'PM's shaking hands during swearing-in due to the cold, not nerves'

INTERVIEW | Although Pakatan Harapan won enough seats in the 14th general election to form the federal government, uncertainty lingered over Dr Mahathir Mohamad assuming the prime ministership the following day.

The swearing-in ceremony was initially scheduled for 11am on May 10, but was later postponed to 5pm. Speculation began to circulate that there might be attempts to stop him from officially being made prime minister.

Finally, Mahathir was only sworn in about 9.30pm that night.

According to Mahathir’s wife, Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, they ended up waiting as the Istana Negara for five to six hours before the ceremony eventually commenced.

“We had been to the Istana Negara before, but only for a short time, and we were prepared.

“But this time we were not prepared, and we did not know that we would be there for six hours.

“It was so cold. It was like we were in a refrigerator. That is why you could see my husband’s hands shaking.

“It was not because he was nervous, it was because we were so cold,” she said in an interview with Malaysiakini at the Perdana Leadership Foundation.

During the live broadcast of the swearing-in ceremony, netizens had commented on Mahathir’s hands, which were visibly trembling throughout. Many believed this to be a sign of nerves.

Siti Hasmah also said that the official announcement of her husband taking up the mantle of seventh prime minister was very important.

“It was very critical for us (because) winning is one thing, getting the votes is one thing, but the official announcement is another thing.

“I am glad I was with him and my children too.”

Marina a fighter like her dad

Siti Hasmah said that her eldest daughter, social activist Marina Mahathir, played a vital role in the GE14 campaign by bringing feedback from the ground.

However, she added, Marina and her father often have trouble communicating with one another as they are both similar in temperament.

“It is very difficult for her to speak to her father because the two are fighters, two different, strong fighters.

“It is really difficult for her to communicate with her father, to say, this is what she heard from the ground, this is what the people want to convey to her father.

“Sometimes there are long arguments or differences in opinions.”

One recent example stood out for Siti Hasmah – Mahathir’s final address on the eve of election day.

She said that her husband had spent four days drafting his “last appeal to the people” before they headed to the polls.

“Then came Marina, who happened to hear the recording of Mahathir’s (draft) speech, and she said, ‘No, daddy, this is wrong, that is wrong, you mustn’t say this, you mustn’t say that.’

“I felt sorry for my husband, because I knew he worked so hard, but Marina did not,” she recounted.

“And then her poor daddy said ‘Okay, Marina, be calm’. He had to calm his daughter down, and said, ‘I will take this out, I will take that out’.”

'We cannot lose'

But Marina felt bad for forcing her father to edit his speech the next day, recalled Siti Hasmah.

“She was crying over the phone, (saying) ‘I don’t want to lose, Mummy.’

“It was very emotional for all the family,” she said.

Siti Hasmah pointed out that Marina is heavily involved in many communities, and it was with them in mind that she insisted that the election cannot be lost.

But Pakatan Harapan, against seemingly insurmountable odds, did not lose.

“There must be something good that we did before that the Almighty has blessed us with victory.

“It is not our own victory. It is not a victory for the family.

“It is a victory for all the people in Malaysia. They wanted it and they supported us,” she said. - Mkini