siti nurhaliza weeps as she pays final respects at tun dr hasmah’s grave

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin posted a video on Instagram on Monday showing her in a black robe trembling with tears as she stood beside the grave of YABhg.

Tun Dr. Hasmah, the former first lady and widow of former prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, died at the National Heart Institute (Institut Jantung Negara) on Monday morning at the age of 100, according to the hospital’s announcement.

Siti’s video also showed her approaching Tun Dr. Mahathir, offering a handshake that was described by on‑lookers as a moment “filled with grief.” The singer later wrote that the loss of Tun Dr. Hasmah “is a great loss for all Malaysians,” recalling her as a compassionate, gentle woman with a strong maternal spirit.

The Instagram footage was the sole source of the details, as no other media outlet provided additional commentary. Siti’s public tribute follows a week of national mourning, during which flags were lowered and tributes poured in from political leaders, cultural icons and ordinary citizens.

The former first lady’s centenarian life was marked by her advocacy for women’s welfare and her low‑key support of Mahathir’s political career, a background highlighted in statements from the Mahathir family released earlier this week.

While the event carries no direct implications for listed companies or market movements, it underscores the cultural reverence afforded to senior political figures in Malaysia. The convergence of a top‑selling artist and the Mahathir family illustrates the intertwined nature of the country’s entertainment and political spheres, a dynamic that often shapes public sentiment and, indirectly, consumer confidence.

No further details on funeral arrangements were disclosed in the Instagram post or in subsequent statements from the family. Observers expect the remaining rites to be conducted in accordance with Islamic customs, with a private ceremony likely to follow the public mourning period.

The episode serves as a reminder of the personal bonds that link Malaysia’s most prominent public figures, reinforcing a narrative of national unity that resonates beyond the immediate circle of the Mahathir household.

Related: National Heart Institute (IJN)