Q: Tell us a few things about your country, and also your life's story!

Malaysia is a multiethnic, multicultural and multi-lingual country. I have grown up tasting food originated from other races, and dressing up in the traditional attire of the different races. We Malaysians are also notorious for using three languages in a sentence with a “lah” at the end and still be perfectly understood by each other. As of now I am a 23 years old final year law student at the brink of graduation, a doting daughter, a decent photographer and a soon-to-be lawyer.

Q: What is your view of the world as it is today? And how do you define the concept of a better world?

While I couldn’t help but to marvel at the technological advancements as time goes by, I realised it erodes our humanity and kindness away. People’s eyes are glued to their phones more than making eye contact, people smiled into their phones more than giving a passerby a smile. I had an encounter in which I talked to lady cleaner in a lift, briefly asking how was her day and what she had for breakfast. I sighed as I told her that it has been some time since I had upma- an Indian breakfast. The next day, lo and behold, there was a packet of upma parcelled to me. I stood there a while, baffled. I couldn’t have posed any significance to her- I am just another person in the lift. She doesn’t have to fork out the time or the money from her meagre salary to go all the way and get it for me. Her kindness and generosity- something that I feel that we all could learn. A better world for me is to be more kind to each other.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society?

In my country Malaysia, despite 60 years of independence, racism still prevails in my country. The discriminatory mindset of certain groups of people still can’t be eradicated, and we Malaysian have witnessed everything from race-based house renting, segregation of drinking cups in school, Muslim-only launderettes to the ban on Muslim frontline staff from wearing head scarves.

We falsely believe in the connotation that it is always easier to stay or to get involved with our own kind/race. Despite having different skin colour, we all laugh at the same jokes, smile the same way and feel the same feelings. We people are fundamentally more similar than different and we should celebrate the diversity we have rather than putting people into boxes and assign label on them based on their race.

Q: As a young individual what are a few of the hurdles that you had to overcome up until today?

I was (still am at times) full of self-limiting beliefs. When I was in my first year of law school, all I envisioned was an easy way out.

However I noticed people doing amazing things, stepping out of their comfort zone and I thought I’ll never be able to do that.

I realised there is no way around this than just to try your hand at things. I thank myself for bringing myself up to do it eventually-although I opted to chicken out so many times. The training was terrible, the competition was nerve-wrecking, the hours spent were long and tiring and it is not every day that you win. But the learning curve was exponential and totally worth it.

Maybe I might have not won the competitions, but I won against my own self-limiting beliefs. To go and do something that I thought I ultimately can’t is so…empowering, life-changing.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you?

There is this Confucius saying "When I walk along with two others, from at least one I will be able to learn." This saying shows that learning opportunity is everywhere and everyone we cross path in life is there to teach us something. Even more so if that individual is a mentor, and is willing to teach.

Mentors are great in the sense that apart from providing knowledge and information, they are also capable of seeing things in a very different light from us due to their experience. Mentors have the wisdom of life they are willing to give away so that we do not have to repeat the mistakes-plus there is only so much of mistakes you can make in a lifetime!

One more thing is that one word for encouragement and the faith and belief from your mentor goes a long way in boosting your confidence and self-esteem.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share?

It was during modern maths class and report cards were being distributed. Everyone was looking into theirs - pretty sure most of them did well. However my marks were written in red because I gloriously failed my additional mathematics. I was there licking my wounds and that’s when my teacher decides it is a great time to look at my report card. She took my report card and looked at it while I was fidgeting uneasily. Then she pointed at the red mark and said, “this has happened and it’s okay,” then she pointed at the blank space below the red mark and said, “what is more important is what happens after this.”

We are all humans, and we all make terrible mistakes or get caught in bad circumstances at times. My teacher taught me that you are allowed to drop the extreme lowest point in life. Instead of being all devastated and dwelling upon it, look for the solution and change your predicament. It’s okay if you messed up, what matters is what you do about it after that.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives!

Malaysia’s current prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad is a huge inspiration to the country since being elected. He is still serving the country at an astounding age of 93! Since taking up the mantle he has been actively carrying out his manifestos and one of the mos predominant ones is abolishing the Goods and Services Tax (GST). GST is the reason for cost of goods to increase and as a result, it becomes a burden to the public when they have to pay higher prices for goods and services. It is important for a leader to walk the talk and put the people and the country’s interest at topmost priority at the same time inspiring people to work hard and work better by setting personal limitations aside.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are made towards gender equality?

The challenge would be women are still underrepresented in leadership positions. However the current government promised that women will make up at least 30% of the country's policy makers and is working towards in achieving that.

Q: Athena40 is the first ever global selection of the top 40 women forward thinkers, commentators, activists, authors, academics, entrepreneurs, executives, innovators. Can you think of a truly innovative and forward-thinking woman from your country that you wish to nominate for the Athena40 global ranking?

I would nominate Ambiga Sreenevasan. She is a prominent Malaysian lawyer and human rights advocate, and she formerly served as the President of the Malaysian Bar Council from 2007 to 2009, and was former co-chairperson of Bersih, an NGO Coalition advocating for free and fair elections. She is a brave, bold lady and is relentless in voicing out the discrepancies in the country. She was also awarded with the US International Women of Courage Award in 2009.

Q: Share with us a phrase, a poem or a story that you love or you find interesting!

A poem that resonates with me is Invictus by William Ernest Hensley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Q: Tell us one thing that you have learned from your mentor.

My mentor Ms Eva Grosman believes a lot in giving back. This is not the first time she is being a mentor and I definitely don’t think it will be the last. There are so many things that I have learnt from Ms Eva but the one that struck me deeply would be the sense of giving back to the society and to the world. Although there is no direct reward or repayment in giving back, she thrives on the self-satisfaction she gets by it. I believe that by giving back we can make a lasting impact to the world, however not many can bring themselves to do it. Her selflessness and compassion never cease to awe me.