Kuala Lampur, Sept. 28 -- For almost eight decades, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali shared a marriage that became inseparable from the story of modern Malaysia.

Their marriage was exceptional - an extraordinary partnership that endured the demands of public life, the weight of power, its loss and the passage of time.

She supported him, cared for him and stood beside him, yet remained unmistakably herself, never disappearing into his shadow.

Siti Hasmah carried her grace and dignity like a crown - quietly, naturally, without ever needing to announce it. Whether Mahathir was Prime Minister or no longer in office, at the height of political power or standing outside it, she remained unmistakably herself.

She di...