Malaysian Soroptimist is now SISWP President-Elect Puan Sri Siew Yong Gnanalingam a member of Soroptimist International (SI) Petaling Jaya club, was elected President-Elect at the Conference of Clubs 2010 at the Gold Coast on 17th April 2010.  She will take office as President in the 2012-2014 biennium. Siew Yong was formerly a President of SI Region of Malaysia(SIROM) (2005-2007) and the outgoing SI National Rep of Malaysia (2008-2010).  She has also recently been elected Deputy Chairperson of the SIROM Foundation. Siew Yong currently owns and manages her own business in health, travel and property, after retiring from a career of 19 years in Malaysia Airlines as the Head of Group Communications.  She has also worked as Public Relations Manager of Malaysian Tobacco Company, which is a part of British American Tobacco Group, for 7 years. She is a Trustee of the Women’s Institute of Management and sits on the Board of Trustees of Yayasan Sejahtera and Yayasan Nanyang Press and is a Patron of the St Bernadette’s Convent Old Girls Association. She is an Economics graduate from the University of Malaya.  Visit of SI President Hanne Jensbo to Malaysia  “Action Speaks Louder than Words” – President Hanne Jensbo It was certainly an action-packed programme for President Hanne’s first visit to Malaysia to officially present the SI Best Practice Award to SI Penang’s Blossom Project, under the objective, “Eliminate poverty and gender discrimination through ensuring women’s full social and economic rights”. Within her hectic schedule of her 3 day visit President Hanne accompanied by Federation of SWP President Elect, Siew Yong and President of SI Region of Malaysia, Indira Naidu, and NR Dhamayanthi managed a courtesy call on Dato’ Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil, Malaysian Minister of Women, Family and Community Development.  The visit was held in a very cordial and friendly atmosphere.  President Hanne found the Minister very articulate and engaging as well as down-to-earth, not something she was expecting.  With the Minister was the Deputy Secretary General (Policy), Dato’ Dr Noorul Ainur, Director General of Women Development Department, Puan Wan Hasmah B Wan Mohd and the Private Secretary and the Private Secretary of Minister, Dato’ Roziyah Md Yusoff who turned out to be fluent in Danish. SIROM also hosted a lunch for a group of women NGO leaders from the UN Representative office, Women’s Institute of Management (WIM), National Council of Women’s Organisation (NCWO), All Women’s Action Society Malaysia (AWAM), Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) and Empower for Change.  The interaction and exchange of information and experiences was enriching for all who attended.  President Hanne also took the opportunity to speak about SI and helped to raise the profile of our organisation a notch higher. Hanne accompanied by Siew Yong had a private lunch with Zainah Anwar, Founder and Director of Sisters in Islam and Project Director of Musawah, (the global movement for equality and justice in a muslim family.  Zainah was her usual engaging, passionate self on her pet subject of equality for the Muslim women and family. Hanne certainly left with a better understanding and a new perspective on the subject on women issue from the Islamic standpoint. Hanne also made a visit to the WIM building and was briefed by its CEO and Co-Founder, Dato’ Dr Nellie Tan-Wong on its work for women. Found time in between the hectic schedule, to be interviewed for a feature article in “Inspire” (WIM magazine) and also in the News Straits Times. In KL, Hanne had a quick tour of KL city ending at the Twin Towers where she was due for dinner with about 30 SI members at the Petroleum club on the 42nd Floor. The highlight of the visit was to Penang to present the SI Best Practice Award to SI Penang for Blossom Project. This was held a community centre where she met a few of the successful beneficiaries of the project. During the hectic 1 ½ days in Penang, she managed to visit the Peranakan Museum, take in a short drive to Feringgi Beach and met with SI Penang ladies for a sumptuous dinner at Mansion 33, an old Heritage building, as well as a taste of Penang Nyonya Food for lunch. Hanne summed up her visit saying the most impactful part was to be able to meet with members of SI during dinner at the Twin Towers in KL and a grand heritage mansion in Penang and the ladies touched by the Blossom Project as well as discussing common issues with NGO women leaders, who are all trying to make a difference to women’s and girls’ lives.  Of course, the food, sights and smells of KL and Penang are all memories she will also remember fondly. President Hanne presenting Best Practice certificate to President of SI Penang, Dr Shuba Mohini.  Looking on is Siew Yong and Indira. President Hanne with women participants at the Community Training Centre President Hanne with Women NGO Leaders   President Hanne with some SI Members from Malaysia at Petroleum Club, Twin Towers. President Hanne with a former participant of Project Blossom who is now into direct selling of cosmetics.   President Hanne with Dato’ Sharizat Abdul Jalil, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development (Centre) and senior Ministry officials and SI ladies President Hanne with some members of SI Penang at Mansion 33, Penang   When is Friendship Day? Celebrate Friendship Day 2010 on August 1, Sunday   Human beings are social creatures and have always valued the importance of friends in their lives. To celebrate this noble feeling it was deemed fit to have a day dedicated to friends and friendship. Accordingly, first Sunday of August was declared as a holiday in US in honor of friends by a Proclamation made by US Congress in 1935. Since then, World Friendship Day is being celebrated every year on the first Sunday in the month of August. This beautiful idea of celebrating Friendship Day was joyfully accepted by several other countries across the world. And today, many countries including India, celebrate the first Sunday of August as Friendship Day every year. Celebrating Friendship Day in a traditional manner, people meet their friends and exchange cards and flowers to honor their friends. Lot many social and cultural organization too celebrate the occasion and mark Friendship Day by hosting programs and get together. It may be noted that some associations celebrate Friendship Day in an entirely different time of the year and with different customs. For instance, National Friendship Day is on the first Sunday in August. Women's Friendship Day is on the third Sunday in August International Friendship Month is February Old Friends, New Friends Week is the third week of May   e-TIS (Electronic-The International Soroptimist) Dear all,  This is to inform you that the 1st Issue of Soroptimist International e-TIS Magazine is now available. "It is digital and therefore is now accessible to every single person in the world who has access to a computer. This means that anyone, anywhere can access Soroptimism and I hope you will make this infornation available to all clubs." Editor.  As your SISWP representative I wish to inform all clubs that accessing the web is very important. I also look forward to receiving prog news, partnerships that have helped clubs carry out their projects, good and clear photographs etc.If you have a dynamic partnership I would welcome an article on this. CLOSING DATE for articles to reach me will be 20 April. Please send in whenever the event has taken place and please  do not wait for the deadline.  1. Use this link:     http://content.yudu.com/A1n5bb/TISMarch2010  2. It is also available on our SISWP website where you go to Search and type in e-TIS and the magazine will be listed.  3. The easiest way for you to receive your TIS direct to your inbox:   Simply email editor@soroptimistinternational.org and you will receive your very own digital magazine each quarter, free of charge.  Thank you.  Dr Indrani Manuel.  SISWP Representative,  SI e-TIS Editorial Committee.   Fundraising Talk by Ann Woo at the Royal Lake Club on the 13th of June, 2009 (Saturday) The Fundraising talk held on Saturday, 13th June, 2009 at the Royal Lake Club was an eye-opener for all the participants. The talk was delivered by Ann Woo, the Chief Executive Officer of Nanyang Press Foundation. Being a very experienced fundraiser herself, the knowledge and experience imparted by her were very "edu-taining". 28 participants from 8 SI clubs in Malaysia attended the talk. The recent talk on FUNDRAISING was the first of the series of short seminars that will be organised by the Membership Development Convener for all SIROM members. Doris Brodie, Membership Development Convener. SISWP Website Presentation at the Royal Lake Club on the 17th of April, 2009 (Friday) We had a successful website presentation session by SISWP Public Relation Convener, Christine Johnston on Friday 17th April at the General Committee Room at the Royal Lake Club. The session lasted for about an hour and a half. About 13 members from 5 clubs in the Klang Valley and 2 from SI Seremban attended this interactive session as follows:- SI Ampang - Puan Sri Czarina Abdullah; SI Bangsar - Datin Indira Naidu, Chang Lee Hoon and Doris Lim; SI Damansara - Indrani Manuel; SI KL - Puan Sri Crystal, Joanne Fernandez, Fariza Jalil and Habibah; SI PJ - Kim Fong and Dhamayanthi; SI Seremban - Nicole Tan, T. Vijayaletsumi; Light refreshments were served. SIROM presented a conference t-shirt to Christine as a token of appreciation together with a "Thank You" card with all the participants' signatures. In return the President (Datin Indira) received chocolates (which were distributed to those present), and body cream. About 6 members adjourned to the Buttery for Dinner. SIROM would like to thank Public Relations Convenor, Nicole Tan of SI Seremban, for picking up the bill for the dinner. Christine had held a similar presentation for SI Penang members on the 16th of April, 2009 at President Shuba's residence. About 7 members had attended the session. SIROM would like to thank Past President of SISWP Joanne Fernandez for co-ordinating Christine's travels in Malaysia for presentation in Penang and the Klang Valley. The President would like to convey her sincere thanks to all the ladies for participating. All members of SIROM appreciate Christine Johnston for her valuable time and effort to conduct website presentations for us in Malaysia. Datin Indira Naidu, President of SIROM SIROM'S LATEST EVENT SIROM had its Annual General Meeting on 22nd. March at the Poolside Meeting Room, the Royal Lake Club. The AGM went off as expected, lot of interests, lot of opinions aired and with a proper round-up conclusion and lot of food for thought among members. Earlier, there was a training session on SI (Club) Protocol and Procedure, organized by the Training and Development Convenor, Doris Brodie. President-Elect Indira Naidu was the Speaker and Trainer. The session was well attended and there were many points, questions and suggestions raised. Doris promised to arrange for a follow up. The highlight of the day was the presentation of the SIROM Presidential Esteemed Membership Award. The Award was the President's acknowledgement for consistent and outstanding contributions by member(s) who through the years has helped spread and uplift SIROM's name and services both within and outside the Region. Up to 2008 the Award has been bestowed upon three great Soroptimist ladies namely Puan Sri Dr. Fatimah Hamid Don, first SIROM President, Mrs. Joanne Fernandez, Past President of the South West Pacific Federation and Mrs. Nina Wong, PP of SIROM and presently Life Honorary Member of SWP. This time around the recipient of this prestigious Award is Mrs. Dhamayanthi Vaithianathan. Dhama was a PP of SIROM who has displayed her dedication to the cause of Soroptimism through her untiring contribution to both SIROM and to her own club, SIPJ. The Award consists of a plaque, a certificate and a bouquet, presented to Dhama by President Kobkua, President-Elect Indira and Hon. Secretary Irene, respectively. The citation was delivered by Amuthanbigai Tharmarajah of SIBC. Dhama honoured us with a delightful "thank you" speech which had her audience in stitches. Here are some evidences of the happy event. Click here for photos