Malaysian shariah judge named one of BBC’s top 100 women trailblazers

Nenney Shuhaidah Shamsuddin. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Shariah High Court judge Nenney Shuhaidah Shamsuddin has been named as one of 13 inspirational women from Asia in the BBC 100 Women 2018, which celebrates trailblazing women across the globe.

Nenney, 42, has been named to the list because she “fights for the protection of Muslim women in her courts and wants to change the negative perceptions of Sharia law”.

Nenney, together with Noor Huda Roslan, made history in 2016 when they were appointed Shariah High Court judges.

She was a lawyer with the Selangor Shariah Legal Aid Bureau before being made judge.

Nenney graduated with a BA in Islamic Studies and a diploma in the Administration of Islamic Judiciary and Shariah before doing an MA in Psychology (counselling) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

She was the only Malaysian among 13 women from Asia named for their contributions and fighting spirit. China had three women on the list, Japan had two, while neighbours Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia had one each.

The Philippines’ Joey Mead King, 44, is a model and presenter, Indonesia’s Sakdiyah Maruf, 36, is that country’s first female Muslim stand-up comedian, while Thailand’s Kanpassorn Suriyasangpetch, 30, is a dentist and tech entrepreneur who founded the first mental wellness app for her people.

The BBC said the BBC 100 Women list included leaders, trailblazers and everyday heroes from more than 60 countries, -FMT