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Ahmadul Kobir, Malaysia: Three days after the death of his centenarian wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad visited her grave on Thursday morning, scattering flowers and offering prayers at the Islamic Cemetery in Precinct 20, Putrajaya.
Mahathir was seen raising both hands in prayer before standing quietly at the graveside for several moments. He later left the cemetery without any formal ceremony.
The former prime minister appeared calm and solemn during the visit, spending several moments at his wife’s grave after scattering flowers and praying for her.
Siti Hasmah died on September 28 at the age of 100. Following a state funeral for his wife of nearly seven decades, Mahathir returned to her graveside on Thursday to pay his respects and pray for her.
A physician by profession, Siti Hasmah was a prominent figure in Malaysia’s national life. She married Mahathir in 1956, and the couple remained together for nearly seven decades. Throughout Mahathir’s long political career, she was active in various social, health and community welfare initiatives.
Mahathir first served as Malaysia’s prime minister from 1981 to 2003. He returned to office in 2018 for a second term and served until 2020. During both periods of his political career, Siti Hasmah was widely recognised for her involvement in social and community-oriented activities.
Following her death, a state funeral was held in her honour, with the farewell ceremony arranged through Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur. Members of the royal family, the prime minister, current and former politicians and people from various walks of life attended to pay their final respects.
Thursday’s visit was Mahathir’s first known visit to Siti Hasmah’s grave since her burial. In the quiet surroundings of the Putrajaya cemetery, his gesture of scattering flowers and offering prayers marked a private moment of remembrance following the end of their nearly seven-decade life together.