That sentiment, she said, was evident when Malaysians from all walks of life swarmed the Parliament building to pay their last respects to Razak, father of Prime Minister Najib.

“When his body was placed there, Malaysians came in droves to pay their last respects to the point where the doors and glass panels shattered. Some even fell into the ponds.

“There were just too many people who wanted to pay their last respects but had only a limited time to do so as other foreign leaders were also going to pay their last respects.

“This goes to show how much Malaysians loved their prime minister then,” she said during a “bual bicara” discussion titled “Jasa Tun Razak”, broadcast live on former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Facebook this afternoon.

Razak succeeded Tunku Abdul Rahman as prime minister on Sept 22, 1970. He died on Jan 14, 1976, at the age of 53, from leukaemia.

Known as the father of development, he was only into the fifth year of implementing key policies introduced post-1969, like the New Economic Policy (NEP) and the National Education Policy, that led to the conversion of the medium of instruction in national schools from English to Bahasa Malaysia.

The wife of Dr Mahathir also recalled how Malaysians had swarmed Subang airport, which was the main airport at the time, when Razak’s remains were flown home to Malaysia.

“Malaysians just flooded the airport. They were willing to park their cars kilometres away and walk to the airport to ‘welcome’ him home.

“There was a lot of wailing and crying. They really loved Abdul Razak and were very sad because he was a people’s leader and did what he could to ease the lives of those living in the rural areas.”

Siti Hasmah said Razak had come up with a red book, in which he sought to address four evils — namely poverty, illiteracy, ill health and apathy.

She said she and her family got to know Razak’s family even before Mahathir’s foray into politics. She said her brother became acquainted with Razak at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK).

She said the reason why Mahathir always mentioned the contributions of Razak was because the latter was a mentor and icon to him.

Siti Hasmah said Razak had seen the potential in Mahathir, who was a young minister then, and was successful in persuading Mahathir to come back to Umno.

“In 1974, Mahathir re-contested his Kubang Pasu parliamentary seat, and won. After that, he was appointed education minister.”

She said from there, Mahathir became deputy prime minister and subsequently the nation’s fourth prime minister.

Mahathir, Siti Hasmah said, became someone Razak could trust, to the point that Razak even told Hussein Onn (then his deputy PM) to get in touch with Mahathir should any problem arise.

As a medical doctor, Siti Hasmah said Mahathir had noticed that Razak looked unwell and was not happy about it.

“Mahathir was already feeling very sad. Imagine, your mentor, someone you love, is leaving.

“Abdul Razak knew his own condition. He was to leave this country to get treatment overseas (to London in December 1975).

“His condition was dire but he kept on serving the people. So we were so sad when he left and came back in a coffin,” she said.

At the time news of Razak’s passing reached them, Siti Hasmah said Mahathir was having a discussion with some students at their home in Petaling Jaya. Upon hearing the news, he left the guests in her hands.

“In less than 30 minutes, he contacted me to ask the guests to return home and to wait for the announcement on television. I was told to gather at Hussein’s house.

“Abdul Razak’s passing was announced on television. We were really sad. Everyone was shocked.

“No one then knew (about his illness) and they did not expect that he would leave and not come back. Well, he did come back, but only in a coffin,” she said, adding that she felt sorry for Razak’s wife Rahah Mohammad Noah and her family, who had to endure the pain.

Razak was later laid to rest at the Heroes Mausoleum near the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur.

Siti Hasmah said Razak’s name was etched in history books and urged all Malaysians to remember his contributions.

“Abdul Razak was a great man. He became a prime minister who excelled and accomplished much.”

Razak, who was born 95 years ago, was known as “Bapa Pembangunan” (Father of Development) for his contributions in bringing development to the nation, including rural development by setting up Felda.

It was Razak, who in the aftermath of the 1969 riots infamously known as “May 13”, mooted the idea of Barisan Nasional (BN) to replace the Alliance party so that all political parties representing all ethnic groups in Malaysia could unite under one coalition, thus enabling them to focus on nation building and less on politicking.

On the international front, Razak was instrumental in the establishment of diplomatic relations with China in 1974, the first Asean member to do so.

Razak and his wife had five sons, the eldest being the country’s current prime minister, Najib.