Home Civil Society Voices Noor Farida remembered: The woman who stood for what was right

Noor Farida remembered: The woman who stood for what was right

Tributes poured in ahead of the late activist's memorial this afternoon

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Dato Noor Farida Ariffin was a dear friend.

She was co-founder and member of G25, and became the face of our group -appointed not by the group but by the public. All of you played a part in the role she took on for our group.

And she took on that role with grace and courage, bearing the brunt of public criticisms and threats, knowing full well that they were unfounded. Not many would have had the heart and strength to continue pushing forward in the limelight after some of the things she experienced being the face of our group. She did, and did so unapologetically, knowing that the truth was always on her side.

Her courage and resilience are things that will forever shape her legacy as we remember a woman who stood resolute and fearless, advocating for justice and equality with her unwavering determination to uphold what was right, even in the most difficult of circumstances. You all know this, each one of you. You know how courageous she was.

What you may not know is who she was to us. In G25, she was not just our colleague. She was also our sister, friend and even aunt to our younger members. We spent a lot of time in meetings in our homes and on travels with her, and oh how she loved to travel! She had an adventurous and ready spirit.

And we got to know her on a deeper level throughout the years. She is family to us. We learnt of her quirks – being late was always an issue – and we also learnt of how kind, generous and trusting she was, almost to a fault. But she was always warm and protective of those she loved.

She was also a very spiritual person to the end. In the weeks before she passed, when she was in hospital and still had moments of consciousness, we’d witness her praying as she lay on the hospital bed. She may not have been fully aware of us around her at times, but she remembered the Almighty.

Upon her passing, we received dozens of calls, people from all walks of her life sharing their condolences with us, their sadness and their stories. From the refugees she had been helping to old friends who wanted to share a moment in remembrance of what she meant to them, the impact she made in their lives, no matter how short their time together.

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This is testament to the number of people she inspired throughout her lifetime. 

She has touched our lives deeply and will be missed dearly, by myself, all the members of G25, her family, her cats of course. I cannot forget her cats who are now being cared for by her long-time domestic worker, who will miss her too and by all those who knew her.

Dato Noor Farida’s contributions to G25 and beyond will forever be cherished. Let us carry forward her commitment to justice, her courage in the face of adversity, and her unwavering compassion for others.

At a more personal level:

Although I only began to know her personally in 2015 after I joined G25, the 10 years of being her friend have been profoundly meaningful.

I began to not only know her but also to admire and respect her and to love her.

I learnt the politics of the South China Sea from her and admired her breadth and depth of knowledge. Her contribution to the country is significant.

Her pursuit of spirituality and her wanting to make Malaysia a model Muslin-majority country was admirable. She introduced me to key persons when I was writing the Saim [administration of matters in Islam] report.

Her generosity was truly admirable. But I used to worry about her gullibility… Any person could tell her a sob story about needing money and she would readily give money!

We can learn so much from her from the way she treated and managed her household help. Liya, her loyal domestic worker, would agree on this.

A humorous side to Noor Farida which we joked about – her inability to be punctual. I did not find this too much of a problem that could tarnish our friendship by accepting it as her innate personality that she could not get rid of. The 10 days I shared a cabin on the boat on the Volga Cruise in 2018 made me understand and accept this trait of my very dear friend – although at one stop I had to ‘scold’ her because we almost missed getting on the boat! The other members were truly anxious.

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And that was when I saw another praiseworthy trait of hers. She could take criticism and scolding in good spirit. Maybe her spirituality played a role in that.

I always say this about Noor Farida. If there is word that means the opposite of hypocritical, that word is Noor Farida. She was the truest person I have known… you see what you get and you get what you see. So our relationship was not at all burdened by having to be cautious of what to say and what not to say. In fact, I dare say she never told a lie.

Finally, her courage: others would surely testify to this, so I will not elaborate. But Courage was her middle name.

Let us honour her memory by embracing the values she held dear, striving to make a positive difference in our communities and for our nation. Let us persevere as she had, with courage and kindness.

Dato Dr Narimah Awin, G25 colleague

Other personal tributes by friends and colleagues

With the passing of Dato Noor Farida, we lost a strong friend in G25.

She will always be in our prayers. The many tributes to her are well deserved as she was a true social activist, especially on women’s and children’s rights.

She was always friendly and jovial in conversation, but I remember as her voice would suddenly go loud if she got very upset with a comment she could not accept.

We will miss her.

Al Fatihah.

– Tan Sri Mohd Sheriff Mohd Kassim, G25 colleague and friend

First heartfelt condolences on the untimely passing of G25 spokesperson and courageous advocate for justice, Noor Farida.

I remember her from the London student days when she was young and I was murid tua (older student) both reading for the bar.

Later, when I was director of the KLRCA [Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration], she hosted dinner at her residence in Den Hague. She brought my wife and I to a flower show in Amsterdam.

We doa (pray) for her and may Allah swt grant her a place with the righteous!

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Dato Syed Ahmad Idid, G25 colleague and friend

Saya ingin merakamkan rasa hati sedih dan sayu di atas pemergian Allahyarhamah Dato Noor Farida Ariffin. Semoga Allah mencucuri rahmat keatas rohnya.

Dato Noor Farida lah yang menjemput PAGE [Parental Action Group for Education Malaysia] menyertai G25 pada tahun 2015 semata-mata untuk memastikan yang G25 mengikuti perkembangan pendidikan negara.

Pendidikan merupakan bidang yang ingin diterajui G25 di waktu itu dan kami membolehkan G25 mengikuti berita, polisi, dasar Kementerian Pendidikan, urusan di sekolah yang terkini.

Dato Noor Farida adalah seorang yang berpengetahuan luas, terutamanya dengan kepakaran undang-undang di dalam dan luar negara, serta dasar luar negara. Beliau merupakah seorang yang lantang bersuara dalam berbagai topik terkini.

Beliau juga amat disayangi dan mesra dengan kawan-kawannya. Seorang pencinta kucing dan amat gemar mengembara serata pelusuk dunia.

Datin Noor Azimah Abd Rahim and Tunku Munawirah Putra, G25 colleagues and friends

I’ve known Dato Noor Farida since I was a teen in high school.

I remember our first meeting. She told me to call her Aunty Farida; she was ambassador to the Netherlands then.

I loved her then, for her kindness and her cats, not knowing how much of an impact she would have on my life down the road.

And since then, from the family trips we took, the birthdays and celebrations, the hangouts and chat sessions, our failed plots to match make my brother with her friend, and bonding over our respective fur babies, she has always remained close to my family.

As a young law student, I watched in admiration as she eloquently fought for Pulau Batu Putih, Middle Rocks and South Ledge in the International Court of Justice.

And as an adult, I have had the privilege of working with her as a member of G25 for the last nine years, getting a first-hand look at her brave and unwavering commitment to fight for what’s best for our country. I have learnt a lot from her.

To all those who knew her, Aunty Farida was kind, warm, strong, unapologetically honest and a joy to be around. I am blessed to have known her, and I will miss her dearly.

– Jasmine Zulkifli, G25 colleague and family friend

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

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