Malaysia’s Former PM Hospitalised In Kuala Lumpur After Wife’s Death

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has been in hospital for observation since Tuesday, a day after the death of his wife Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali. Mahathir, 101, served twice as Malaysia’s prime minister.

The former PM is being treated at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur, his spokesman Sufi Yusoff said. No specific medical reason for his admission had been disclosed as of Sept. 30, 2026.

Family Grief and Response

The family pointed to strain. “The past two days has been very stressful for” Mahathir, his son Mokhzani Mahathir told Malaysia’s state-owned Bernama on Wednesday. “But for now, he is okay and there is no cause for concern.”

Mahathir said Siti Hasmah’s death was unexpected and recalled that she had appeared to be in good health the night before. “I didn’t expect her to die today,” he said. “She was quite well last night.”

Mahathir described her last hours in a video on his Facebook account to Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, the ruler of Pahang state, who had come to pay his respects. He arrived at the burial on Monday in a motorised wheelchair with an oxygen tube and was visibly overcome with grief.

Marriage and Legacy

Their marriage spanned seven decades. Siti Hasmah and Mahathir marked their 70th anniversary last month.

Their partnership began when they were medical students in Singapore. It lasted through Mahathir’s rise from a doctor to the dominant figure in Malaysian politics.

That private bond stood apart from his often confrontational public life. The contrast was visible in episodes including his 1998 dismissal of then-deputy and current premier Anwar Ibrahim.

With Siti Hasmah, Mahathir showed a softer side. The couple held hands, teased each other and remained openly affectionate well into old age.

Health History and Prior Reporting

Mahathir has faced repeated health problems in recent years. He has been in and out of hospital in the past few years and has suffered several heart attacks.

He also fractured his right hip in January. He later recovered and resumed public appearances.

Reuters reported on Sept. 28, 2026 that Mahathir’s office confirmed Siti Hasmah’s death but did not say what caused it. The report also said the funeral was due that evening and that she would be laid to rest in a Muslim cemetery in Putrajaya. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said she would receive full state honours and described her as a figure whose contributions and service the nation would remember.