BOH Chairman makes it into Forbes 2020 Asia's Power Businesswomen List
Caroline Russell, chairman of BOH Plantations Sdn Bhd makes it into Forbes 2020 Asia's Power Businesswomen List. The list highlights 25 remarkable women leaders in the Asia-Pacific region.
As the third generation that leads Malaysia's largest tea producer, Caroline widened BOH's range of teas and international sales before becoming the executive chairman of the company.
The editor of the 2020 Asia's Power Businesswomen list, Rana Watson mentioned that it is crucial to give a spotlight for the women who shone during these unprecedented times.
Kudos for making it into the list, Caroline! Let's strive to inspire people to keep their chins up and excel at their field no matter the situation.
Sneak peek from Issue 2 - Batik: More than just a tapestry of colours
Batik has always been a proud cultural heritage within the hearts of Malaysians. People everywhere have been mesmerized by the intricate patterns, motifs, designs and colours. Representing distinctive traditional identities so strong, let us uncover the colourful story behind the Malaysian Batik.
The Origins
The word batik is derived from the Javanese word titik, meaning to drop or to dot. Batik is made by brushing or drawing wax over selected parts of the cloth, After you make the pattern, you dye the cloth. The parts covered in wax resist the dye and remain in its originality. After the final dyeing and removal of wax, the cloth is then ready to be worn or shown.
How To Make Batik 101
Block printing is the most popular method, where a block with patterns carved on it are stamped repeatedly over a piece of cloth. Screen printing, printing on a screen with stencils is popular as well, though batik makers must be wary and align the details on the cloth. The most exclusive (and commonly expensive) method is hand-drawing with tools made of brass.
Block printing
Hand-drawn batik
Malaysian Batik VS Javanese Batik
Colours are an easy way to distinguish the two, as Javanese batiks have darker, earthier tones and Malaysian batiks tend to be brighter and more colourful. As for the motifs, the Javanese tend to go for cosmological motifs (heavens, garuda birds, etc) whereas the Malaysian revolves around floral and geometrical elements.
Malaysian batik with floral motifs
Javanese batik with birds motif
Curious to know more? Read the full story in MWAW’s second issue!
Foreign Spouses and Children Can Now Apply for Return
According to Immigration Director-General Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud, foreign spouses and children of Malaysians who don’t have long-term visit passes can now apply for permission to enter the country.
However, only applicants from countries whose citizens are allowed to enter the country will be considered for approval. “For countries that are subject to entry restrictions, applicants will not be considered until there is a decision to lift entry bans,” said Datuk Khairul.
Applicants must be foreign spouses and children of Malaysian citizens or permanent residents. For spouses, their marriages must be registered under the National Registration Department, the state Islamic Religious Department, the state Islamic Religious Council, the Malaysian Embassy or the Malaysian High Commission (overseas).
Applicants can visit www.imi.gov.my for procedures and guidelines. Applications are to be sent via email to gforce@imi.gov.my.
Women leaders in Malaysia - YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Rohani Abdul Karim
Do you know who YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Rohani Abdul Karim is? She is a politician from the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition with Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB). She currently serves as the Member of Parliament (MP ) for the Batang Lupar seat in Sarawak.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (currently Universiti Putra Malaysia) and a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the
University of Ohio, USA.
Rohani has a long history of political involvement. She won the Santubong seat in the 1990 general elections and maintained the seat for the 1995 and 1999 general elections. Then, she won the Santubong seat once again from the 2004 general elections and stayed on till the 2018 general elections.
Among her notable political achievements include becoming the Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism in 2009 and becoming the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development in 2013. Hats off to this lady as a female representative in the political world!
Fun facts (Game-Changing Women)
Fun Fact #1
If it weren’t for Eliza Pinckney, then the blue jeans industry would have never grown in North America. She had to manage three plantations in South Carolina in her teen years to reduce her family debt. She planted indigo plants in 1739 and by 1775, South Carolina exported more than 1 million pounds
annually.
Fun Fact #2
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel had a long way before she became an iconic fashion brand. Did you know that “Coco” was her nickname from her brief career as a singer? She then worked as a seamstress and opened her first boutique in 1913. Among her inventions include the shoulder handbag, women’s trousers, the little black dress, costume jewellery and perfume.
Fun Fact #3
Did you know that Estée Lauder started the ‘word of mouth’ promotion for makeup products? She refined the creams from her uncle’s skincare product laboratory and offered free testing wherever she could. Estée is famous for her marketing tactics - she once ‘accidentally’ spilled her perfume in the Galeries Lafayette store when they refused to restock her products and the store had to comply when customers flocked to the scent!
Fun Fact #4
Annie Easley was one out of four African-American employees hired by the NACA (now NASA). Though she first started with doing calculations for researchers, she’s famous for becoming a computer programmer for NASA’s
Centaur Rocket Project. Her programming codes later helped to develop modern hybrid cars.
Top Glove reports RM1.29b profit in Q3 due to strong demand from pandemic
Top Glove Corporation Bhd, Malaysian glove making company reported a huge jump in quarterly profit on September 17th, due to strong demand from the pandemic.
The organization reported a RM1.29 billion profit for Q3 that ended on August 31st, which easily exceeded the RM349.2 million analyst estimate from a poll by Refinitiv. Revenue increased by 161 percent year-on-year to RM3.11 billion.
Top Glove mentioned in a statement that glove demands are still at an all-time high and expect the demand to increase by 25 percent in 2021 and 15 percent after COVID-19 has passed.
The organization said that gloves are still needed even when the vaccines are found. They have designated RM8 billion for capital expenditure for the next six years.
UNFPA: Pandemic recovery efforts need to highlight on women and girls
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) feels that it is time to highlight the effects of the pandemic on women and girls. Women and girls become vulnerable during the lockdown as they're exposed to a number of harmful acts.
Women's groups and the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) should collaborate to educate women about domestic violence and make support services for the victims more accessible.
Sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) services should be more available to the public. Not only will this reduce teenage pregnancies, this may also tackle maternal mortality and childbirth difficulties.
There should be more child safety campaigns in school like "Sahabat Bijak" to eliminate sexual crimes against children. Other than rape, incest and molestation, children during the MCO from marginalized or lower income communities may be in danger of child marriage.
Although Malaysia is managing the pandemic well, the UNFPA feels that addressing these plights for women and children at the same time will help Malaysia develop as a more equitable country.
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