Most PAS leaders were unable to attend the funeral of Hasmah Mohd Ali because they had prior commitments at home and abroad, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said.
He said PAS had conveyed its condolences directly to former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and his family, Sinar Harian reported.
‘We acknowledge that most PAS leaders had specific programmes on the day she passed away,’ he said at a press conference for the Zulkifli Muhammad Islamic Studies Convocation Ceremony (KUIZM) in Gombak today.
Absence due to prior commitments
Tuan Ibrahim, who is also Perikatan Nasional’s Pahang chairman, said the absence was not deliberate.
He cited his own involvement in a programme in Kelantan, together with PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan and vice-president Mohd Amar Abdullah.
‘Thus, their absence was indeed due to unavoidable programmes,’ he said.
PAS sent its Muslimat wing chief and Central Committee member Shahidan Kassim to the funeral and also joined the tahlil at Mahathir’s home, he said.
Condolences conveyed to Mahathir’s family
Tuan Ibrahim said Hasmah’s death was unexpected and that her burial had to be expedited without waiting for anyone.
‘Sometimes a father dies but the child cannot make it in time because the death was sudden,’ he said.
‘We cannot wait long because when someone dies, the body must be buried quickly.’
He said PAS had conveyed its condolences on behalf of the party.
‘May he (Mahathir) be patient with what has happened, and what matters is that we pray that the soul of the late Hasmah be blessed and placed among the righteous servants of Allah,’ he said.
Hasmah died at the National Heart Institute (IJN) at 9.20am on Sept 28, according to Sinar Harian.
Her son, Mokhzani Mahathir, confirmed the death of the 100-year-old.
Hasmah was born on July 12, 1926, and married Mahathir on Aug 5, 1956.
