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Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rasammah Bhupalan, trailblazer for women and education in Malaysia, dies at 98
KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — Education pioneer and women's right advocate Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan has passed away at 98, with a wake to be held tomorrow at her Kuala Lumpur home. Her funeral will be held on Thursday at Wesley Methodist Church, Kuala Lumpur, followed by a cremation ceremony at Nirvana Crematorium, Section 21, Shah Alam. A funeral notice issued by the family said that wake and funeral services will be streamed live via Zoom. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to Hospis Malaysia or the YWCA Vocational Training Opportunity Centre — which she founded. At just 16, Rasammah enlisted in the women's wing of the Indian National Army to fight against British rule and was stationed in then Burma before returning to Malaya in 1945 due to malaria. After earning her degree from the University of Malaya in Singapore in June 1953, Rasammah began her teaching journey at Methodist Girls' School in Penang. She also founded the Women Teachers' Union in 1960 and later served as principal of Methodist Girls' School in Kuala Lumpur. She then received the Tokoh Guru award in 1986. She was also a co-founder of the National Council of Women's Organisations. Speaking to Malay Mail, renowned cultural preservationist and former student Eddin Khoo described Rasammah as a guiding force and a figure who truly embodied the spirit of a generation crucial to Malaysia's development. Reflecting on his time as a student at Methodist High School (now Methodist College), Eddin said Rasammah was not just an educator, but a pioneering woman who played an integral part in shaping Malaysia's history. He said that Rasammah's influence was not confined to the classroom as she also became active in politics during the 1998 Reformasi movement, co-founding Parti Keadilan Nasional — which would later merge with Parti Rakyat Malaysia to become PKR. 'I think the most important role she played was that of an educator. Through education, she became central to the lives of many individuals who later went on to contribute significantly to the nation. 'She became headmistress of some of the most respected schools in the country ... She truly lived at the heart of the nation. More importantly, she lived in the hearts of all her students,' he said. Recommended read: Iconic KL teacher soldiers on for women's rights
New Straits Times
13-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Education pioneer Rasammah Bhupalan dies at 98
KUALA LUMPUR: Education pioneer and veteran social activist Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan passed away today at the age of 98. According to a family obituary, a wake will be held at her residence tomorrow evening, with visiting hours scheduled from 10.30am to 1.30pm and 5.30pm to 8pm prior to the wake. The funeral service will take place on Thursday at Wesley Methodist Church. Rasammah leaves behind three children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Her journey of activism began at 16, when she and her sister, Ponnammah, joined the women's wing of the Indian National Army to fight British colonial rule. She had served in the then Burma (now known as Myanmar) before returning two years later to continue her education. Subsequently, Rasammah went on to earn a degree from the University of Malaya in Singapore in 1953 and began her teaching career at Methodist Girls' School in Penang. Rasammah became an advocate for women's rights in 1957, after the Education Ministry rolled out the Unified Teaching Service Scheme, which institutionalised wage discrimination against women. She founded the Women Teachers' Union in 1960 and was a co-founder of the National Council of Women's Organisations, making her a trailblazer in Malaysia's women's rights movement. She later served as principal of Methodist Girls' School here and, in recognition of her lifelong contributions to education, was honoured with the Tokoh Guru award in 1986.
