You probably didn’t know if you weren’t a woman, or married to one of a certain age, that there was an election on. And it’s been pretty hotly and furiously contested, I am at liberty to tell you. With all the passion and the shenanigans, the midnight emails and the seemingly desperate intrigues, one might have quite legitimately thought that the fate of nations hung upon the outcome. No, I am not talking about the UK’s three-horse race that’s going to be run on 7 May of Mssrs Cameron, Clegg, and Milliband with Mr Farage (rhymes with garage) as a 50 to 1 outsider. That’s tame in comparison. I am in fact talking about something far more important and far closer to home – the Election for the President and the Board of the International Womens Association (IWA) of Penang. I am not quite sure where to put the apostrophe – before or after the “s” – so I’ll leave it out. Do the women belong to the association or does the association belong to the women? It’s a moot point these days. Perhaps I shouldn’t use the word “moot” as its one of those weasel words that mean diametrically opposed things in English usage on opposing sides of the Atlantic.

I must admit that I find “President” rather a grand title for an organisation that is akin to what used to be called – in the old days – the WI or Women’s Institute. Every village in Britain had a WI and the ladies used to occupy themselves by making vast quantities of jam and singing the great English hymn, written by William Blake, “Jerusalem”. Hence the phrase “Jam and Jerusalem” that often accompanied any mention of the WI. I suppose there might have been a little contention over whose azaleas would win first prize or whose cucumbers were the biggest at the annual fete but that generally was about the limit of the controversy.

I have to confess that I myself am not neutral in this contest. I am standing for the IWA Penang Board (committee) – in a humble little corner, which is usually overlooked – PR and Marketing. I thought that no-one else would want it as it’s such a nondescript position, without any glamour whatsoever. Some years, it’s not even filled, so low is its profile. So I was really amazed when a very high-powered lady announced her rival candidacy. She’s actually a friend, and so I suggested that we should hold the position jointly and share the work. There is precedent for it and it made sense as we are both busy professional people who travel quite a bit. But no, sadly this suggestion didn’t fly in the end, which is a shame.

Of course the IWA started out life as a purely expat organisation. It was originally the American Womens Organisation but changed its name to “International” to reflect a broader membership. It was really for wives of men who had taken an overseas posting, often in one of the multi-national companies that were set up in Penang in the early 1980s. Most of the women were unable to work in Malaysia because of visa regulations or perhaps because the kind of employment that they were accustomed to simply wasn’t an option in Penang. So they got together to make friends, learn about the new culture they were living in, play canasta, and undertake charitable projects. Perhaps, though, the most important part of the IWA was meeting new people, finding links and common ground. It can, as many expats know, be terribly lonely living in a culture that is different from what one is used to. The object of the organisation was to offer “Support, Friendship, Interest, Culture, and Care” to the members. A few years back, we decided that Malaysian women, who had hitherto been excluded from full membership and had been subjected to a quota system that limited their numbers, should be admitted to full membership. It was a democratic principle and an important one. Changing demographics have meant that fewer expats are coming to work, and far more are coming as couples on the MM2H programme. Sometimes nowadays the “trailing spouses” is the husband, accompanying his employed wife. So there may be a need to include men as well in the future.

By the time that you read this, though, the Penang IWA election will be over and the new President will be definitely be someone called Marlene. Yes, I know it’s confusing but the first name of both the candidates is Marlene. It’s not only members of the IWA who are confused either. Various establishments in Penang have been asking “Who is the real Marlene?” So the surname alone will give a clue as to which faction has prevailed. Will I be on the Board? It’s really too close to call. Who knows but if you find me humming “And did those feet in ancient times…” under my breath, well, that might be a clue. And if I’m not, I’ll be mightily relieved not to have to be in servitude. For that is what it is when you undertake to serve in the WI, I mean IWA. It’s service to others not service to one’s ego. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got rather a large pot of strawberry jam bubbling away merrily on my stove.

IWA Penang: 28 Lebuh Lembah Permai 4, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Penang.
Tel +60 4-898 2540. Website: www.iwa-penang.info

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Source: The Expat magazine May 2015