Abdullah first PM to provide financial aid for Panjabi language

By -
1
1655
Sikh organisation representatives meeting Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi on Feb 20, 2006 in Putrajaya. Seated (L-R) are Santokh, Abdullah and Harcharanjit. Standing, L-R, are Inderjeet, Randhir, Harvinder, Jagir and Malkith. – Photo: Courtesy of Santokh Singh

By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia who passed away today, was sympathetic to the stuggles of teaching Punjabi as a second language, enough to provide some funding for the project under the wings of Khalsa Diwan Malaysia (KDM).

Fondly known as Pak Lah, Abdullah served as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2003 to 2009. He passed away at the age of 85.

Abdullah had met representatives of three Sikh organisations — Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC), KDM and Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM) — on Feb 20, 2006.

“He was the first PM to give financial aid to the Khalsa Diwan for it’s Punjabi Language project,” Santokh, the immediate past president of KDM, told Asia Samachar.

The Ipoh-based Khalsa Diwan Malaysia (KDM), under its wing called Punjabi Education Trust Malaysia, had in 2000 embarked on a long-term and ongoing programme to promote and develop the use of the Punjabi language in Malaysia. This year, KDM is celebrating 25th anniversary of the project.

A warm welcome sign for students at entrance of Punjabi Education Centre Subang, located on one of the floors of Gurdwara Sahib Subang – Photo: Asia Samachar

In the 2006 meeting, Santokh said Abdullah heard the plight of all three organisations, one by one, and assessed their grievances.

“He was very sympathetic towards KDM’s claims as it involved education for children. Having heard that there were no text-books, no trained teachers and no proper classrooms, and that KDM was struggling since 2001, he was so taken up that he pledged aid for the Punjabi Language,” he said.

He said the meeting resulted in KDM received funding of RM2 million.

The funding was continued, thought not on a regular basis, under Prime Minister Najib Razak, but then dried up later.

The 2006 meeting was attended by the then KDM president Santokh and VP Harcharanjeet Singh, MGC president Jagir Singh and SNSM jathedar Harvinder Singh Gill and secretary Inderjeet Singh. The meeting was coordinated by Randhir Singh.

RELATED STORY:

SPM seminar for Punjabi students in Malaysia (Asia Samachar, 6 May 2023)

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

1 COMMENT

  1. Terima kasih Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for the RM 2 million grant that got the ball rolling for future Government of Malaysia grants.

    We, the Sikhs of Malaysia, will never forget this WONDERFUL GESTURE of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

    Kuldip Singh s/o Durbara Singh
    Petaling Jaya
    Malaysia.

    Wednesday 23 April 2025.

    P S : Thank you Randhir Singh, a top Malaysian Sports Journalist, for arranging that first meeting with Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

LEAVE A REPLY