The acclaimed activist and Asia’s Most Influential 2021 honouree passed away early in the morning of September 4
An activist whose community and charity work started when she was as young as five years old, helping her mother prepare food for people experiencing homelessness in her hometown of Alor Setar, Datuk Munirah Abdul Hamid passed away in the early morning of September 4, 2023, in her home in Bangsar at the age of 73 years old.
A devoted advocate in support of the urban homeless as well as the safety and development of women and girls in Malaysia, Munirah founded PERTIWI Soup Kitchen in 2010. She was also president of Pertubuhan Tindakan Wanita Islam (PERTIWI), a charitable organisation addressing the welfare and needs of women and children, as well as the co-founder and executive director of Malaysian Genomics Resource Centre and co-founder of Neuramatix Sdn Bhd, which focuses on neural technologies, robotics and big data.
Many remember how Munirah personally volunteered a few nights each week at PERTIWI Soup Kitchen despite her busy schedule. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia, PERTIWI Soup Kitchen remained active in its efforts to feed the hungry, with Munirah at the forefront of its community outreach.
“You can’t delegate passion,” she told Tatler in a 2020 interview. “This is my passion, my vision, my baby. For as long as I can do it, I’ll do it, and I’ll enjoy it while doing so.”
In 2015, Munirah was honoured with Tatler’s Force for Good Award at Tatler Ball that year for her invaluable contribution to society. Dedicating 50 years of her life to serving the poor and hungry and providing medical services in the streets, Munirah devoted much of her time to alleviating and bettering the lives of society’s most vulnerable groups. The fruits of her efforts will continue to shine for generations to come.
Her daughter, Baida Hercus, announced in a Facebook post this morning about her mother’s final rights held at the Bangsar Mosque.