Leading The Change
Malaysia You Matter: Women We Admire
Women in Malaysia have come a long way since we gained independence in 1957 and since we became one nation in 1963. Throughout Malaysia’s growth and expansion, she has bred many admirable women – all of whom carry a composition of grace, strength, and courage.
Eve Writes | 03 October 2019
Now, women in Malaysia, as well as all over the world, are working together more closely than ever. Recognising and understanding how our success lies not in competition, but in cooperation, more and more Malaysian women are raising the bar in any field from medicine to art to technology to aeronautical. Malaysian women understand whether from holding positions in politics and corporate world to managing domestic front and shaping future generation, we have proven that anything is possible once we set our minds to it and work together.
About Eve will be showcasing 56 Malaysian women who are showing us what it truly means to be a woman in modern Malaysia. She may be an entrepreneur, an educator, a social activist, a philanthropist, an environmentalist, she may be royalty – no matter who or where she comes from, all these women displayed amazing amount of tenacity overcoming personal and professional challenges to champion the causes they believe in.
WE will be featuring these amazing women in the coming weeks as inspiration to us to be better, to push harder, and most importantly to support each other because
Malaysians, you matter.
Royals Leading The Way
H.R.H. Tuanku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah binti Almarhum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj
“A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” ~ Diane Mariechild
As the new Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia, Her Royal Highness epitomises the quote so aptly because let’s get something straight, in just a short span of time, she is…arguably the most talked and tweeted about Raja Permaisuri Agong on social media, to date!
And that’s simply because of the very simple fact that the rakyat absolutely adores her! Prior to the installation on 30 July 2019, in an interview video with local daily Harian Metro, she requested one thing, please don't refer to her as the Princess with the ‘Heart of the rakyat’ … she doesn't like to be called that because ‘I am also a rakyat,’ she says.
Clearly, this is a royal who was brought up to see herself as first and foremost a subject with a duty to serve others. In another interview, she expressed herself more like your quintessential ‘working mum’ albeit a royal mum who brought up 6 children, a working mother who attends to the needs of her family whilst juggling her royal duties. She takes her role as then Tengku Puan Pahang, and now as the Raja Permaisuri Agong, seriously but reiterates that despite her new position, she remains unchanged as she is still the same as before. After her recent coronation, our new queen has not stopped capturing the hearts and attention of Malaysians nationwide.
During the MERDEKA ‘Independence Day’ Parade in Putrajaya, it was H.R.H Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah Aminah first Merdeka Day Parade since their installation as the new D.Y.M.M. Raja and Raja Permaisuri Agong on 30 July 2019. Some netizens commented she had not acted and behaved like how one would expect a ‘Queen’ to act or behave.
Now, we dare say, amongst the stoic and bored-looking VVIPS on the royal stand in Putrajaya that day, both the H.R.H Raja & Raja Permaisuri Agong stood out not because they are the Royals but because they stood up for the most part to cheer on the Merdeka parade participants!
What is obvious to us and obviously to everyone watching, for the first time (in a long time) the rakyat sees a Monarch presence among them to not only show support as our King and Queen, but to also have fun at a national day parade!
In our view, by being able to ‘let go’ of some degree of protocol, our new Raja Permaisuri Agong, by just being herself brought out new meaning to the occasion. She may not have realized it at the time but she made every single person, be it young or old feel that she IS just like us. AND that as rakyat we are all in this together!
Sometimes, we have to be damn royal.
When you want to be royal,
I can be very, very royal if I want to.
- HRH Raja Permaisuri Agong, StarTV
Our new Raja Permaisuri Agong has been making headlines for her humble and kind personality. She is often frank and candid when sharing and voicing her views and personal experiences. She has showcased a myriad sense of humour in her various interviews.
Already well-loved in her home state of Pahang prior to being the Raja Permaisuri Agong and that is because the causes that matter to her subjects genuinely matters to her (too). And now in her new role as the Raja Permaisuri Agong, we can look forward to H.R.H. Tunku Azizah bringing her own approach and new lease of life to championing community causes and show Malaysia(n)s what matters to her.
Tengku Zatashah binti Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah
NST online refer to her as a ‘Superhero’ in her own right. To her followers, she is the ‘Wonder Woman’ and much like the DC’s character Diana, Princess of the Amazon, Zatashah is not your typical princess! She has consistently proven that she was destined for greater things by being actively involved in charity work and volunteerism – inspiring fellow Malaysians to stand united for causes that contribute to the nation’s betterment.
Advocating for a better Malaysia, she is relentless. An environmentalist calling upon fellow Malaysians to adopt a more sustainable and eco-conscious mindset. For those following her daily postings, in between business engagements, exercise regimes and dance classes, she lives her life by walking the talk! The determined princess have made headlines beyond the society pages through advocating the #ZeroFoodWastage and #SayNo2Plastic campaigns which she launched in 2016.
Last year, after she was named as one of the icons for Empowering Women Year 2018 (TMW18), Zatashah who is also the CEO of Light Cibles Malaysia stressed that it’s imperative for women and young girls to push forward in their careers. In her daily social media postings, she encouraged other women to achieve their goals and dreams. No matter what you do – walk, run, crawl towards the ‘finish line’ if you have to – she showed us how.
As the Royal Patron for Make-A-Wish® Foundation, a charity organisation that grants wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, Zatashah is highly involved in the foundation's efforts. Since its conception 9 years ago, Make-A-Wish® has granted more than 500 wishes of Malaysian children. Needless to say, the children who are going through life-threatening conditions often miss the opportunities to explore life the way other children do because all of their families' focus and energy are channeled into battling the illness.
Make-A-Wish® allows these children and their family to set aside their challenges and battles for a day so they could experience the joy and fulfilment of Wish Day. This experience is hope to give the children and their families the moral support and empowerment to once again take up the fight against the challenges they're facing.
Her love for Malaysia and its people is prevalent through her relentless commitment to making changes and inspiring others to follow in her footsteps. There is not enough adjectives to describe this hardworking royal for being a beacon that reminds us that we can do better and be better, for our beloved Malaysia.
Raja Sarina Iskandar
This unassuming young lady is the daughter of Raja Di-Hilir Perak Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris Shah and Tunku Soraya Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, from the Kedah royal family. She is known to many through her blog ‘Dear Sarina’ and through her column in the News Strait Times, where she candidly described herself as 'a freelance writer, a blogger, a millennial trying to make a difference, starting with herself'…and she is doing exactly that.
In the internet and social media space where millennials don't realise they can lose their way in following particular influencers or the sea of lifestyle bloggers trying to ‘influence’ you to buy something or ‘pick up’ a new hobby because they are doing it; anyone who is anybody with a mobile camera ‘wants to be’ an influencer. However how does one be part of the generation that change the world if you write in shorts or abbreviated form? How do you encourage your peers to be better, to view things in a broader perspective, to contribute to the community around them that way?
Through ‘Dear Sarina’ – Raja Sarina shows that there is incredible power in the properly written words.
Whether it is finding the strength in vulnerability or the importance of expression, your thoughts and feelings can be transformed by simply taking your thoughts, observations, and experiences to paper. Well, in her case, through blogging. There are countless ways that your writing can affect not only yourself, but others as well. And Sarina shows that first, you must realize that you cannot be afraid to write. You cannot be skeptical of the voice you have to share. Whether you are the next Shakespeare or an occasional author, as long as if you have something to say, write it.
And clearly, Dear Sarina, as fellow Malaysians, we appreciate and applaud you. For your candidness and bravery in sharing your thoughts. And thank you too for reminding us (here at About EVE) in whatever we do -- if we draw a blank, being unsure of what we want to say to the world may be the best place to start.
