Medical Association Foundation
- President of the Association for the Rehabilitation of Handicapped Children
- Vice-President of the Federation of Family Planning Associations of Malaysia
- Patron of the Malaysian Association of Maternal Health and Neonate
- Patron of the Malaysian Pediatric Association
- Patron of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM)
Hasmah strongly supported athletes and loved watching badminton games. She encouraged disabled children to learn new skills and build confidence. From 1997 to 2012, she served as the first Chancellor of Multimedia University. She regularly encouraged young engineers to use computers to solve human problems.
She traveled abroad to represent Malaysian women on global stages. In 1982, she met with Elena Ceaușescu, the wife of Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu. She presented keynote speeches at international conferences in Tokyo, Bangkok, and Tonga. In 1995, she led the Malaysian team to the United Nations conference in Beijing. Her major address was titled "Equality, Development and Peace: A Caring World".
She met many famous international leaders throughout her global travels. She held friendly discussions with American First Lady Nancy Reagan, wife of U.S. President Ronald Reagan. She shared ideas with Rosalynn Carter, the wife of Jimmy Carter. She visited European royalty, including Queen Fabiola of Belgium and Queen Elizabeth II. She also met Queen Noor of Jordan and lawyer Cherie Blair.
In March 2000, she led a special humanitarian mission to Iraq. Her group delivered medicine, visited hospitals, and supported orphanages. During that humanitarian journey, she met senior officials including Tariq Aziz. She also took part in a brief meeting with leader Saddam Hussein. In 2003, she chaired an important dialogue during the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit. That meeting created a 10-point plan supporting sustainable development.
Second Term as Prime Minister's Spouse
Her husband returned to lead the nation again as prime minister in 2018. At age 91, Hasmah resumed her public duties with great energy. She attended official state visits and continued meeting global partners. In 2018, she traveled to Indonesia to meet President Joko Widodo and his wife Iriana.
She promoted childhood reading by opening a large 24-hour bookstore called BookXcess Cyberjaya. She signed a special commemorative plaque celebrating the magical power of books. During an official meeting with Pakistani leader Imran Khan, she warmly shook his hand. Observers praised her natural charm, warmth, and friendly diplomatic style.
Championing Community Causes
Helping Rural Women
Hasmah was passionate about improving the daily lives of rural women. In 1992, she joined the First Ladies Summit held in Geneva. Queen Fabiola of Belgium had invited her to help lead the conference. Hasmah was chosen to represent developing nations across the Asia-Pacific region.
In 1994, she joined crucial leadership meetings in Brussels. In 1995, she became leader of the Regional Steering Committee for Island Women. By 1996, she was serving as its international president. She worked to provide village women with tools to start small businesses.
Mental Health Advocacy
Hasmah understood that a healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body. She worked to teach families how to handle stress and emotional difficulties. Former American First Lady Rosalynn Carter invited her to join global mental health committees. Together, they campaigned to make mental healthcare friendly, safe, and accessible to everyone.
Personal Life, Hobbies, and Family
Hasmah married Mahathir Mohamad on 5 August 1956. Their happy partnership lasted for seven decades. Together, they raised seven children: Marina, Mirzan, Melinda, Mokhzani, Mukhriz, Maizura, and Mazhar. Marina became a famous writer and human rights advocate. Her son Mukhriz later became the Menteri Besar of Kedah.
In 2016, she published her personal autobiography titled My Name is Hasmah. She wrote warmly about her school days and family memories. She called Mahathir her lifelong hero who always encouraged her studies. She lovingly called him her "boy from the Paddy Fields State" because of his roots in rural Kedah.
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Hasmah loved animals, especially domestic cats. She was also deeply fond of performing acoustic music. She began learning the violin when she was 16 years old. Although she stopped playing for decades, she picked it up again past age 80. In 2018, her personal violin was auctioned to raise funds for the Pakatan Harapan coalition before the 2018 Malaysian general election. In 2015, she decided to learn a traditional Chinese bowed instrument called the erhu. She also studied the French language in her seventies and successfully passed her exams.
She visited dozens of interesting nations alongside her husband. Their very first overseas trip together was to Japan in 1961. Over the years, they explored every continent, including the frozen landscapes of Antarctica. She enjoyed science-fiction films and once watched Star Wars while visiting Houston.
Unlike many Muslim women in Malaysia, Hasmah usually chose not to wear the traditional tudung headscarf. However, in March 2025, she wore a hijab at a charity dinner. That appearance surprised and delighted many community members. In 2024, she clarified that her real birth name was simply Hasmah. The popular title "Siti" was just added as an affectionate nickname by colleagues.
Health Awareness and Longevity
In 2019, Hasmah underwent minor medical surgery. After her swift recovery, she urged women everywhere to get routine medical checkups. Later that year, she recovered quickly from mild food poisoning after resting in the hospital.
On 12 July 2026, Hasmah celebrated her 100th birthday with close relatives. The ASEAN Records organisation officially honored her as an exceptional centenarian. She was recognized as the oldest living spouse of any former regional prime minister.
Later Days and National Memorial
On 26 September 2026, Hasmah fell ill and was admitted to the hospital. She received specialized medical care at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur. She passed away peacefully on the morning of 28 September 2026. Her son Mokhzani shared the news with the national news service Bernama.
Leaders across Malaysia and the world praised her lifetime of compassionate work. King Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor and Queen consort Raja Zarith Sofiah offered warm condolences. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and political leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail praised her kindness. Anwar announced that she would receive a formal state funeral. He called her an unforgettable motherly figure who gave everything for the Malaysian public.
Funeral prayers were held at the As-Syarif Mosque near her home in Seri Kembangan. Later that evening, she was laid to rest at Pusara Negarawan in Putrajaya. Thousands of everyday citizens remembered her as a doctor who healed the nation with kindness.
Images for kids
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Siti Hasmah attending a book launch dialogue in May 2025
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