PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) National chairman has secured a four-year term (2022 to 2026) on the governing board of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
She was elected from among 20 governing board members, representing each of the IFRC’s geographic regions, who were also voted into office at the IFRC’s 23rd General Assembly held in Geneva.
“I am truly privileged to have been elected as a member of the governing board of IFRC and will do my best to represent Malaysia and the Asia Pacific.
“I started serving the community 30 years ago through Yayasan Sultanah Bahiyah and the Kedah Red Crescent, focusing on programmes in Kedah. This journey has taken me to lead MRCS at the national level and subsequently in the global body. It is certainly my honour to serve,” she said in a statement.
She has been voted in as one of the five representatives for Asia, covering 50 National Societies in the world’s largest and vastly diverse region, according to MRCS secretary-general Hakim Hamzah.
“Tunku Puteri was elected along with Otohiko Hori of Japan, Kerry Nickels of New Zealand, Maj-Gen (Rtd) Abdul Wahab of Bangladesh and Jalal Mohammed Al Owaisi of Saudi Arabia.
“Francesco Rocca of Italy retained his position, for a second term, as the president of the IFRC. The delegates have also elected Maha Barjas Al-Barjas of Kuwait as vice-president for the Asian Region,” he told theSun.
Hakim said the position meant she will be included in the formulation of policies with IFRC.
“The formulation of policies will include sexual gender and behaviour violence, and protection of gender and inclusion that aims to encompass minorities who are vulnerable.
“The minorities include non-Malaysians, refugees and those who may not be a priority so that they will have equal access to basic medical care and clean water too.”
He said Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz, who is also the Tengku Temenggong of Kedah, had made a push to include minorities into the Covid-19 vaccination programme at a time when there were dissenting voices against their inclusion.
Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz had been appointed the society’s first female chairman of MRCS on July 28, 2018. She places her focus on youth development and believes youths’ contribution to the country is important.
