Hannah, who migrated to Australia in 2009, said in a recent interview that she was spurred to challenge Albanese because of his failure to act on the genocide in Palestine and his attitude towards immigrants and refugees.

She will represent the Greens party in the contest against Albanese, leader of the Australian Labor Party, in the federal elections on May 3.

Her decision was hailed today as courageous.

Former New Straits Times chief editor Kalimullah Hassan said in a social media post that Hannah had been at the forefront of protests against the genocide in Palestine, demonstrating at Albanese’s office to the extent he stayed away from there “for security reasons”.

Kalimullah said that while many white Australians supported Gaza, it took extra courage for a coloured person to do so in a predominantly white Australia.

While she may not win in the election, her actions would reverberate, Kalimullah wrote.

“Think about it – even in pro-Palestine Malaysia, neither politicians nor prominent people dare speak up against the inhumane actions of the West. But this diminutive woman – she has them made of brass,” he wrote.

Hannah said three factors motivated her to contest.

She said Albanese should be held to account for his failure to take action against the genocide in Palestine.

She said as an immigrant, she found it offensive that Albanese had blamed the housing and cost of living crisis on people like her.

She also felt that the Grayndler constituency is being represented by “someone who has rushed through some of the most anti-refugee, Trumpian bills we’ve seen in decades”.