HELPING others is what drives humanitarian and Mercy Malaysia founder Dr Jemilah Mahmood to continue contributing towards humanitarian endeavours, despite having been wounded on a mission.

The 60-year-old was awarded the 2019 Asean Prize today for her contributions to disaster management and other humanitarian initiatives in the region.

Dr Jemilah, who is under secretary-general (partnerships) at the Geneva-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), is the first Malaysian to be awarded the prize, which was introduced last year at the Asean Summit in Singapore. 

“I am grateful for this recognition and honour and hope this award will inspire more Malaysians and Asean nationals to join the humanitarian and development aid field,” she said, adding that she hoped her efforts would spur more women to follow suit.

Speaking to the Malaysian media after receiving the award from Thai Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-o-cha in conjunction with the 35th Asean Summit in Bangkok, Dr Jemilah said she would donate the US$20,000 (RM83,000) prize money to the Surin Pitsuwan Foundation and the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, equally.

She said that the foundation was named after the late Surin Abdul Halim Ismail Pitsuwan, a former foreign minister with the Thai government and Asean secretary-general. 

“The late Surin was a big influence in my life. I knew him in my earlier years in the humanitarian field when he had just stepped down as foreign minister. He was an intellectual and a visionary,” she said.

Dr Jemilah, a trained gynaecologist, had taken a bullet in the hip while on a Mercy Malaysia humanitarian mission in Iraq in 2003. Two colleagues died and several others were injured in the incident.

Other positions she has held include chief (humanitarian response branch) at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), senior fellow (research and investment strategy division) at Khazanah Nasional Bhd and senior visiting research fellow (humanitarian futures programme) at Kings College, London. 

The Asean Prize recognises outstanding achievements by an individual towards building an Asean identity, promoting the Asean spirit and championing the vision of the regional grouping. 

Last year’s recipient was Erlinda Uy Koe from the Philippines, the former chairman of the Asean Autism Network.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was glad that Dr Jemilah had been recognised by the regional bloc for her outstanding work in the humanitarian field.

“We are glad her work has been recognised,” he told the Malaysian media after attending a series of meetings at the Asean summit today. – Bernama, November 3, 2019.