The BURO Impact Awards celebrates the creativity, originality, passion, and accomplishments of Malaysia’s trailblazing talents. Ahead, find our conversation with our Voice of the Year, Heidy Quah.
How many of us speak up when it matters most, knowing that doing so may come with consequences? For many, silence feels safer, easier, less risky. But faced with harrowing stories of discrimination, mistreatment, and prejudice, Heidy Quah chose the harder path of amplifying her voice.
2021 was the year that everything changed for the advocate. After listening to the experience of a detainee about the deplorable conditions inside Malaysia’s detention centres, Quah took to Facebook to expose what she had learned and raise concerns about refugee rights. Her intention was simple yet courageous—to use her voice when so many felt they could not. The post went viral, shocking Malaysians across the country. But instead of being met with accountability, Quah was charged under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, accused of using the internet “to offend and annoy.” The moment illustrated, with painful clarity, how easy it is to be punished for speaking the truth, and how tempting it can be to retreat into silence.
But instead of cowering under such a charge, Quah stepped into a new kind of courage. She and her legal team made a bold decision—not only to defend her right to speak, but to challenge the very law that had been used against so many whistleblowers, activists, and everyday Malaysians. Setting out to strike out the vague, subjective words “offensive” and “annoying”, it was a battle fought not just for herself, but for every Malaysian who had ever been afraid to speak up.
It was a long and exhausting legal battle, but in August 2025, the Court of Appeal delivered a landmark victory: the words “annoying” and “offensive” were deemed unconstitutional and were struck out. Using your voice is rarely comfortable, but it can be powerful and sometimes, capable of shifting a nation. It is this conviction, fearlessness, and persistence rooted in empathy that make Quah undoubtedly BURO’s Voice of the Year.
Ahead, get to know the inspiring advocate and founder of Refuge for the Refugees.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievement would be playing a role in amending the law in Malaysia so that more Malaysians can have the freedom of speech and be able to express their thoughts more freely (within 3R limitations, of course).
In August 2025, we won in a landslide victory in the Court of Appeal, where the court decided and agreed to strike out the words “offensive” and “annoying” in Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, deeming it unconstitutional. This means that now, Malaysians have more freedom of speech.
What is your most treasured possession?
My most treasured possession is the legacy I hope I’ve built in the advocacy space for refugees. It’s not something I can hold in my hands, but I believe it lives in the lives touched, the systems challenged, and the hope restored in people who were once made invisible. When I think about it, this “possession” is really a tapestry woven from countless stories—the resilience of mothers who survived unspeakable violence, children who found safety in classrooms we fought to keep open, and refugee leaders who stepped into their own power when given the chance.
It is the trust communities have placed in me, the courage they’ve lent me, and the belief that even in the most broken systems, dignity can still be defended. So I treasure this legacy because it reflects a life lived with purpose: showing up when it’s hard, speaking up even when my voice trembles, and choosing compassion again and again.
Who are your heroes in real life?
My heroes in real life are the people I meet within the refugee community. They are some of the kindest, most generous, most inclusive people I’ve met—their resilience, grit, and hope for the future inspire me.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.” I say this often because I believe kindness is a choice we get to make again and again—in how we speak, how we listen, and how we acknowledge the people moving through our lives. I like to think about it as a way of being. How do I slow down enough to see people—really see them? In a world that constantly tells people they’re not enough, being the person who notices, who affirms, who makes space feels like one of the most meaningful things we can offer.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
For now, what’s top of mind is a good workout, quality time with loved ones, an iced latte, and being at the dog park with Pepper and Boxy, my two dogs for whom I serve as a godmother.
Which living person do you most admire?
It’s honestly hard to name just one person. I try not to put people on a pedestal because we’re all human. But if I think about the people I admire most, they’re the ones I meet every day in my work: refugee leaders who continue to serve their communities with dignity; mothers who rebuild their lives after unthinkable loss; young people who keep learning and dreaming despite every barrier thrown at them; and everyday Malaysians who choose to be kind.
I admire the quiet strength of those who choose hope when hope feels unreasonable. The ones who show up, again and again, without applause, titles, or recognition. People who lead with heart, who carry their communities forward, and who embody resilience in its purest form.
If I had to name names, I think of Nang Hawm, the chair of the Shan Refugee Organisation, whom at 18 or so was imprisoned for 2 years because of her advocacy work back in Myanmar, and upon making her way to Malaysia, took on the responsibility of leading the Shan Refugee Organisation, caring for hundreds of refugees in Malaysia despite her young age. She’s only 22! I think about my friends, Elroi and Sze Ning, with whom I work in the refugee space. Their approach to the work, which centres around seeing the person first, and commitment to friendship building and community organising, deeply inspires me.
What do you most value in your friends?
What I value most in friends is kindness and authenticity. Kindness in the way they show up gently, consistently, without needing a reason. And authenticity in the way they live and love unfiltered, honest, and true to who they are.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is losing the people I love. Not just physically, but emotionally, slowly, or silently. The idea of waking up one day and realising that distance, busyness, or pain has pulled us apart scares me more than anything.
I also fear becoming hardened by the work I do. I worry that the weight of advocacy, grief, and injustice might one day dull the softness or empathy I’ve always tried to protect. I sometimes worry about losing pieces of myself in the process of trying to hold everyone else together. Ultimately, my greatest fear is forgetting to live fully while I’m busy fighting for others—to miss the moments, the relationships, and the small joys that make all the struggle worth it.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My 3Fs: faith, family and friends. Faith is my anchor, the love that grounds me, shapes me, and reminds me who I am, even in the hardest seasons. Family is my home, the people whose love feels steady, warm, and lifelong. And my friends—they’re my chosen family, people who love me as I am, who walk with me through the chaos, the joy, the tenderness, and the everyday moments that make life feel full.
When and where were you happiest?
Strangely, I think I’m the happiest now. Life has been a lot—heavy, stretching, humbling—but it has also been all kinds of wonderful. I’m finally in a season where I know who I am, what matters to me, and what I’m meant to be doing. I’m proud of the work I’ve done (you have no idea how hard it is to say this!) and the work I’m still growing into.
So, when and where am I the happiest? Right here, in this season, with the people (and pups) I love, in this version of myself I’ve worked so hard to arrive at.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
If I could change one thing about myself, it would be the way I’m so hard on myself—the instinct to hold myself to impossible standards even when I extend compassion so easily to everyone else. I wish I could soften that inner critic, trust my own efforts a little more, and allow myself to rest without guilt. To believe that “good enough” can genuinely be enough, and that I don’t need to earn my worth through constant doing or proving.
What are the words you live by?
“How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great.” I think about this a lot, and it’s something that grounds me. It shapes how I live and lead, and I hope that every choice I make reflects that spirit: to show up gently, consistently, and courageously for those who are hurting, even when it’s inconvenient or unseen.
CREDITS
Editor-In-Chief / JASON LIM. Creative Direction and Styling / SARAH TAI. Text and Interview / MARISSA CHIN. Styling Assisted by / BENEDICT UNANG. Art Direction Assisted by / EVE LYN LAU. Photography / DAVID ONG | HERRY STUDIO ASSISTED BY SAMANTHA JANE & RICHY CHYE. Videography / DENNIS KHO. Makeup / JENN TEH. Hair / MAY WOO FOR SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL.
Follow Heidy on Instagram here. Find the full list of BURO Impact Awards winners here.
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