Fatimah Hashim was born on December 24, 1924 in Muar, Johor in the Federation of Malaya, now Malaysia. She joined the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in her 20s to fight for freedom from British Colonial rule. She became head of the Kaum Ibu Malaya, later the Wantia UMNO, or the women’s wing of the organization. She led this movement for 16 years until 1972. During her tenure, she found inadequate facilities and infrastructure for the people of the Malay peninsula and focused her work on improving health care and education. On 31 August, 1957, Fatimah, along with three of her children and her husband, traveled to Kuala Lumpur to the Stadium Merdeka (independence) to celebrate Malaysia’s independent from Great Britain. She recalls if that day “I could not sleep the night before. We had an UMNO ceremony at the Royal Selangor Club field and then went to the stadium in the morning. I felt so proud of what we had achieved. I can still see Tunku at the podium crying out 'Merdeka!'.” After independence, she was encouraged by her husband and others she had worked with previously to continue in politics and continue her work to advocate for the poor and women across the country. She served as a Member of Parliament and eventually became the Minister of Welfare. She served as Minister the same time her husband served as Minister of Law making them the only couple to serve in the Cabinet of Malaysia at the same time. In addition to serving in government, Fatimah also founded and served as president of Malaysia’s National Council of Women’s Organizations, which she led for 24 years. Fatimah passed away on 9 January 2010 and was laid to rest in the Masjid Negara compound beside her husband, becoming the first woman leader to be laid to rest there.