KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Badminton legend Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei has paid tribute to Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, remembering her as a “warrior” and a source of affection for the national squad, following her death today at the age of 100.
In a statement, Lee said he was left “frozen” when he received the news this morning, and that his heart felt “truly sad and heavy”.
He recalled speaking to Dr Hasmah in the lead-up to the Malaysia Open earlier this year, when she said she wanted to go to the stadium to support the national players. Lee said her love for badminton “never faded”, and that he had not realised it would be their last conversation.
“To outsiders, Tun was the wife of a former Prime Minister. But to me and the entire national badminton squad, Tun was a warrior, the person we respected most,” he said.
Lee said senior players often recounted Malaysia’s 1992 Thomas Cup victory, in which Dr Hasmah stood by the team as patron, and that she would tear up whenever she spoke of that success.
Over his nearly 20-year career, from his early days in the national squad to competing on the world stage, Lee said she was always present, regardless of whether he won or lost.
He added that she treated the players like her own children and would mediate with “gentleness and wisdom” whenever disagreements arose in the team.
According to Lee, her affection held the squad together and became the “strongest bulwark” for Malaysian badminton.
Lee also noted that Dr Hasmah herself played badminton until the age of 75, saying her passion for the sport inspired him and the whole team.
“Your smile and the warmth of your love will always live on in the court, and in the hearts of all Malaysians,” he said, ending his statement with “Rest in peace, Tun. We will always miss you.”
Dr Hasmah, the wife of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, died today at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that she would be accorded a state funeral.
