A Centennial Gift for Tun Dr Mahathir · Norfuziana Ahamed
He turns 100. And what he remembers most… is not the power, not the politics, but a quiet act of love.
I had the privilege of being there in the room when my husband, Datuk Jake Abdullah sat down with Tun Dr. Mahathir for his podcast.
I didn’t want to miss the chance to witness a moment with a statesman who has shaped so much of our nation’s history.
What I didn’t expect… was to walk away with a story about love.
When asked about the most romantic gesture from Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah, he paused, smiled, and simply said:
“She lent me money."
It was in that simple, honest moment I saw what love really means.
Not the kind that’s loud or showy.
But the kind that says, “I’m here. I believe in you. We’re in this together.”
After almost 70 years of marriage, that’s what he remembered most. And that, to me, is more romantic than any grand gesture.
No dramatic love story. No grand declarations.
Just a young woman who believed in a young man, even before the world did.
It was the quiet kind of love, the kind that builds a life. That moment, simple as it was, hit me hard.
Before we left, I was able to hand them a small, early birthday gift, a piece of batik made with care, from the heart from our humble atelier .
It felt insignificant beside the moment.
But to have shared it with them, even briefly… is something I will carry forever.
Happy 100th birthday, Tun.
And to both you and Tun Hasmah,
Thank you... For reminding us that real love doesn’t need to be loud. It just needs to be true.