Tun Siti Hasmah Laid to Rest at Pusara Negara
PUTRAJAYA: The late Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali was laid to rest with full state funeral honours at Pusara Negara near Precinct 20 here at about 6.20pm today.
Dr Siti Hasmah, who passed away at the National Heart Institute (IJN) this morning, was buried near the grave of the late Tun Endon Mahmood, wife of a former Prime Minister.
The funeral ceremony was led by Captain Ahmad Saufi Md Isa from the Army Headquarters and involved eight officers from the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Royal Malaysia Police.
The talkin recital was conducted by Putra Mosque Chief Imam Dr Muhamad Zakuwa Rodzali.
Thousands of people gathered to pay their final respects to the late Tun Siti Hasmah from 2pm.
Among the royal family members present was Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, accompanied by Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah and Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Afzan Aminah Hafidzatullah, who arrived at 4.45pm.
Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Ramli Ngah Talib and Raja Muda of Kedah Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Sultan Sallehuddin were among the dignitaries who attended to pay their final respects, alongside Cabinet ministers.
The burial ceremony took place after the remains were brought to Pusara Negara following funeral prayers at Masjid As-Syarif in Taman Sungai Besi Indah, Seri Kembangan, at about 4.30pm.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was in a wheelchair, was also present to witness the burial ceremony.
The couple’s children, including Datuk Seri Marina Mahathir, Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir and Datuk Seri Utama Mukhriz Mahathir, were also present.
For the record, Tun Siti Hasmah was born on July 12, 1926, in Kampung Jawa, Klang, Selangor, and was the sixth of 10 siblings.
Dr Siti Hasmah studied at the King Edward VII College of Medicine, where she was the only Malay woman in her cohort.
It was at the institution that she met Tun Mahathir before they married on Aug 4, 1956. The couple had seven children.
UTUSAN