Family Life

Family Life

Both Dr Siti Hasmah and Dr Mahathir studied medicine at the King Edward VII College of Medicine, University of Malaya in Singapore and it was the place where they met and fell in love. They have all seven children and are married. They have gone on to have their own families and businesses careers.

The nice part of it all is the 17 grandchildren for both grandfather and grandmother to dote on. This is indeed a large family by any standard but something both Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah are very familiar with. Yet despite all that, Dr Siti Hasmah and Dr Mahathir have raised all seven of their children by themselves.

“We always discuss family matters between ourselves. But for the most part, my children are closer to me because my husband trusted me on matters concerning our children, which gave me an important role in decision making,” said Dr Siti Hasmah.

She made a point of emphasizing that her husband never brought national or party politics home with him. This shows that Tun dr Mahathir is professional and did not bring back the matter of works to home.

 “A wife’s first duty is to support and create a good image for her husband,” said Dr Siti Hasmah

Dr M and Dr Siti Hasmah have been married since 1956. Both Dr Siti Hasmah and Dr Mahathir were educated in schools using the British system, which is why they encouraged their children to study at Western institutions as much as possible and oftenly.

Dr Siti Hasmah and her husband never failed in their parental duties and obligations even though all their children had furthered their studies abroad and overseas. More importantly, the successful couple gave their children the freedom to choose, either in education and careers, which is why all their children pursued a variety of careers paths such as business, politics or engineering. Dr Mahathir is an individual who always emphasized family as an important means of support in his life. For him family is ”the anchor which keeps us stable in a complex society”.