Cover Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz, the first female national chairperson of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, shares the untold benefits of giving youth and women a greater platform in humanitarianism (Photo: Daniel Adams/Tatler Malaysia)
Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz, the first female national chairperson of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, shares the untold benefits of giving youth and women a greater platform in humanitarianism (Photo: Daniel Adams/Tatler Malaysia)
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Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz, the first female national chairperson of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, shares the untold benefits of giving youth and women a greater platform in humanitarianism
Growing up in a royal family of both Kedah and Negeri Sembilan parentage, Her Highness Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz often observed the dedication that her parents, the late Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah and Sultanah Bahiyah, had for their home state of Kedah. Being graduates of prestigious institutions like Oxford and Nottingham universities, Tunku Puteri Intan’s parents were firm proponents of education, believing that the education of women in particular was crucial to the advancement of Malaysian society as a whole.
“My parents were very open-minded and very forward-thinking people for their age and generation,” muses Tunku Puteri Intan, who is also the granddaughter of Malaysia's first Yang DiPertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Rahman. “They were also very devoted to community work their whole lives. One thing I learnt from my father was how to be present as a leader. My parents gave their complete attention to whatever was in front of them, whether it was presenting a scroll to a PhD student or visiting schools, sports events, and youth events. Many people forget that being present and having focus is a valuable leadership skill as a humanitarian,” the down-to-earth Kedah princess adds.
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The ability to stay approachable and give her undivided attention to important causes is certainly an asset to Tunku Puteri Intan in her role as the national chairperson of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society. She’s the first woman to be elected to such a position in the organisation’s 75-year history. In 2022, she was also elected as a member of the governing board of the Geneva-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), representing the Asia Pacific region in the world’s largest voluntary humanitarian organisation which boasts approximately 15 million volunteers.
“Honestly, I was still relatively new to the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and I didn’t think I should even have been nominated,” says Tunku Puteri Intan, applauding the IFRC for recently amending its constitution to ensure at least 50 per cent female representation on its governing board.
Despite the initial doubts she had about taking up such an important role, she soon embraced it, grateful to be part of the organisation’s effort towards greater inclusivity at the highest levels. As national chairperson of the Malaysian Red Crescent, Tunku Puteri Intan herself is passionate about championing youth voices and expanding the society’s reach to younger generations.
“A milestone I’m proud of is that we successfully established a national youth committee at the Malaysian Red Crescent Society,” she says. “This gives the youth a voice as well as their own committee and membership, and the chairman of that committee sits with the national board. It’s rare for a young person under the age of 30 to sit with the rest of us who are 60 and above. Some people are not comfortable with young people having a large say. It’s a conventional view that young people should ‘wait their turn’ to become committee members. But I believe young people should be central to any organisation that is driven toward humanitarian work, because that is the future, and we cannot say that their views are unimportant.”
This year, in celebration of the Malaysian Red Crescent’s 75th anniversary, the first-ever Red Ball charity gala dinner will be held on November 4 at The St Regis Kuala Lumpur. The gala night aims to raise RM800,000 which will go towards the organisation’s humanitarian efforts across the country, developing crisis preparedness for its members and volunteers, and ensuring that emergency services are consistently delivered to the most vulnerable. “I want the Malaysian Red Crescent’s 75th anniversary celebration to be felt at all levels, not just the upper echelons of society but also by our members throughout the country; at schools, at the districts, the various chapters, and all the states,” she says.
From an upcoming poetry recital night to a unique stamp collection that will be launched in honour of this milestone, The Malaysian Red Crescent is undeniably evolving with the times, though its ethos remains unchanged.
“The fundamental principles of the Red Cross and The Red Crescent is all about humanity and inclusivity of all races, regardless of religion or background. When we talk about unity and neutrality, it isn’t easy being neutral in all circumstances,” Tunku Puteri Intan says. “But in our line of work, whether you agree to a person’s political view or not, is not the question. Whether they need help is the question at hand. We exist to help whoever needs help. It’s about a person’s humanity being prioritised above all the other discriminations in society.”
For more information about The Malaysian Red Crescent's Red Ball charity gala, visit www.redcrescent.org.my/mrc75
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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.
