By Gurnam Singh | OPINION |

Most people will be familiar with the idiom, ‘one step forward, two steps back’. Well I sometimes feel when it comes to Sikhs, it is a case of ‘one step forward, five steps back’.

Sikh history is replete with heroic accounts of struggle against oppressive rulers. And often for very modest demands, and we have been successful in gaining concessions and much more. For example, the struggle to gain control of the Gurdwaras with the Gurdwara Reform Movement (Sudhar Lehar) in the 1920’s, to the establishment of Sikh rule during the periods of Banda Singh Bahadur and Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 18th and 19th Centuries. However, because of a combination of infighting, complacency and divide-and-rule strategies deployed by state actors, often as a panth, we have ended up losing more than we have gained and this has resulted in a roller coaster history of collectivism and fragmentation.

[Gurnam Singh is an academic activist dedicated to human rights, liberty, equality, social and environmental justice. He is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Warwick, UK. He can be contacted at Gurnam.singh.1@warwick.ac.uk]

* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.

 

RELATED STORY:

Time to flip some prevailing ideas (Asia Samachar, 24 April 2020)

Sohan Singh Bhakna: Founder of revolutionary Ghadr Party (Asia Samachar, 21 Jan 2019)

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

By Akashdip Singh | OPINION |

It is a Sunday afternoon, May 2020. The last two months has changed my perspective on what I used to consider normal. With the pandemic, it is no longer acceptable to shake hands, let alone giving someone a hug. When situation returns to ‘normal’ or perhaps the ‘new normal’; however we may want to call it, one major aspect that should not be taken for granted is the community kitchen in our Gurdwaras.

Today we generally serve ‘karah parshad’ [also called degh] once the programme is complete with bare hands. During langgar, we serve bread (parshada) with bare hands as well. Do we want to continue doing this? Should we consider using a ladle for serving karah parshaad and putting on gloves or using tongs when serving parshada to avoid direct contact?

I have observed sewadaars (volunteers) using their phones when they are serving. I am particularly concerned about the food that is being served that has direct contact with the bare hands. We have heard that the phone is a playground for germs; yet we accept food from the sewadaars whom we may have seen using their phones when they are serving during langgar. We take the easy way out, not wanting to be impolite and we do not tell them to wash their hands.

Today, the situation is different. We are currently experiencing a global pandemic. Should we still accept it being normal to serve using bare hands? What could the implications be if we were to continue doing this? The main reason for not touching food that is ready to eat with bare hands is to prevent viruses and bacteria from contaminating the food that could still be present even after hands are washed.

All of us who attend Gurdwara need to give this a thought as I am sure that we do not want to saunter through life from this point onward. May Guruji grant us the wisdom to do the right thing.

The author, Akashdip Singh, is a consultant based in Kuala Lumpur. He views life as a journey that has shaped his outlook to see the richness of the universe in all situations. 

MALACCA 2020 | Official link for 48th Sant Baba Sohan Singh Ji Salana Yaadgiri E-Akhand Path from Gurdwara Sahib Melaka | Starts 6am Malaysian time (10pm GMT) 22 May 2020. Ends 1pm Malaysian time (5am GMT) 24 May 2020

By Asia Samachar Team | MALAYSIA |

Eight gurdwaras have been permitted to operate on Sundays and under strict conditions from 10 June onwards as the Malaysian authorities try to open up places of worship in the next stage of the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Eighteen of the 26 gurdwaras that applied for operating permission did not make the cut at they were located in the red or yellow zones of the nation’s novel coronavirus tracker.

The eights gurdwaras – five from Perak and one each from Perlis, Johor and Sabah – are part of the 174 non-Muslim places of worship in green zones that will be allowed to open on selected days starting Jun 10, said Malaysian senior minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a press conference yesterday (21 May).

Four of the gurdwaras approved in the first round loosening for places of worship are from the Kinta Valley in Perak. They are Gurdwara Sahib Greentown Ipoh, Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Ipoh, Tambun and Bercham. Tapah is the other gurdwara from Perak. The other gurdwaras are Kangar, Muar and Sandakan.

The gurdwaras are only allowed to open on Sundays from 7am to 2pm and must keep its gates closed at other times.

“Most gurdwaras nationwide didn’t apply. Even our advise was they should only apply if they are from the green zone and that they can comfortably comply with the very strict operating conditions,” Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC) president Jagir Singh told Asia Samachar.

The Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) has decided to continue to keep churches closed until the movement control order (MCO) is lifted, according to local media reports.

The movement control order (MCO), which took effect since March 18 to rein in the spread of COVID-19, saw the shutdown of prayer and all gatherings at places of worship nationwide.

MGC, which is representing the gurdwaras in meetings with the national health authorities, will be issuing a letter tomorrow to its members to outlines the conditions imposed by the health authority. A copy was emailed to Asia Samachar.

In the letter, MGC has outlined the following points from the SOP:

(i) At one time there can only be maximum of 30 persons allowed to enter and strict Social Distancing to be observed.

(ii) Signboards relating to Social Distancing of at least 1 Meter should be put up.

(iii) Sanggat members who are above 70 years old and below 12 years old are not allowed to be present. This is for their own safety. This does not apply to Granthi Sahiban and Gurdwara staff.

(iv) Must set-up a centre and provide a book for Sanggat members to record their Name and Contact Number. No record of a person’s temperature is required.

(v) All present at Gurdwara Sahib must wear Masks for the duration they are there.

(vi) The Gurdwara committee members and the Sanggat attending must carry with them their identity cards.

(vii) The gates of the Gurdwara can only be opened for the period allowed for Prayer and to be closed immediately after Sanggat members have left.

(viii) No Langgar is allowed. However, “Packed Food” can be given out but cannot be eaten at the Gurdwara Sahib.

(ix) Strict cleanliness and Social Distancing to be observed at all times while at Gurdwara premises.

On applications from other gurdwaras to restart programmes, MGC said the committees can submit the form entitled “Cadangan Rumah Terpilih Dan Berdaftar Dalam Zon Hijau Semasa Tempoh Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Bersyarat (PKPB)”, which has been distributed to all gurdwaras.

As for the remaining 113 gurdwaras, Jagir said they have been advised to continue to follow the earlier SOP, which include keeping their gates closed and ensuring no functions or Langgar allowed in the gurdwara premises.

For death, the sadharan paath (intermittent reading of the entire Guru Granth Sahib) can be commenced at the gurdwara and the antham ardas can be done.

“Here family members must report to the police and fill up the MCO form. The police will give direction and can allow up to 10 persons. For the purpose of cremation rites, there can be up to 20 family members gathered in the family house,” he said in the letter.

As per a directive form the National Registration Department dated 12 May, all marriage ceremonies are postponed until 31 July 2020.

“Some Gurdwaras have been carrying out welfare work in the past, which may be continued but the Gurdwaras gates to remain closed,” he said.

By Parvitar Singh | OPINION |

When the news broke about two Sikh doctors shaving their beards to serve in the frontlines more efficiently (in their words), many emotions flared up whilst at the same time there were many who were in solidarity.

I received many messages two weeks ago asking my view on this issue and some were even in praises on how Sikhs have always stepped up and sacrificed to serve humanity.

I chose not to reply to most of the messages because I was perplexed myself. I was trying to reconcile with many factors – religious, spiritual, social, political, physical, mental, personal and emotional. I also wanted to study the viewpoints of these doctors carefully and hear what what other individuals and Sikh establishments have got to say about this issue.

Coming from a biotechnology (research) background and the study of viruses and bacteria was something day in, day out for me. From a purely scientific viewpoint, I understand how contagious and deadly this virus is, how complex its genetic make up is, how it affects the human respiratory system and possibly even the circulatory system. Therefore mandating the emphasis of personal protection, personal hygiene, social distancing and etc.

Now the beard, and even hair, is sacred for Sikhs. In the form of tenets, it is an absolute taboo to remove our hair. In fact, many Sikhs rather lose their lives than give up their hair as witnessed in history. The list goes on when it comes to the supreme sacrifices of many Sikhs who chose death over giving up their tenets.

As a young kid, my mother use to sing this as a lullaby to me: Seer Jaye Ta Jaye Mera Sikhi Sidakh Na Jaye. Translation: If I have to lose my head, so be it
May I never lose my Sikhi and the practices that come with it.

SEE ALSO: The false choice presented to Sikh doctors serving COVID patients

I myself grew up with my hair unshorn, and eventually the beard came along. Got teased, mocked and bullied in school for my appearance.

It didn’t get any easier in the army – as a combatant it also meant getting down & dirty during PT, trainings, and even spending days in the jungle without showers.

In all of that, I chose not to waiver on my tenets because they are deeply engrained in me and I understand the importance of staying true to my tenets.

Beside these two Canadian doctors, we’ve got many Sikh doctors and nurses around the globe who are serving in the frontlines. In fact, a month ago or so, an elderly Sikh doctor in the UK had lost his life to Covid-19. Many Sikh doctors are serving the frontlines with their beards and donning the personal protective equipment (PPE) and I’m sure it’s challenging given how heat traps in the PPE and they’ve got to withstand long shifts. [See here]

In the case of these two doctors, they’ve shared how it was difficult for them to make this decision, how it has upset them but they found it necessary as it limited their capacity to work and the lack of PPE in their part of the world.

Many Sikhs and Sikh institutions responded with emotion, questioning their strength in the upkeep of the tenets and even provided alternatives that Sikh frontline stuff can adopt to steer around the beard.

I questioned myself for many days and finally reached to these conclusions:

1. The emotion, anger and sadness that some Sikhs expressed is understandable given how these tenets have seen sacrifice of lives for us to even be practicing them and more importantly, how it has been preached, practiced and passed down from the Sikh Gurus.
2. To those who showed solidarity aren’t wrong either – perhaps they come from a space of understanding that these doctors are doing their job, adjusting to unprecedented times given the lack of PPE and are putting their personal safety and of their patients as priority.
3. Religious policing – it can be healthy and unhealthy. Healthy because it gives the religion and more importantly its practices a certain decorum, discipline, format and system. It becomes unhealthy when it becomes intrusive, an avenue for degradation and discrimination and starts going against the very teachings of the religion.

In this case I disagree with all the discriminative viewpoints against these doctors but I understand the less spoken fear of many Sikhs – they wouldn’t want the examples of these doctors become a precedence, an instrument of influence and possibly having this case study taken on a political level where anti – beard polices or measures are put in place thus affecting Sikhs who truly want to do their jobs while practicing their faith.

This fear is valid, it’s the crux of the matter and can be possibly be worrying for Sikhs who are already bearing the brunt of high levels of racism and policies that discriminate against the Sikh tenets especially in the West and Europe.

I personally believe that Sikhism is a highly personal journey between a Sikh and their Creator. In the end, as stated in our scriptures, we are answerable for our own actions.

As human beings being judgemental is something we can’t run away from but I’d urge everyone to have healthy discourses and debates rather than resorting to unhealthy religious policing that may adversely affect those who are either attempting to follow the religion, have their faith already shaken, the ones who are questioning their faith and those who are at the verge of exiting the faith.

I empathise with these doctors and I can’t say I support their decision but I wouldn’t judge them for their decision either because they know their situation best.

In all of this my only concern is having this episode becoming ammunition for the development of policies that can possibly be discriminative and disadvantageous for Sikhs who truly want to serve and do their jobs while keeping and practicing their tenets.

Sikhs are known to be versatile and flexible. We’ve proved time and again that we can serve, work and conduct ourselves efficiently regardless of industry. I guess a lot of the emotion also stems from how many Sikhs have done their part no matter how difficult it has gotten while doing what is required from them and I share the same sentiments.

I am grateful for the Sikh institutions and individuals who have gone out of their way to demonstrate how Sikh males can safely don their PPE with the beard as well as some of the alternatives that can be safely adopted however my very humble request to all Sikhs including the institutions – let’s always come from a place of understanding, empathy, research and education. These are in fact the very fundamentals of Sikhism and that gives us the uniquely neutral global image.

Parvitar Singh is a Singapore-based youth leader who’s passion lies in understanding people, polices and worldview to do his part in making this world a better place.

By Gurmukh Singh | OPINION |

In November 1994, Dya Singh of Australia published his Research Project and Dissertation for his BA in Aboriginal studies at the University of South Australia. The renowned singer of Gurbani in world music genre was an accountant by profession. He started the Introduction with these words: Since coming to Australia in 1980, I have been intrigued by the number of non-Sikhs who carry the surname “Singh”……which was invariably used as a surname when Sikhs travelled outside Panjab.

So, Dya Singh developed a habit of stopping in small towns in Australia when on long journeys and checking the local telephone directories. He was never disappointed and always found some “Singh” names. He wondered if they had Sikh connections. Soon he started meeting some people with those names who confirmed that, indeed, their ancestors were Sikhs! Dya Singh continued with his degree project and by completion had discovered many such families. Some had kept old photographs of early migrant Sikh Australians. Prompted by these discoveries, others in Australia followed to uncover more information about early Sikh settlers in Australia going back to 1848 when a Sikh migrant had opened his bank account in Adelaide, South Australia.

I was reminded of above research by Dya Singh by a recent communication from Sardar Tarlochan Singh, ex-MP and former Chair, National Commission for Indian Minorities. To quote, “I wrote this earlier also that we should make an effort to have a complete history of arrival of Sikhs in UK and have a permanent place which could be a sort of museum. The Sikh diaspora is now well settled and have all the resources to take up this project. I have seen such a museum in Mauritius, depicting the arrival of Biharis in that country. Near the Statue of Liberty in New York, there is a museum of the arrivals of white men in America. Since our arrival in UK, Canada and America is 125 years old, it is easier to collect documents and newspaper articles and oral history…I hope similar efforts would be made by the Sikhs in all other countries where they are settled.”

There are many non-Sikh examples in America like the museum of early settlers in Virginia. In 1607, Jamestown in Virginia was the first UK settlement in North America. There are other similar museums at Maryland and Alabama.

From Australia, Dya Singh has confirmed that there is a small organisation in Perth called the Sikh Heritage Trail which has done good work in tracing Sikh history there with the possibility of a Sikh heritage museum in due course. However, he thinks that British Sikhs should take a lead.

In the UK, Anglo-Sikh Heritage Trail and Panjab Heritage projects are similar. S. Tarlochan Singh feels that in late S. Harbinder Singh Rana the Sikhs have lost one of the most dedicated visionaries. Having worked with Harbinder Singh Rana on the Wellington Arch “Jawans to Generals” exhibition in 2002, I agree. Much material has already been collated: Peter Bance has published Sikhs in Britain: 150 Years of Photography. Led by S. Harbinder Singh Rana, much work has been done by Maharaja Dalip Singh Trust and Anglo-Sikh Heritage Trial. Amandeep Singh Madra OBE of UK Punjab Heritage Association is also active. The project can be developed as a wing of another museum like the Sikh Museum at Derby.

So, Sardar Tarlochan Singh is keen that there should be a proper place to house the story of Sikhs in the UK and that the earliest arrivals should be described with proper records, photos and artefacts. The museum should also have a gallery of Sikh achievers.

He suggests that such a project should be considered by those with expertise in the field. Similar museums should come up in diaspora countries. With dedicated teamworking, England is in a good position to take a lead and guide others.

Gurmukh Singh OBE, a retired UK senior civil servant, chairs the Advisory Board of The Sikh Missionary Society UK. Email: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk. The article appeared here.

* This is the opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.

RELATED STORY:

Sikhi: The Path for the New Age (Asia Samachar, 17 May 2020)

How coronavirus can change the world (Asia Samachar, 29 April 2020)

By T Avineshwaran | MALAYSIA |

PETALING JAYA: When Virandeep Singh captained Malaysia against Vanuatu in a T20 cricket match on Sept 29 last year, little did he know that he would become the youngest T20 captain in the world.

The vice-captain of the national cricket team was 20 years and 194 days at the time, and according to leading cricket statistics site, ESPN CricInfo, he beat Botswana’s Tshepo Phaswana, who captained his country against Namibia at the age of 20 years and 224 days.

Virandeep only knew about his feat five months after the match.

While it made him proud, he was disappointed that he could not lead his side to a victory as they lost to the Pacific nation by 17 runs at the Kinrara Oval in Puchong.

Still, that experience was a special one for him, and he is hopeful of leading the country to successes in the future if he becomes the full-time captain of the team.

“It was exceptional, to be honest. I did not know I had broken the record by being the youngest ever T20 captain. I only learnt about it five months later when I was scrolling through Twitter and came across an article, ” said the 21-year-old, who is the team’s batsman and wicketkeeper.

“I had captained the Malaysia U19 team for four years, and I was captaining my state Kuala Lumpur as well so it was not too difficult to adjust. We have a strong bond among the players, so that helped also.

Virandeep, whose brother Pavandeep is the leading spinner for the national team, strongly believes the nation has lots of cricketing talent but sadly, cricket is not a major sport in Malaysia.

Read full story, A great run for our young master batsman, (The Star, 17 May 2020), here.

ਘਲੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਦੇ ਉਠੀ ਜਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

Ghelay avay Nanaka, seday uthi jaey

The greatest comfort and lasting peace are obtained when one eradicates selfishness from within – Guru Gobind Singh Ji

DR PRETAM SINGH

(s/o the Late Sardar Chanan Singh and Late Mataji Awtar Kaur of Kajang)

Village: Bhinder

Passed away peacefully at the age of 90 on 17^th of May 2020

A man of immeasurable humility and a figure who warranted enormous admiration. Dr. Pretam Singh enriched the lives of those who had the privilege of being in his company. He was a surgeon of great talent and reverence as well as a loving brother, son, father and grandfather. He shall never truly be gone, remaining in all the books he has read, the stories he had told and the sweets he has eaten. The loss his family has experienced is truly insurmountable.

The legacy he left is the love of a selfless man who always put his family before himself

He will be forever cherished and  deeply missed by

Wife: Dr. Ajit Kaur

Sons: Dr. Ranjiv Singh & Dr. Rajesh Singh

Daughter: Naveen Kaur

Daughters-in-law: Ravinder Kaur & Dr Aine O’Connell

Brothers: Gurcharan Singh (deceased) & Balbir Singh (deceased)

Sisters: Datin Balbir Kaur (deceased), Satwant Kaur (deceased), Balwant Kaur (deceased), Rajeender Kaur & Jesveer Kaur

And grandchildren

Cremation was held at Jalan Loke Yew Crematorium on the 17th of May 2020.

The Path da Bhog will be held on Sunday, 31^st of May

Due to the Movement Control Order (MCO), the family has been advised to keep this as a private affair. Hence this announcement is meant to inform relatives and friends.

The family wishes to thank everyone for their condolences and prayers.

Contact:

Dr Ajit: 018-292 0514 (wife)

Naveen: 016-238 9367 (daughter)

Ravinder: 016-374 3196 (daughter in law)

| Entry: 23 May 2020 | Source: Family

LETTER TO EDITOR | MALAYSIA |

All of us who wear turbans have problems keeping the face mask. Recently I went to buy face mask and I came across this small item that is very helpful in keeping the face mask.

It is flexible and fits well and can be adjusted to fit comfortably. It comes in various colours. It is easy to use. It can be used by men and women over the dupattas or under the dupattas.

It can be obtained at DIY outlets and costs RM 0.50 sen each. Hopefully it will be useful as we might be wearing for sometime to come.

I enclose some photos.

Charanjit Singh (Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia)

By Asia Samachar Team | INDIA |

A Sikh outfit came forward to sanitise the Masjid Jama in New Delhi just as Muslims prepared for Aidiltifti or Eid-ul-Fitr prayers (namaz).

Volunteers from United Sikhs, an international civil rights and humanitarian non-profit organisation, did the sanitisation today as Muslims globally prepare for one of the most significant date on their religious calendar hunkered by the continuous threat of the novel coronavirus.

The masjid shahi imam Ahmed Shah Bukhari was reported to have said that this was the need of the hour in the nation that people take care of each other.

“The way people from Sikh community sanitised the Jama Masjid is the beauty of this nation. Amid the fight against the coronavirus, it is very important to help each other. I hope this beauty of the nation is maintained,” he said.

On the same day, United Sikhs volunteers were equally hard at work at various other locations – from Amritsar to Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne to California.

There was another sanitising effort in Amritsar, Punjab, this one involving the St. Paul’s Church.

In Kuala Lumpur, their Malaysian chapter has been busy providing essential food to the needy impacted by the Covid-19 movement restriction order (MCO).

HERE ARE SOME LISTING ON THE UNITED SIKHS TWITTER FEED IN JUST THE LAST 24 HOURS:

INDIA: Today in association with Shiromani Gatka Akhara, #UNITEDSIKHS Sanitize St. Paul’s #Church, #Amritsar. On the occasion, Father Pastor of the Church Raj Kumar thanked the UNITED SIKHS & said that it was a great initiative of the #Sikh organization to serve other places of worship.

AUSTRALIA: #UNITEDSIKHS Launches #GuruNanak’s Free Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in partnership with Wyndham Park Community Centre & #letsFeed. On a weekly basis hot meals will be distributing groceries from our pantry & cooked meals from our kitchen to those in need. #feedthehungry

UK: As we are staying safe at home during #COVID19 for some home is not safe #domesticviolence has risen dramatically as victims are home with perpetrators. Our @kauronamission is out providing sanitary towels & chocolates. Thanks @beverley_momen & @Vi2015UK #womenempowerment @SikhPA

INDIA: #UNITEDSIKHS team reaches Chuna Bhatti slum area in Kirti Nagar, #Delhi where fire broke and destroyed nearly 200 jhuggis. #Volunteers team reached the site of incident & provided tea & rusks to the victims in the morning. And Food packets were distributed to them in the evening.

INDIA: #UNITEDSIKHS #Zirakpur team is tirelessly & dedicatedly working to serve the needy. Volunteers have distributing fruits to the #migrants moving on foot towards their villages.

UNITED STATES: #UNITEDSIKHS delivered hundreds of cooked meals to #SouthernCalifornia Hospital at #CulverCity ! The medical staff, along with their CEO Mike Klepin, expressed their appreciation for our organzation and our volunteers. #HealthcareHeroes #COVID19 #FightAgainstCorona

UNITED STATES: UNITED SIKHS #COVID19 EMERGENCY RELIEF TEAM preparing langar at #BuenaParkGurdwara Sahib #LosAngeles for skid row (homeless population in Los Angeles)

AUSTRALIA: Calling Aussie Sikhs, we are looking for #Sikhs who live in #edenmonaro We’re running a candidate forum on the plight of the 650 last Afghan Sikhs who are currently holed up in 3 Gurdwaras trying to escape the country after the most recent massacre. #minorities #Afghanistan

Amrita Kaur’s journey to where she is now was anything but easy.

Failing to do well in her PSLE was a blight on her life. The death of her grandmother, whom she was very attached to, left an emotional void in her life. Inevitably, this affected her studies and she ended up in the Normal Technical stream, which led her to ITE.

She felt looked down upon by her relatives, and worst of all, felt that she had disappointed her parents. As a result, Amrita entered Gan Eng Seng School feeling very demotivated and uninterested in the things around her.

Things changed in Secondary Two when the family faced financial challenges. This led Amrita to realise the importance of having a stable career to be financially independent. In order to do this, a sound education was necessary.

Amrita decided to work hard, especially in Mathematics, which was her weakest subject. Overtime, her hard work paid off and she topped her cohort, receiving the Lee Kuan Yew All-Round Excellence and Lee Kuan Yew Outstanding Normal Course award.

SEE ALSO: Life’s plus/minus for maths whizz Amrita Kaur

After completing her GCE-N Level exam, Amrita went on to ITE College West to pursue a Nitec and Higher Nitec in Finance Services. Her good grades in Nitec allowed her to skip a year of her Higher Nitec course and she graduated at the top of her cohort with a perfect GPA before applying to SP’s Diploma in Accountancy.

An introvert by nature, Amrita overcame her fear of speaking in public during her time in SP. She was given many opportunities to speak to large crowds. This helped her step out of her comfort zone. Determined to make her time in SP count, she joined the SP Rotaract Club – a community service based club, and became its President in her final year.

SP also gave the Model Student award winner an opportunity to spearhead an overseas community service trip to Surabaya, Indonesia. It was her first-time planning and attending an overseas community service trip, where she taught the local children English while helping to renovate their classrooms. The simple and happy life of the locals showed Amrita the importance of family ties in addition to being contented with the simple life. It also reinforced in Amrita the value of community service.

Back home, the SP Scholar interned at Deloitte Singapore, one of the Big Four accounting firms, for six months as an audit intern. Through this internship, Amrita had a better understanding of audit work and had the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of finance. Amrita thinks that finance analytics could be her next growth area.

Though she took a longer education pathway than most, Amrita realised that an outcome is not only the result of ability, but also desire. With hard work, passion and focus, one can achieve all desires. Amrita has already received offers from two local universities to study Accountancy.

The articles was contributed by Singapore Polytechnic. The article, Girl graduated ITE with perfect GPA, continues to shine in Singapore Poly despite the odds (The Straits Times, 22 May 2020), first appeared here.

By Asia Samachar Team | HONG KONG |

Five months ago, Sukhdeep Kaur was beaming with joy as she marched along fellow batch mates after completing the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department (CSD) training. She conquered the physical fitness test as well as tests on aptitude and basic law.

After a determined chase, she realised her dream of a donning a uniform. And in the process, she had also made history by becoming the department’s first Sikh female officer. Yet another feather in the turban for Sikhs globally.

“I had decided to join the CSD after a career talk in my high school. I always wanted to wear their uniform, I found it quite attractive,” she told Asia Samachar in an interview.

Once she had set her mind, the Hongkonger was absolutely relentless in making her dream come true.

“Then I had to pass this physical test involving 5 tasks. I trained myself for that for almost three months, running 10k and doing gym. After passing that, I went through group interview in Chinese. And then final interview. I made it through all with God’s grace,” she said.

Donning her blue turban that matched her navy blue uniform, Sukhdeep’s photo was prominently splashed in a local newspaper that reported on the 6 Dec 2020 graduation ceremony at the Stanley prison.

But why the correctional services? “No other government job allows us to keep our hair during training. Only CSD did,” she said, as a matter of fact.

Now, what she says next would help us to make sense of the above. Asked what role does Sikhi or the Sikh faith plays in her life, she replied: “Very important role. In fact, Sikhi is what I am. It’s my identity. It gives me a direction for living. It is everything to me.”

She started wearing turban on her wedding in 2017.

Sukhdeep said that the local Sikh community was delighted with the news of her achievement. “They were kind of proud and even gave me saroopa. Some Sikhs asked me how I did it? They want their kids to enroll too,” she said.

There are some 12,000 Sikhs in Hong Kong. They are part of the roughly 6% of people in Hong Kong who self-identify as non-ethnic-Chinese (NEC), according to the 2011 Population Census by the Race Relations Unit of the Home Affairs Department. Many of them are second generation born with links to India, Pakistan and Nepal.

Born in Punjab, Sukhdeep was seven when she landed in Hong Kong along with her parents and grandparents who came here in search of new economic opportunities.

MASTERING CANTONESE

On the language front, the ability to speak Cantonese – the predominant Chinese dialect – is vital.

“I wouldn’t say I am that fluent as I studied in the English medium school. I had realised the importance of learning Cantonese when I was looking for a job. Most required speaking Cantonese, so I spent some time in polishing my language skills,” she said.

She added: “Inmates and locals are surprised when I speak Cantonese as not many non-Chinese speak fluently. I’m not that fluent, but they feel it’s good enough. While locals tend to speak to me in English when they first see me but soon start speaking the local language when I reply in Cantonese.”

In an interview with a local newspapers, Sukhdeep said that speaking the local language was key to career prospects. Her hard work paid off when she got an A*, the top grade, at GCSE. Her passion to join a uniform force led her to the Project Gemstone, a community integration programme run by the police force, which offered more Chinese training. Eventually she passed the CSD job interview, conducted in Cantonese.

She can understand 95% of spoken Cantonese, but had to speak slowly and choose her words carefully as she still thought in English, she told the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

“But the first week I worked in the prison, I didn’t even know it when my superior said my name in the walkie-talkie, because he was talking too fast. He slowed it down when talking to me afterwards,” she told the newspaper. “I like speaking in Cantonese with persons in custody, because a big part of my job is communicating with them, knowing their hopes and dreams, and encouraging them to get a second life outside prisons. That’s why I want to become a prison officer too, because I believe in giving people a second chance.”

Now working in Lo Wu Correctional Institution, a place for women inmates, Sukhdeep believes her ethnic background can give her a unique edge in rehabilitating prisoners. She told SCMP: “Some persons in custody have asked me about my turban, which is a good place to start a conversation. Indians there may also feel more comfortable opening up to me in their own native language.”

On the whole, the CSD handles young offenders, drug dependants, first-time offenders and recidivists. It manages 28 correctional facilities comprising correctional institutions, half-way houses and custodial wards of public hospital.

An exciting journey awaits Sukhdeep.

FROM AROUND THE GLOBE | CANADA:

RELATED STORY:

Sikh racer Mohanjit Singh conquers Asian Classic Cars Challenge 2018 (Asia Samachar, 6 Dec 2018)

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

By Asia Samachar Team | INDIA |

India’s three-time Olympic gold medal-winning hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr died in Chandigarh today (25 May) after battling multiple health issues for over two weeks.

The iconic player was 95 and is survived by his daughter Sushbir and three sons Kanwalbir, Karanbir, and Gurbir.

His world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men’s hockey final of the Olympics still remains unbeaten.

By Asia Samachar Team | MALAYSIA |

A newly released book described as ‘treatise’ on mediation in Malaysia is set to become a standard reference material for people involved in the field.

A team of four authors, led by professional and chartered engineer Harbans Singh, is behind the 581-page Practice and Procedure of Mediation.

While there is a resurgence in mediation-related activities, sadly there is a paucity of material that can be used or referred to by practitioners or users, according to the authors in the preface, adding that local books and reference documents are rare.

In view of those limitations and challenges, the authors have put together a book that lays out the practice as well as the various procedures for both practitioners and users of the mediation process.

“Somehow, in the past, mediation never took off in Malaysia,” Harbans told Asia Samachar.

On the community front, Harbans said: “I’m keen on developing the community mediation. This will help the man in the street and the small players…Our cultures always emphasis on mutual benefit. Samjauthaa karro (go for settlement).”

In a foreword, Kuala Lumpur High Court justice Lim Chong Fong described the book – which Harbans co-authored with Samrith Kaur, Rammit Kaur and Louise Azmi – as the ‘first Malaysian treatise on mediation’.

In his many years of practice as a construction lawyer in dispute resolution, Lim described himself as a ‘sceptic’ of mediation but those views have ‘gradually changed over time’ after joining the Malaysian judiciary.

He said the book was timely as the local judiciary was presently committed to having as many suitable cases resolved via court-annexed mediation as possible to cope with, if not reduce, the ever increasing caseload.

To make the book handy, it carries a good spread of sample letters, agreements and checklists, backed with diagrams and flowcharts.

The book also discusses contemporary developments in mediation, including the Singapore Convention on Mediation 2019 to which Malaysia is a signatory.

Harbans – a chartered arbitrator, mediator and adjudicator – is also co-author of Construction Law in Malaysia and The PAM Contract 2006 and contributor to The Malaysian Standard Precedents and Forms (Vol N).

Samrith is the managing partner of Kuala Lumpur-based law firm Messrs Samrith Sanjiv & Partners. She is arbitrator, mediator and adjudicator on the panel of Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC).

Rammit is a founding partner of a boutique consultancy firm providing a wide spectrum of services related to alternate dispute resolution (ADR). She was previously legal head at AIAC, earlier known as the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA).

HOW TO PURCHASE: Title: Practice and Procedure of Mediation | Publisher: Thomson Reuters | Price: Duo (Handbook +ProView eBook) RM350.00; ProView eBook onlyRM279.00 | Tel:+603-51153000

Louise was called to to Bar of England and Wales in 2004 until she relocated to Malaysia in 2015. She’s now with Louise Azmi Chambers.

“We have tried to cover whole ambit of the mediation practice that one may encounter in real life,” said Harbans.

By Asia Samachar Team | INDIA |

A Punjab-based artist pain has put his strokes to work in the honour of India’s legendary hockey player and a three-time Olympics gold medallist Balbir Singh Sr.

Balbir passed away yesterday (25 May 2020, Monday) in Chandigarh, Punjab, after battling multiple health issues for over two weeks.

“Salute to this hero With my colours!,” writes Gurpreet Singh who is based at Bathinda.

The iconic player was 95 and is survived by his daughter Sushbir and three sons Kanwalbir, Karanbir, and Gurbir.

His world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men’s hockey final of the Olympics still remains unbeaten.

For his services to hockey, Balbir was given the Padma Shri in 1957, making him the first recipient of India’s fourth-highest civilian honour from sport.

By Gurnam Singh | OPINION |

[Gurnam Singh is an academic activist dedicated to human rights, liberty, equality, social and environmental justice. He is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Warwick, UK. He can be contacted at Gurnam.singh.1@warwick.ac.uk]

* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.

 

RELATED STORY:

Time to flip some prevailing ideas (Asia Samachar, 24 April 2020)

Sohan Singh Bhakna: Founder of revolutionary Ghadr Party (Asia Samachar, 21 Jan 2019)

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |

By Inderjeet Singh | BOOK EXTRACT |

Mohammed Daud Khan, who was the first cousin of the ruler, Zahir Shah deposed him in 1973 in a bloodless coup. He declared Afghanistan a Republic state and became its first President. He remained at the helm of affairs until he was assassinated in April 1978 by the members of the People Democratic Party of Afghanistan, the communist party. Within a year there were several uprisings against the government and the next President was killed by a powerful party leader in October 1979 which led to the ‘Soviet Intervention’ in December 1979.

This Soviet Intervention lasted for a decade and Afghanistan became a battleground for the Cold War. The USA and its allies started providing weapons to the Mujahideen to fight a ‘proxy war’ against Soviet occupation. The Soviet withdrew in 1989 and handed over the defence to Afghan forces who were no match to the Mujahideen who captured Kabul in 1992 and deposed President Najibullah.

The above civil war affected the people of Afghanistan. The rich Afghans including Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs started leaving the country in the mid-eighties. The Afghan Sikh community was directly targeted in 1988 which shocked the community.

In 1988, on the first day of the Vaisakhi Samagham¹ at Jalalabad, the Sangat were going to Langar (community kitchen) when suddenly a man with an AK-47 rifle entered the Gurdwara complex and started firing at the devotees. Then as he tried to enter the Gurdwara Hall, Daler Singh, a Sikh soldier stood in front of him and shot all his bullets killing the assailant. However, in the process, Singh received several bullet injuries and died as well. In total, thirteen Sikhs and four Afghan Muslims soldiers were killed.

The next day was Election Day for the Parliament in Afghanistan. In Jalalabad, Bhai Darbari Singh was contesting the election. In Kabul, Gajinder Singh Rangila and Lala Tek Chand Sarin were in the fray. However, the above incident left a deep impact on the minds of the Hindus and Sikhs of Afghanistan and many did not come out to vote. Only Gajinder Singh Rangila was able to win his seat.

It was also the first time that Afghan TV broadcast Gurbani for half an hour where Bhai Amarjeet Singh Taan sang Awal Allah Noor Upaya and Khalsa Mero Roop Hai Khas. During Vaisakhi, Radio Kabul and Nangarhar would broadcast a special programme where people were informed about the Sikh religion and Guru Nanak².

In 1989 the Mujahideen surrounded Jalalabad and started attacking it with rockets and this continued for nine months. People lost lives and left the city to escape the bombardment. During this time a rocket fell on the Gurdwara Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib when a congregation had gathered. Seventeen Sikhs were killed and the Gurdwara was damaged. Following this incident, a lot of Sikhs and Hindus left the city and went to Kabul and Peshawar.

In 1992, the Mujahideen won the last bastion, the capital Kabul. A large number of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus of Afghanistan started the exodus and left the country for good. Within a few months, when Rabani took the helm of affairs in the country, the Mujahideen factions revolted and the country plunged into yet another civil war³.

Gajinder Singh was the Member of Parliament in Afghanistan from 1988–92. He played a pivotal role in 1992, working with Dr Najibullah Ahmadzai, the President of Afghanistan to get a safe passage for the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus.

The relations between Afghanistan and India were always cordial. It was felt that under the fundamentalist Mujahideen (who were supported by Pakistan and USA) life would become very difficult for the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus. These fears proved right later on as within months Afghanistan plunged into civil war when the Mujahideen factions started fighting among themselves.

At that time it was extremely bureaucratic to obtain a passport for anyone in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the Afghan government issued speedier passports to the Afghan Hindus and Sikhs and called the scheme Aab Gang (Aab means water, Gang is river Ganga) pilgrimage passport. It was on the lines of the Haj visa for Muslims issued by Saudi Arabia.

The Indian embassy set up an on-the-go visa department at Gurdwara Guru Har Rai Sahib in Shor Bazaar in Kabul to rapidly issue visas without any checks so that the Afghan Hindus and Sikhs could flee the civil war. It was too dangerous for people living in the old town to travel to the Indian embassy in the centre of the town because of the dangers of bombardment all over Kabul. The Indian embassy did not have enough staff to put the visa stamps so some Afghan Sikh volunteers at the Gurdwara had to put visa stamps on people’s passports. Close to 50,000 people left Afghanistan and came to India under this scheme⁴.

The above major exodus of the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in 1992 happened just before the Mujahideen captured the capital Kabul⁵. Within a year, the Mujahideen factions started fighting among themselves and the country plunged into yet another civil war.

References

1. A major festival in Sikh religion, in 1699 Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Guru of the Sikhs administered Khande di Pahul (similar to baptism) and made Nanakpanthi community into Khalsa. Vaisakhi is celebrated on 13th April.
2. Khajinder S. Khurana. (2001). Kabul de Sangat tee Afghanistan da Sankhep Ithas.New Delhi.
3. Khajinder S. Khurana. (2001). Kabul de Sangat tee Afghanistan da Sankhep Ithas. New Delhi.
4. Pritpal Singh spoke to the son of Gajinder Singh and confirmed this information. All three are based in London.
5. Afghan Sikhs who now live in the UK related this incident to the author. They also informed that the very rich Afghan Hindus and Sikhs left the country in the 1980s, from 1983 onwards.

First of a two-part series of excerpts from Chapter 15 (Turbulent Years, Exodus and the Taliban) of Afghan Hindus and Sikh by Inderjeet Singh. The 233-page book was published in April 2019

ਘਲੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਦੇ ਉਠੀ ਜਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

DR JOGINDER SINGH A/L GURBAK SINGH

FORMERLY FROM JELEBU

(28 September 1949 – 26 May 2020)

It is with great sadness and regret that we inform the passing of Dr Joginder Singh Jessy of Clinic Jessy Batu 11 Balakong, Cheras on 26th May 2020.

Leaving behind beloved wife Satwant Kaur d/o Giani Babu Singh Missionary (President, Sikh Women Awareness Network, SWAN; Principal, PEC, Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya)

Children:

Dr Harkirenjit Kaur (Halifax, Canada)

Dr Dalween Kaur (California, USA)

Dr Gulshreen Kaur (Boston, USA)

Funeral arrangements: 2pm, 28 May 2020 (Thursday) at Cheras Crematorium, Kuala Lumpur

Due to the CMCO in force, only limited family members can attend the funeral.

Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

| Entry: 27 May 2020 | Source: Family