Siti Hasmah
Encyclopedia
Tun
Dr.
Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali is the wife of the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia
, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
. She served as wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia for 23 years from 1981–2003.
She is currently the chancellor of the Multimedia University
of Malaysia.
, Selangor
on July 12, 1926 and obtained her MBBS
from the University of Malaya
in Singapore. Often a pioneer in her profession, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah was one of the first Malay women to enroll for a medical course at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore after World War II
.
In 1955 she graduated as a medical doctor from the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, which was then located in Singapore
. She subsequently joined the government health service. She was one of the first Malay
woman doctors in then Malaya
. She married Mahathir the following year in August. Their first child, Marina, was born in 1957.
In the 1960s, she attended a public health certificate program in the University of Michigan
.
Ten years later, she became the first woman to be appointed Medical Officer in the Maternal and Child Health Department, and in 1974, she was the first woman to be appointed the State Maternal and Child Health Officer.
Siti Hasmah is the author of several articles on family medicine and the socioeconomic factors associated with pregnancy and childbearing in Malaysia.
She used her position as the wife of the Prime Minister to campaign tirelessly for women's health, family planning, drug abuse control and adult literacy. She also served in various positions as follows:
• 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)
As Patron of the Pan Pacific South Asia Women's Association, (PPSEAWA) Malaysia, Siti Hasmah attended and presented keynote addresses at the Triennial Conferences in Tokyo
(1984), Bangkok
(1991) and Tonga
(1994).
First Lady Nancy Reagan
, she attended the First Ladies' Conference on Drug Abuse in Washington D.C. She also represented Malaysia at the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Vienna
in 1987.
, she attended the First Ladies Summit for the Economic Advancement of Rural Women in Geneva
. She was chosen as one of the six Core-Group Initiators of First Ladies representing the Asia-Pacific Region.
The summit was initiated by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under the patronage of Queen Fabiola. At the end of the Summit, the First Ladies endorsed the Geneva Declaration on Rural Women, an instrument to formulate policies and programmes to enhance the economic advancement and welfare of rural women and their familĞies.
At the summit, Siti Hasmah stressed the "with proper education and training, rural women can help raise literate and productive children who, in turn, can be positive contributors to a nation's growth and prosperity."
In February 1994, Siti Hasmah attended the ISC Council Meeting in Brussels
at the invitation of Queen Fabiola. Then, in September 1995, she was appointed as Chairperson of Regional Steering Committee on the Economic Advancement of Rural and Island Women for Asia Pacific Region.
Eventually, in November 1996, she took over the presidency of the International Steering Committee for Economic Advancement of Rural and Island Women for Asia Pacific Region.
, Rosalynn Carter
invited Siti Hasmah to serve on the National Committee of the World Federation of Mental Health which Mrs Carter chaired.
, as well as the Sultan of Selangor
and the Sultan of Kedah, have bestowed titles upon her.
In 1988, she was awarded the Kazue McLaren Award by the Asia Pacific Consortium for Public Health.
In 1991, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
conferred on her the Honorary Doctorate in Medical Science.
In 1992, the Royal College of Physicians, Ireland, conferred on her the Honorary Doctorate in Public Health.
In May 1994, Indiana University, Bloomington conferred on Siti Hasmah the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, and in August the same year, she received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
On June 20, 1997 she was appointed as the Chancellor, Multimedia University
(MMU) and patrons MESCORP.
In 2003, she was conferred the highest honorary title of Tun along with her husband, Dr Mahathir, by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
(King) of Malaysia.
Malay titles
The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders....
Dr.
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali is the wife of the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
Mahathir bin Mohamad
Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad . is a Malaysian politician who was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest serving Prime Minister. His political career spanned almost 40 years.Born and raised in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir...
. She served as wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia for 23 years from 1981–2003.
She is currently the chancellor of the Multimedia University
Multimedia University
Multimedia University is Malaysia's first private university. It has two campuses with one in Cyberjaya and another in Melaka. The distance between the two campuses are approximately 150 kilometers, via the North South Expressway.-History:...
of Malaysia.
Early life
Siti Hasmah was born in KlangKlang
Klang , formerly known as Kelang, is the royal city and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District in Klang Valley. It is located about 32 km to the west of Kuala Lumpur and 6 km east of Port Klang...
, Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
on July 12, 1926 and obtained her MBBS
MBBS
MBBS was a popular BBS system in the Nordic countries during the mid-1990s. It was created by a team of Oslo-based enthusiasts, led by Mike Robertson. As many BBS systems of that era, it was only available for the DOS platform. Since one process could only handle one node, multitaskers such as...
from the University of Malaya
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya is located on a campus near the centre of Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest university in Malaysia. It was founded in 1905 as a public-funded tertiary institution...
in Singapore. Often a pioneer in her profession, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah was one of the first Malay women to enroll for a medical course at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1955 she graduated as a medical doctor from the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, which was then located in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. She subsequently joined the government health service. She was one of the first Malay
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
woman doctors in then Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
. She married Mahathir the following year in August. Their first child, Marina, was born in 1957.
In the 1960s, she attended a public health certificate program in the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
Ten years later, she became the first woman to be appointed Medical Officer in the Maternal and Child Health Department, and in 1974, she was the first woman to be appointed the State Maternal and Child Health Officer.
Siti Hasmah is the author of several articles on family medicine and the socioeconomic factors associated with pregnancy and childbearing in Malaysia.
First Lady
Siti Hasmah became the First Lady of Malaysia following the appointment of her husband as Prime Minister in 1981.She used her position as the wife of the Prime Minister to campaign tirelessly for women's health, family planning, drug abuse control and adult literacy. She also served in various positions as follows:
• 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)
As Patron of the Pan Pacific South Asia Women's Association, (PPSEAWA) Malaysia, Siti Hasmah attended and presented keynote addresses at the Triennial Conferences in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
(1984), Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
(1991) and Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
(1994).
Drug abuse
As President of BAKTI (Welfare Club of the Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers), Siti Hasmah was active in efforts to educate young people about the dangers of drug abuse. In 1985, at the invitation of United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
First Lady Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
, she attended the First Ladies' Conference on Drug Abuse in Washington D.C. She also represented Malaysia at the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1987.
Rural women
Siti Hasmah was also active internationally in promoting the cause of rural women. In 1992, at the invitation of Queen Fabiola of BelgiumQueen Fabiola of Belgium
Queen Fabiola of Belgium is the widow of King Baudouin of Belgium. She was Queen consort of the Belgians for 33 years...
, she attended the First Ladies Summit for the Economic Advancement of Rural Women in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. She was chosen as one of the six Core-Group Initiators of First Ladies representing the Asia-Pacific Region.
The summit was initiated by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under the patronage of Queen Fabiola. At the end of the Summit, the First Ladies endorsed the Geneva Declaration on Rural Women, an instrument to formulate policies and programmes to enhance the economic advancement and welfare of rural women and their familĞies.
At the summit, Siti Hasmah stressed the "with proper education and training, rural women can help raise literate and productive children who, in turn, can be positive contributors to a nation's growth and prosperity."
In February 1994, Siti Hasmah attended the ISC Council Meeting in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
at the invitation of Queen Fabiola. Then, in September 1995, she was appointed as Chairperson of Regional Steering Committee on the Economic Advancement of Rural and Island Women for Asia Pacific Region.
Eventually, in November 1996, she took over the presidency of the International Steering Committee for Economic Advancement of Rural and Island Women for Asia Pacific Region.
Mental health
Being a medical doctor by training, Siti Hasmah also has an interest in mental health. Former First Lady of the United StatesFirst Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
, Rosalynn Carter
Rosalynn Carter
Eleanor Rosalynn Carter is the wife of the former President of the United States Jimmy Carter and in that capacity served as the First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981. As First Lady and after, she has been a leading advocate for numerous causes, perhaps most prominently for mental...
invited Siti Hasmah to serve on the National Committee of the World Federation of Mental Health which Mrs Carter chaired.
Awards and recognition
For her 23 years of public service, her voluntary work, and her leadership in the fields of public health, literacy and drug abuse control, Siti Hasmah has received many honours. The Yang di-Pertuan AgongYang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
, as well as the Sultan of Selangor
Sultan of Selangor
Sultan of Selangor is the title of the constitutional ruler of Selangor, Malaysia.-Bugis bloodline:The Sultans of Selangor are descended from a Bugis dynasty that claim descent from the rulers of Luwu in the southern part of Celebes...
and the Sultan of Kedah, have bestowed titles upon her.
In 1988, she was awarded the Kazue McLaren Award by the Asia Pacific Consortium for Public Health.
In 1991, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
The National University of Malaysia is a public university located in Bangi, Selangor which is about 35 km south of Kuala Lumpur...
conferred on her the Honorary Doctorate in Medical Science.
In 1992, the Royal College of Physicians, Ireland, conferred on her the Honorary Doctorate in Public Health.
In May 1994, Indiana University, Bloomington conferred on Siti Hasmah the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, and in August the same year, she received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
On June 20, 1997 she was appointed as the Chancellor, Multimedia University
Multimedia University
Multimedia University is Malaysia's first private university. It has two campuses with one in Cyberjaya and another in Melaka. The distance between the two campuses are approximately 150 kilometers, via the North South Expressway.-History:...
(MMU) and patrons MESCORP.
In 2003, she was conferred the highest honorary title of Tun along with her husband, Dr Mahathir, by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
(King) of Malaysia.