World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
Siti Hasmah’s burial draws attention to Malaysia’s National Cemetery
Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali was buried at Pusara Negara in Putrajaya, Malaysia’s administrative capital.
She died aged 100 on Sept 28, and visitors have been coming to her grave to pray and pay their respects.
Her burial surprised some people because they expected her to be laid to rest at the Heroes’ Mausoleum in Kuala Lumpur, where two other former prime ministers’ wives were buried.
Pusara Negara was first planned as a large national cemetery at Bukit Kiara, with space for different faiths and enough room for more than 200 years of burials.
That plan was not realised after the land was earmarked for a golf course, and the cemetery eventually built in Putrajaya was more modest.
The burial has renewed attention on the cemetery’s history, as the Heroes’ Mausoleum is increasingly crowded and five of its seven reserved plots are filled.
Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali’s burial at Pusara Negara in Putrajaya has brought visitors to the cemetery and renewed attention to its history.
Siti Hasmah, the wife of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, died aged 100 on Sept 28.
Some had expected her to be buried at the Heroes’ Mausoleum at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur.
Pusara Negara was first proposed more than five decades ago as a national cemetery, but its original plan for Bukit Kiara was not realised.
- Who
- Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, wife of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.
- What
- Her burial at Pusara Negara has drawn visitors and attention to the cemetery.
- When
- She died on Sept 28. The burial date is not stated.
- Where
- Pusara Negara, in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
- Why
- Visitors are mourning Siti Hasmah. The burial also prompted questions because some expected her to be buried at the Heroes’ Mausoleum.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Siti Hasmah died at the age of 100.
Marina Mahathir spoke at a memorial service for Siti Hasmah and thanked visitors for their prayers.
- Age at death
- 100
- Date of death
- Sept 28
- Burial site
- Pusara Negara, Putrajaya
- Original planned site
- Bukit Kiara
- Original masterplan area
- 89ha
1 source
What people are saying
truly grateful for their prayers and visits
Every time I visit the grave, I see many people coming