ON his 100th birthday, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad didn’t go viral for a political remark or grand statement, but for quietly bowing to a cat and saying “meow.”
The moment, captured and shared by his granddaughter Serena Mukhriz (@serena.mukhriz) on Instagram, shows him respectfully greeting a fluffy orange Maine Coon with surprising poise and gentleness.
Captioned “100 years around the sun”, the video resonated with thousands of Malaysians, who were struck by his calm demeanour and obvious fondness for the feline companion.
Ironically, a few hours before Serena’s post, Muar MP Syed Saddiq (@syedsaddiq) had already stirred online attention with a birthday tribute of his own; framing cats as the unexpected secret behind Tun M’s longevity.
“I think the time has come for me to reveal Tun M’s biggest secret,” the introductory caption in his Instagram post.
“The reason he stays young, healthy, and composed, even during heated Parliament sessions, is because he watches cat videos. Not once, but many times. He even laughs to himself.”
The post included a candid photo of Tun M watching YouTube cat clips during a past parliamentary sitting.
Syed added, “While the whole country is in a heated debate, Tun just chills watching kittens afraid of water and hopping around.”
The double-whammy of Serena’s heartfelt clip and Syed’s humorous revelation quickly lit up social media, and the responses were telling.
Instagram user @tehasenusi commented, “Even while watching cat videos, his mind stays sharp. The rest of us get distracted immediately.”
User @jiiqs listed Tun M’s ultimate green flags, noting his contributions to the nation as prime minister (twice), long life, and loyalty to his wife, ending with: “And now, an extreme cat lover too.”
Meanwhile, @emma_eliyas wrote, “This is so random, but it makes sense now why he’s still so youthful. Maybe I should start filling my feed with cat videos too.”
On Reddit, a repost in r/Bolehland by user @khshsmjc1996 titled “Mahathir the cat whisperer” drew admiration as well.
User @DishSwimming2397 wrote, “He’s 100 years old and still able to bend his body like that. He’s in great shape.”
Another user, @JustOrdinaryUncle, remarked simply: “He’s probably immortal.”
In a political landscape often defined by intensity and division, Tun M’s feline fondness offered a rare moment of warmth, reminding Malaysians that sometimes, the softest gestures leave the biggest impression.
The double-whammy of Serena’s heartfelt clip and Syed’s humorous revelation quickly lit up social media, and the responses were telling.
Instagram user @tehasenusi commented, “Even while watching cat videos, his mind stays sharp. The rest of us get distracted immediately.”
User @jiiqs listed Tun M’s ultimate green flags, noting his contributions to the nation as prime minister (twice), long life, and loyalty to his wife, ending with: “And now, an extreme cat lover too.”
Meanwhile, @emma_eliyas wrote, “This is so random, but it makes sense now why he’s still so youthful. Maybe I should start filling my feed with cat videos too.”
On Reddit, a repost in r/Bolehland by user @khshsmjc1996 titled “Mahathir the cat whisperer” drew admiration as well.
User @DishSwimming2397 wrote, “He’s 100 years old and still able to bend his body like that. He’s in great shape.”
Another user, @JustOrdinaryUncle, remarked simply: “He’s probably immortal.”
In a political landscape often defined by intensity and division, Tun M’s feline fondness offered a rare moment of warmth, reminding Malaysians that sometimes, the softest gestures leave the biggest impression.
