As his wife of nearly 70 years, Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, was laid to rest at Malaysia's National Mausoleum on Monday, former Malaysia prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday (Sept 29) shared his surprise at her passing.

A video posted on Dr Mahathir's social media shows him speaking with Pahang Sultan Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who paid his last respects on Monday.

The Pahang ruler was accompanied by his wife Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and their son Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah.

"I didn't expect her (Dr Siti Hasmah) to die today," the pained-looking centenarian said, his grief in plain sight. 

He added that she was "quite well last night", before picking up a napkin to blow his nose.

@asiaone Dr Mahathir Mohamad mourned his late wife Dr Hasmah Mohamad Ali at her state funeral at As-Syarif Mosque in Seri Kembangan on Monday (Sept 28) before she was laid to rest at the National Mausoleum in Putrajaya. #Malaysia #MalaysiaNews ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

Dr Siti Hasmah died at the age of 100 at about 9.20am on Monday.

She was accorded a state funeral before being laid to rest at the National Mausoleum.

Tributes have poured in since her passing, with hundreds paying their respects at the Seri Kembangan mosque before her burial. 

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday sent a condolence letter to the former Malaysia premier, saying Dr Siti Hasmah brought warm and vitality to all that she did, and that she will be fondly remembered and dearly missed.

The couple first met in Singapore as medical students and married in 1956.

[[nid:746371]]

editor@asiaone.com