00:00Dr. Siti Hasma Ali turns 100 today.
00:04Born in Klang in 1926, Siti Hasma was the sixth of ten siblings.
00:10She attended Methodist Girls School, St. Mary's School, and Pudu English School before pursuing medicine in Singapore.
00:18In 1955, she graduated with an MBBS from the King Edward VII College of Medicine,
00:25becoming one of the first Malay women doctors in Malaya.
00:28She later joined the Government Health Service and, in 1965, became Malaysia's first female medical officer
00:37in the Maternal and Child Health Department.
00:40After furthering her studies in public health at the University of Michigan, Siti Hasma served in Gada.
00:48During her tenure, infant mortality fell dramatically from 75 deaths per 1,000 births to just six.
00:55She met Dr. Mahathir Mohamad while they were medical students in Singapore.
01:01The couple married in 1956 and went on to raise seven children,
01:07balancing family life with decades of public service.
01:10As the Prime Minister's wife, Siti Hasma used her platform to champion maternal and child health,
01:17family planning, mental health, literacy, and other social causes while leading several medical and community organizations.
01:26Even in her later years, she has continued to advocate for public health while remaining one of Malaysia's most loved
01:34public figures.
01:35Her long service has left an enduring mark on Malaysians from all walks of life.
01:42FMT wishes Dr. Siti Hasma Ali a very happy 100th birthday.
01:48Hanyu Jo, FMT
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