Nation mourns passing of Tun Suhailah Mohamad Noah

Suhailah was a pillar of strength for her husband, Malaysia's third prime minister Tun Hussein Onn, who had suffered two heart attacks in his lifetime before his demise on May 29, 1990.

The dedicated mother had raised their six children well, moulding them into lawyers, one of them being Datuk Seri Hishammuddin who has entered politics and is now the defence minister, doctors and corporate leaders.

The compassionate individual in her pushed for the setting up of the Welfare Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti) when Hussein was the prime minister.

This she did with the help of Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, a former minister and former Wanita Umno chief.

Rafidah recalled: "When I was the president of an association helping people with disabilities in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, I proposed the setting up of a body to help children with special needs.

"Then, the wives of ministers will be able to complement the work of their husbands in government.

"Tun Suhailah agreed and asked me to help make it a reality. In a week, Bakti came to be, reflecting her commitment to help children with special needs."

Suhailah was born on Oct 26, 1931. She was the second of five siblings. Her younger sister, (now Tun) Rahah is the mother of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Suhailah grew up in Muar and received her early education at the Melaka Convent.

She married Hussein in February 1948, and they were blessed with four daughters and two sons, namely Datin Roquaiya Hanim, Puan Sri Dr Suraiya Hani, Roziah Hanis, Hishammuddin, Dr Rozita Halina and Datuk Harris Onn.

According to the book 'The Three Swans', which is a tribute to Suhailah and her two sisters, life 'was a breeze' for Suhailah as the wife of Hussein from the time he was a minister and then the deputy prime minister and eventually prime minister.

"She had had the exposure as a politician's wife during the hectic days when her father-in-law, Dato' Onn Jaafar, was in the throes of politics.

"She continued being her natural self, bubbly, vivacious and ever the gracious hostess.

"Everything in Suhailah's household ran like clockwork. Everything was in order, everything was in the right place," according to the book.

The wife of the prime minister usually holds the post of president of the Girl Guides Association. Suhailah took over the post from Rahah, who was the wife of the second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

It was during her leadership of the association that Princess Margaret of Britain visited Malaysia in May 1980 and called at the association.

'The Three Swans' also mentions that Suhailah had formed a children's library in 1976 after her visit to Iraq.

When launching the book four years ago, Najib had said that Suhailah and her two sisters were 'three ordinary women who led extraordinary lives' and 'portrayed a reflection of the struggles, hopes and aspirations of all Malaysian mothers'.

Suhailah is also remembered as the patron of the Muslim Women's Action Organisation (Pertiwi) which is committed to the effective implementation of training and education projects and activities for the advancement of women and children in the country.

Pertiwi today runs soup kitchens for the needy in various locations in Kuala Lumpur and also conducts health programmes now and then.

Rafidah recalled that Suhailah was a warm and hospitable person who got along easily with people.

"She loved to laugh and it was fun to have a conversation with her. She was so friendly that I used to look up to her as my elder sister and, sometimes, would forget that she was the wife of the prime minister," she said.

"She was not a stickler for formalities when she chaired meetings. She would seek opinions and advice," said Rafidah, adding that Suhailah was honoured as the 'mother of Bakti'.

Suhailah was awarded the Darjah Seri Setia Mahkota, which carries the title 'Tun', by the Federal Government in 1990. She was also honoured with the Srikandi Award by the Girl Guides Association.

Suhailah died at 12.30 am today at the KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital.

She was 82.