Guys, it's an appropriate time to ask this question: who run the world?

These three Malaysian women, of course!

Making the country proud

The third Women of the Future Southeast Asia Award happened last week, and three Malaysian women won awards in the Community Spirit & Public Service, Science, Technology & Digital and Arts & Culture categories.

Refuge for the Refugees founder and director Heidy Quah, Universiti Sains Malaysia Senior lecturer Bee Lynn Chew and photographer Annice Lyn were the winners of each of the categories, beating their contemporaries from other Southeast Asian countries.

Congratulations Heidy. Winner of Community Spirit, ⁦@womenoffuture⁩ #WOF2020. Having visited refugee centres in Kuala Lumpur, I know how vital your work is pic.twitter.com/iJklC9C7S5

— Shernaz engineer (@ShernazE) June 25, 2020

#WOF2020 Let’s hear it for Dr Bee Lynn Chew from #Malaysia who takes home the Science, Technology & Digital Award sponsored by our headline sponsor @Avivaplc @ukinmalaysia

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— Women of the Future (@womenoffuture) June 25, 2020

#WOF2029 We start the awards with the Arts & Culture category sponsored by @FT

The winner is Annice Lyn Photographer from #Malaysia!

Well done to Annice for winning the first award of the show! @ukinmalaysia pic.twitter.com/5LHikwU7BP

— Women of the Future (@womenoffuture) June 25, 2020

Congratulations, ladies!

The award was held virtually last week, giving recognition to young women in Southeast Asia who have been doing outstanding work in their chosen fields.

An award to recognise leaders

Women of The Future Award was first started in the United Kingdom in 2006 by author, motivational speaker, food expert and women's advocate Nusrat Mehboob Lilani, also known as Pinky Lilani, to provide a platform for female talents in the country.


The organisation's Southeast Asia awards were started three years ago to provide a platform for "regional emerging leaders – those who are not afraid to question stereotypes, break boundaries and drive positive change with courage, hard work and determination."

There are several categories for the awards namely, 'business', 'arts and culture', 'community spirit and public service', 'entrepreneur', 'media and communications', 'professions', 'science, technology and digital', 'property, construction and infrastructure', 'social entrepreneurs', and 'mentor'.

This year, a host of awesome Malaysian women were nominated for the awards:


You can read about other equally remarkable Malaysian women who were nominated for the awards under several categories here.