Cover The 29 year-old acting president and co-founder of Muda Amira Aisya wants to see more young women to take up leadership (Photo: Instagram/@amiraaisya)
The 29 year-old acting president and co-founder of Muda Amira Aisya wants to see more young women to take up leadership (Photo: Instagram/@amiraaisya)
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The 29 year-old acting president and co-founder of the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) wants to see more young women take up leadership roles
After Muar member of parliament Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, stepped down as Muda party president in November 2023, the mantle was passed to then-party deputy president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz.
At just 27, Amira was elected as the state assemblywoman for Puteri Wangsa, Johor, under the Muda banner during the 2022 Johor state election. Serving as the chief of staff to Syed Saddiq from 2020 to 2022, she focused on serving the people of Muar.
Recognised as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2023, she continues to shape public policy and champion causes for youth communities in Malaysia.
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Amira is also passionate about raising the quality and competitiveness of the education system, calling on the Johor state government to introduce a third language in schools, such as Mandarin, in addition to the compulsory language subjects of English and Bahasa Malaysia.
Following the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim’s call for a national education reform by making changes to the syllabi of subjects that are no longer relevant, Amira Aisya also suggested that Johor be given guided autonomy, citing higher literacy rates from reports on countries that give schools autonomy to determine their syllabi and examination policies.
Above Amira was elected as the state assemblywoman for Puteri Wangsa, Johor in 2022 when she was 27 years old (Photo: @amiraaisya on Instagram)
Amira was elected as the state assemblywoman for Puteri Wangsa, Johor in 2022 when she was 27 years old (Photo: @amiraaisya on Instagram)
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An advocate for female empowerment and youth leadership, Amira co-founded Women in Power in 2023, where she directs initiatives to inspire young women to lead.
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From public speaking workshops and mental health picnics to bazaars highlighting women-led businesses, Women In Power actively hosts events that uplift women of all ages and aim to be a safe and supportive space for young women in their journey to become next-world leaders.
A law graduate from the International Islamic University Malaysia and a member of the Johor Climate Change and Disaster Management Committee, Amira is firm in her stance that governments should prioritise climate change and allocate substantial budgets for mitigation and adaptation plans.
“There are at least 432 flood hotspots in Johor alone,” she wrote in an Instagram post on May 28 in conjunction with her work visit to the Climate Change and Democracy Conference this year in Bangkok. “We need to do better at town planning, climate resilience strategies and raising awareness to fellow policymakers (including me and Muda) on making climate change a front agenda in national policymaking.”
Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
