Irene Fernandez remembered by many as a strong woman with an iron will
T K Letchumy Tamboo
March 31, 2014 17:49 MYT
March 31, 2014 17:49 MYT
Human rights activist and Tenaganita Executive Director Irene Fernandez.
Practically everyone who knew activist and Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez, described her as a strong woman with an iron will and did not fail to sing praises about her contributions.
Fernandez who passed away on Monday morning touched many people’s hearts.
Activist Nalini Elumalai said Fernandez was an inspiring woman and taught her how to be brave.
“I knew Irene since 2006 and we worked on a lot of issues pertaining to non-government organisations. She was an inspiring person and she taught me how to face things bravely.
"Just three weeks ago, I had a discussion with her about migrant issues. After finding out that she was hospitalised, I visited her on Saturday. I was planning to visit her today as well, unfortunately, she passed away.
“She was a fighter until the end and her legacy will stay on. She passed her baton of strength to the younger generation and now we have to carry that baton,” she told Astro AWANI.
Member of Parliament for Klang, Charles Santiago said Fernandez’s contributions were great and Malaysia will miss her.
“I knew her for 30 years and we worked together on many international and trade issues. As an activist, she stood strong for the rights of the migrant workers and farmers,” he said.
Selangor Anti-Human Trafficking Council (Mapmas) taskforce member Abdul Aziz Ismail said his council would stumble without Irene’s strong support.
“Irene was a strong advocator of anti-human trafficking issues and we have worked together since 1988.
“She was a very strong person who always fights for justice. We are at a loss over her death. She is gone too soon. She was the strong foundation for our council. Without her, we stumble,” he said.
The high school teacher gave up her teaching profession in 1970, to become a full-time organiser for young workers.
Always very vocal in the movements that she believed in and supported, she led many campaigns especially women-based ones such as the consumer programme for a breast-feeding campaign and stop violence against women campaign.
According to the Right Livelihood Award website, various women's groups mushroomed as a result of her campaigns including the All Women's Action Society.
Irene also founded the Tenaganita organisation in 1991 and it campaigns for the rights of foreign workers, up to three million of whom are in Malaysia.
In 1995, Irene published a report on the abuse of migrant workers, cataloguing the malnutrition, physical and sexual abuse and the appalling conditions the workers endure.
Titled "Abuse, Torture and Dehumanised Conditions of Migrant Workers in Detention Centres", the report led to her arrest a year later.
She was charged under Section 8A (1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act.
In 2003 she was found guilty and sentenced to a year in prison. By 2005, she was still on bail pending an appeal.
After 13 years of struggle, the social activist was finally freed from the charge after her conviction was set aside by the High Court.
She was also a member of the organising committee of the recently concluded People’s Tribunal on Malaysia’s 13th General Election.
Notably, she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for "her outstanding and courageous work to stop violence against women and abuses of migrant and poor workers", in 2005.
Meanwhile, the social media was buzzing with news of her death and many of her friends, fellow activists and acquaintances described her as a brave and courageous woman.