PETPOSITIVE mourns the loss of human rights activist Zaitun Kassim, 41, who died this morning at 5am to cancer.
I first met Toni - as she was known to all her friends - during the late nineties. I was attracted to her because of her activism for women's rights and had several discussions with her on how disabled women could also be empowered along with able-bodied women.
We had planned to run a special workshop specifically on women. However, it was never realised owing to a number of obstacles then.
I last met Toni at Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir's house two years ago. It was at Marina's Hari Raya party. I was surprised to discover some changes in Toni's life, especially in her marriage.
I was shocked to learn a couple of months ago about her illness. And although I tried to call her a number of times on her mobile, she never answered. I had hoped to catch her at a better time.
But this morning, I received an SMS message from another activist friend of mine, Pramila, that Toni had died this morning.
I will best remember Toni during the time I gave her a lift from Rawang to her home in KL some years ago. We had just finished a meeting at the Independent Living and Training Centre - a self-help NGO for the disabled - and were returning home.
I had my Rottweiler, Vai, in the back seat of my car. She had no problems with it. During the drive back, even Vai liked her so much that he rested his muzzle on her shoulder all the way back.
So long Toni till we meet again on the other side!
aNt
PET+BLOGSPOT
Here now is Malaysiakini's story on the great and untiring activist:
Well-known women’s activist Zaitun ‘Toni’ Kasim passed away this morning after suffering from a debilitating bout of duodenal cancer.
She died at 5am at her sister’s house at Taman Mesra, Batu Tiga, Shah Alam.
Zaitun, 41, had over the years advocated reform in laws that discriminated against women, and had held key positions in a number of women's organisations.
zaitun kasim zaitun kassim" title="zaitun kasim zaitun kassim" align="left" height="214" width="160">She contested in the 1999 general election as an independent candidate supported by the Women’s Candidacy Initiative (WCI) coalition.
In that election, Zaitun stood under the DAP banner for the Selayang parliamentary seat against Barisan Nasional’s Chan Kong Choy, then MCA Youth chief.
She bagged 26,144 votes, or 43 percent, slashing the incumbent’s margin from 38,627 to 8,835.
WCI did not field a candidate in the 2004 elections but Zaitun was widely expected to run again for the second time in the March 8 general election.
However, due to her worsening health condition, Zaitun pulled out from the contest.
100 people attend funeral
Prayers were being held at the Jamek Fastabiqul Khayrat mosque in Shah Alam before burial at the nearby Pusara Kenangan Abadi Muslim cemetery at 1pm.
PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail when met at the mosque said she felt "sad at losing Zaitun at such a young age".
"It's a loss for all of us. She was a strong advocate for women's rights," she added.
Fellow women activist Irene Fernandez also expressed her sorrow over Zaitun's passing.
"She was a great person with strong beliefs and firm principles," said the director of rights NGO Tenaganita.
Others seen at the funeral were Women's Aid Organisation's Ivy Josiah, Subang parliamentarian R Sivarasa, Kota Damansara state assemblyperson Dr Nasir Hashim.
Please visit www.malaysiakini.com for more updates.End
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