In The News
This piece was originally published in the Star on 31 May 2007.
Towards a better future
Interview with Joe Jer and Zabrina, winners of the first Amazing Race Asia
1) What do you think are the main challenges facing women today and how can we overcome them?
Joe Jer : I think one of the main challenges is coping with the joint demands of work and family life. We also continue to fight for equal pay and equal positions since discrimination in the workforce is still prevalent. Given women are the main targets of snatch thieves and there are countless of rape cases reported each day, another major challenge for Malaysian women is safety, or rather the lack of it.
Zabrina : For me, the biggest challenge is trying to juggle everyone's needs with our own. While we owe it to ourselves to fulfil our desires and needs, we also still feel responsible about adhering to societal or family expectations. The only way to overcome this is to find a good balance while always maintaining a sense of self.
2) The friendship and solidarity between the two of you was a key factor in helping you become the first Amazing Race Asia champions. How is friendship and solidarity important in helping women progress in society?
Joe Jer : Who's going to help us if we don't help ourselves? Most men will not go out of their way to help women fight for equal rights since doing so means giving up some of the power they wield. Women should work together for a stronger voice and unity. We have to fight for our rights.
Zabrina : The race was a lot like life. Sometimes you go through this alone, sometimes not. You progress or end up accepting the results if you have people around you who can help motivate you and help you see the good things about yourself when you cannot. It's important to have friends to help you move forward. Sometimes they provide that extra push you need.
3) You have said something to the effect that women should just go out and do it without worrying about how they look. Can you elaborate on why you think it is important for women to think this way?
Zabrina : There is nothing wrong about wanting to look good. I think when you look good, you feel good but at the same time women shouldn't let how they look stop them from doing anything they want. I guess this doesn't just apply to looks - it encompasses any mental hurdles that we put onto ourselves too. For example, sometimes we want to go out and sing with the rest of the good singers at a karaoke party, but we worry about how we would "look" - we shouldn't. Life is short, it's meant to be tried, tested and enjoyed. Sing out loud!
4) Feminism means different things to different people. What does it mean to the two of you, and how do you think feminism is relevant in today's Malaysia given the challenges that you have identified earlier?
Zabrina : I think feminism means having the right to live the life you want to. In Malaysia, women have come a long way but in many things there are still double standards. Women are judged because they do not fit the bill of what's acceptable in society but I can see that things are changing slowly, just judging from what my mom had to go through and what I've been through.
Joe Jer : Feminism means working together to protect women's rights for a better future. I think Malaysia still has a long way to go to achieve that. But it doesn't mean it's unattainable. It's there. We just have to fight for it.
