| Petaling Jaya, Malaysia | 17 July 2017 | Asia Samachar |
Malaysian Sikh Education Aid Fund (MSEAF) has taken over the presidency of the eight-member Coalition of Malaysian Sikh Organisations (CMSO).
MSEAF president Dr Surinder Singh Cheema was elected as CMSO chairman for the next one year term of 2017/2018, replacing Dr Kerpal Singh Pannu from the Malaysian Sikh Union (MSU).
Malaysian Sikh Women’s Awareness Network Society (SWAN) president Satwant Kaur was elected deputy chairman while Diljit Singh Malhi from Khalsa Diwan Malaysia (KDM) as treasurer.
Autar Singh was unanimously elected to serve as secretary-general for the next two years, as provided under the coalition’s constitution. He has held the position since CMSO was set up in 2012.
The coalition presidency is rotated among its members on an annual basis, while the secretary general position is elected for a two-year term.
It is understood that Autar had earlier offered to vacate the position when some council members had raised some issues with his handling of the coalition matters.
However, closer towards the meeting, leaders of the coalition component members eventually threw their support for Autar to continue in the position.
“It’s no easy task to run a coalition of this nature. Most of the leaders barely have time to run their respective organisation, let alone spare time for yet another outfit” one active social worker familiar with the workings of the CMSO told Asia Samachar. “Also, the coalition has not been able truly harness the synergy of the member organisations.”
The meeting resolved to focus on the following six areas: Economic development; health and wellness; family relationships; spiritual outreach; education and careers; and youth leadership.
CMSO consists of Malaysian Sikh Union (MSU), Malaysian Sikh Education Aid Fund (MSEAF), Guru Kalgidhar Diwan Malaysia (GKDM), Guru Nanak Guru Gobind Singh Foundation (GNGGSF), Malaysian Sikh Women’s Awareness Network Society (SWAN), Sant Sohan Singh Ji Melaka Memorial Society Malaysia (SSSJMMSM), Khalsa Diwan Malaysia and Sikh Welfare Society Malaysia (SWSM).
The coalition was founded on 2 April 2011 and registered with the Malaysian authorities on 2 May 2012.
Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC) and Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM), two larger Sikh organisations in Malaysia, are not members of the coalition.
CMSO CHAIRS SINCE FORMATION
Protem Chairman Harbans Singh Gill 2012-2013
Harbans Singh Gill 2013-2014
Awtar Singh Terry 2014-2015
Bhag Singh 2015-2016
Dr Kerpal Singh 2016-2017
SS Cheema 2017-2018
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