How Malaysia’s Marina Mahathir turned privilege into lifelong advocacy for social justice
Marina says her privileged background has given her a responsibility to champion for those who are unable to advocate for themselves
Marina Mahathir readily acknowledges the privileges of her birth and says that being able to “get a foot in the door” only made her more determined to speak up for those who could not.
The 68-year-old daughter of Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad told an audience at Singapore Management University (SMU) on Friday that her family name gave her a platform – and a responsibility – to champion marginalised communities, particularly women and people living with HIV.
“I had a way of getting my foot in the door for sure, but I was not representing just me,” she said during a dialogue moderated by SMU president professor Lily Kong. “I was representing a lot of people who could not speak for themselves, who could not advocate for themselves, and so I always kept that in mind, because I’m very well aware I’m privileged.”
A long-time campaigner and outspoken voice for social justice, Marina’s talk at SMU was part of a women’s leadership lecture held in partnership with the Karim Family Foundation.
Marina was one of the early advocates for those living with Aids in Malaysia, serving as the president of the Malaysian Aids Council from 1993 to 2005.