The Apple and the Tree

“The Apple and the Tree is a remarkable account of her life, complete with extraordinary insights into the complex politics of Malaysia and the global struggles against HIV in which she has been a central voice. Reading it made me proud to be her friend.” –Prof Dennis Altman, former President, AIDS Society of Asia & the Pacific

“This book is not just about being the daughter of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad but more so about the special bond that defines the father-daughter relationship. Her lucid style and eloquence coupled with her uncompromising positions on issues make this book fabulously readable. A true gem indeed.” –Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar Senior journalist and former Chairman of Media Prima Berhad

“Marina takes us deep into the heart of some of the most important and contentious issues in recent history, sharing her principles and motivation for advocating for women, people with HIB and the importance of the creative arts.” –Jean MacNeil, author, Professor of Creative Writing, University of East Anglia

“Born on the eve of Independence, she traces a nation’s journey from Malaya to Malaysia with her parallel emergence into a formidable social activist and holds to account our conscience and actions in a rapidly changing and often troubled world.” –James Chau, International Broadcaster and Host of The China Current

“Marina Mahathir’s book is a glimpse into history, both an intimate glimpse into the world of family and a thoughtful exploration of her beloved country, Malaysia, and its extraordinary political turns. A valuable and poignant record.” –Fatima Bhutto

“Marina Mahathir writes a charmingly low-key presentation of her life story – and what we read is an important historical document. In the annals of autobiography, this book is not the only first-person recount of living with a famous father. But Mahathir Mohamad is not just a famous father; he is a Malaysian icon, a controversial hero in the normally boring parliamentary politics, a leader who brought major changes in the country’s history” –Goenawan Mohamad, Poet, essayist, founder of Indonesia’s Tempo Magazine

Marina Mahathir is a writer, women’s rights and HIV/AIDS activist. She served as the President of the Malaysian AIDS Council for 12 years from 1993-2005 and was a member of numerous international and regional committees on HIV/AIDS. From 2010-2016, she served on the Board of Sisters in Islam, which advocates for justice and equality for Muslim women, and remains a member of the Finance and Fundraising Committee.

Marina has written a column in a local English-language daily for more than 20 years, and writes and speaks regularly on current issues particularly where it relates to gender, human rights and religion. She has authored three compilations of her newspaper columns, In Liberal Doses (1997), Telling It Straight (2012), and Dancing on Thin Ice (2015).

In 2010, Marina was named the UN Person of the Year by the United Nations in Malaysia. On the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day in 2011, Marina was one of only two Malaysian women named to WomenDeliver.org’s list of 100 Most Inspiring People Delivering for Girls and Women. In 2016, Marina received France’s highest award, the Chevalier de la Legion D’Honneur in recognition of her work in HIV and women’s rights. This is in addition to receiving the Dato Paduka Mahkota Selangor (DPMS) from the Sultan of Selangor in 1997 which carries the title ‘Datin Paduka’.

Marina’s abiding interest in education especially for young women has led her to be appointed to the board of the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. In 1997 she received an Honorary degree from Universiti Sains Malaysia for her work in HIV/AIDS education, in 2014 from Wawasan Open University, Penang for her work in human rights and in 2018 she received an Honorary Doctorate from her alma mater, the University of Sussex, UK. Previously she also co-produced an award-winning TV programme for young women, 3R - Respect, Relax, Respond which ran for 10 years on TV3.

Marina’s latest venture is a website for women travellers in Asia and the Middle East, Zafigo.com and ZafigoX, an event on women and travel that features inspiring women who have faced challenges and barriers while travelling and overcome them.