Realising the Land Below the Wind is more than just about the authentic food, exotic adventure and breath-taking views which she learned from social media and magazines, Kokilam Kathirvailu was amazed at discovering two gems who became her instant inspiration – Mary Jim and Judy Miki – due to their passion in championing their causes.
Kokilam, a 35-year old mother of three, longed to do something meaningful in life, especially for women. She regards the two women she had acquainted with during her visit to Sabah as her turning point to do something meaningful and better.
Like the impact the two local women had on the community here in 2018, she participated in a beauty pageant which she came across on a website.
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Kokilam visited the Pacos centre.
From young, she had always wanted to do something not many in her community would dare to venture and one of them was to participate in a beauty show. She wanted to prove that beauty and brains could go together to better the community.
Her effort was paid off when she won the Mrs Malaysia/World pageant last year in Kuala Lumpur, beating 18 other participants from all over Malaysia.
She never expected to be crowned as it was her first time participating. All she wanted was to get the experience and to feel the excitement as a participant.
Kokilam shared her story to the women who visited her at the farm.
The pageant that she participated was created since 1984 for married women having its sister system, the Mrs America and its national director is David Marmel.
She said it is the oldest and biggest beauty pageant in the world and for Malaysia, the director is Datin Harveen Kaur.
After her win, she challenged herself to do something even more daring – going to the interior and experience the life of others living in scarcity.
An adventurous person by nature, she dreamed to do anything that is testing her physical endurance and one of her wish list is to “scale” Mount Kinabalu, among others.
Kokilam also distributed goodies to children at the gathering.
She admitted that from young she yearned to do many things as doing bits of everything would fulfil her dreams.
A trip to the Land below the Wind recently changed her viewpoints about what the people of the land and its natural beauty hold.
A local entrepreneur, Mary Jim, who had been championing many women movement, was more than happy to sponsor Kokilam’s excursion to Sabah.
Mary’s team made an arrangement for the beauty queen and her crew, Christy Vicknesraj and Patrick Paul Peter, to stay at Country Farm Lodge which belongs to one Judy Miki at Kg Maang in Penampang.
Mary is the owner of local brand called MJByMUS, which produces local clutch bags, Batik and Sarong attires and other items with local motifs.
She formed her social enterprise platform in 2015 with the objective to market and distribute the local community products to fulfil the market demand.
Getting her hands into the soil – plucking some vegetables for dinner.
She said there have been many job opportunities created ever since the platform was in existence.
“I am passionate about helping other women sustaining their respective trade. We empower women with skills, and knowledge so that this substance can be spread into their homes and the community eventually.
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“I am happy that Mrs Malaysia, Kokilam, is also passionate about giving back to the society.
“This platform is to assist the community to achieve a sustainable financial means to better access the education and standard of living which will then transform them to become dynamic entrepreneurs.
“Ultimately, our goal is to ensure a quality product will be produced prior to reaching out to the respective owner,” said Mary.
Describing Mary Jim as a true community leader, Kokilam was delighted to realise they both have something in common – passionate in helping other women in striving to be better.
Martina (right) demonstrating traditional food preparation.
“I see her as a real champion to fellow indigenous. I have so much to learn from Mary about bringing together communities from other districts to do something together to increase the economy and expand knowledge accordingly,” said Kokilam admiring Mary.
She said imparting knowledge, creating awareness and skills to another person is important and that was exactly how she saw Mary discharging her role as a community leader to her fellow members in the community.
Kokilam was also amazed at how hospitable and generous the people were apart from being awe-struck by the fresh looking, farm-stay in the village.
Judy Miki, owner of Country Farm Lodge, told the group that they were the first to occupy her cabins after it was completed several months ago. This got the visitors excited and proud to be part of the first occupants.
To add to her delight, Kokilam found out that Judy is also championing the cause for autistic children by giving opportunity to the young adults with disability to work in her farm.
A former stewardess, Judy said working herself tirelessly in the farm was her dream came true. After her retirement from the Malaysia Airlines she focused in developing her farm a few years ago and her latest addition was the lodges.
To make it more meaningful, she opened her farm to the autistic young adults by giving them her place to do easy activities such as watering plants, making seedlings, and others.
Kokilam (centre) accompanied by Judith (left) and Judy to visit the vegetable farm.
“Helping others who are in this situation (disability) is close to my heart. I myself have two autistic children and I want to make sure they are treated equally in society,” Judy told the visitors.
She opened the farm to them by letting them “play” and spend time doing something useful and at the same time to earn some income.
It is also a place for interaction so they do not feel left out, said Judy.
She said both Mary and Judy became her inspiration and all the more she wanted to discharge more meaningful activities with communities that she would encounter in future.
At the farm-stay, Kokilam had the chance to sample some authentic food. She also toured the vegetable farm where she plucked some vegetables for dinner.
Martina Libasa, part of Mary’s team, prepared all ingredients and taught Kokilam some of the menu like chicken in ‘lihing’ soup, Kadazan salad with wild vegetables and a few other dishes.
Kokilam said learning new recipe from different ethnic groups increased her knowledge about others.
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“I always believe that giving ourselves enough exposure and life experience are the two priceless ‘education’ which enhance our well-being.
“I always emphasise that education can be attained from anywhere (not necessarily from school),” she said.
She also admires TV celebrity Oprah Winfrey and her former boss Shubashini Kaniapan, who both had inspired her to be who she is today.
Chatting with some of the special young adults at Judy’s farm.
She said winning the pageant was just a passport for her into something even bigger out there. She realised there are more things to do than just officiating functions or attending some prestigious events.
Looking back when her father was a driver and mother a homemaker, she grew up in a humble environment but she had all the love she could get from her family.
With that essence, she knew the importance of being loved and caring to other people especially those who do not get enough love and care.
She said some of the most challenging activities were visiting the homeless, orphanages and underprivileged children.
“Some nights, I could not sleep thinking of those whom I visited earlier – people having no house to go back to, children who have no parents, people living in poverty and so on.
“There is so much we can do together to help and I am ready to do the little I can to cheer them up.
“Coming to this place (Sabah) had really made me realised that there are bigger ways that we can do to help,” she suggested.
“I am moved by people who do something great for the society. It becomes personal to me and I wanted to do the same.
“I know that I could do more than just show off my attire at the parade. I want to feel the mud track, the wet path into the farm and all the experiences can only be felt in the outskirts,” she said.
She said in her next trip she would like to climb Mount Kinabalu, camp in the jungle, visit the islands and many more.
She admitted that travelling made her wiser because she could meet people from different backgrounds.
“You must not get tired of mingling and talking to anyone whether locally or abroad as it makes oneself well-informed, knowledgeable and it is a kind of thing that can make you very confident,” she advised.
She had also visited Australia, Rome, Paris, Italy, Greece, London, Thailand, India, Indonesia and Singapore.