Tun Suhailah binti Mohamed Noah (Jawi: سهيلة بنت محمد نوح; 26 October 1930 – 4 October 2014) was the widow of the 3rd Malaysian Prime Minister Hussein Onn and the Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia from 15 January 1976, until 16 July 1981. She was the mother of Hishammuddin Hussein, who is the former Minister of Defence.^[1]

Biography

Suhailah Noah was born on 26 October 1930 in Muar, Johor.^[1] Her father, Mohamed Noah Omar, was the first Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (1959–1964).^[1] Suhailah's sister, Rahah Noah, is the widow of 2nd Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein.^[1][2]

Suhailah married Hussein Onn in 1948.^[1] They had six children, including their fourth child, Hishammuddin Hussein.^[1] Their eldest daughter, Datin Roquaiya Hanim (born 1950), died from breast cancer in 2006.^[1]

Hussein Onn served as Prime Minister from 1976 to 1981, making Suhailah the Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Her husband died on 29 May 1990.^[1]

Suhailah was awarded the title of "Tun" by the Federal Government of Malaysia in 1990.^[1]

Death

Suhaila Noah died on 4 October 2014, at 12:30 a.m. in Damansara Specialist Hospital in Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, at the age of 83 (she was preceded in death by her daughter, Datin Rogayah Hanim (1950–2006), whom she outlived by eight years and also her husband Tun Hussein Onn who predeceased her by 24 years).^[1] Her funeral and burial was held at the Makam Pahlawan (Heroes Mausoleum) in Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur.^[1] She was buried near the grave of her husband, Hussein Onn (inside dome) and the grave of her father, Mohamed Noah Omar.^[1] Prior to her death, she resided as well as spending her old age in Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur, which was her family's residence in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area.^[1]

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

•  Malaysia :
  • Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) – Tun (1990)^[3]
•  Terengganu :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Terengganu (SPMT) – Dato' (1977)