Zaitun “Toni” Mohamad Kasim, 41, who died after a long battle with cancer yesterday (June 3, 2008) was a passionate human rights activist of more than 20 years.
A firm believer in justice and equality for all, regardless of gender, race, religion, sexuality, disability and access to wealth, she was in the forefront of the country’s longstanding battle to uphold full gender equality for women, to combat extremist interpretations of religion, and to eliminate government policies deemed unfair to minorities.
She contested as an independent Parliamentary candidate in the 1999 general election and also actively promoted human rights activism in the local theatre and music scene.
