It is with a heavy heart we would like to inform you that our mother / grandmother / great grandmother Mata Daleep Kaur (Cameron Highlands) wife of Late Sardar Tara Singh has passed away peacefully on 9th March 2023.
For those who wish to pay their last respect may do so from Friday, 10th March 2023 from 10 am to 1pm at our residence (Add: B4/3 Greenhill Resort, Jalan Gereja, 39000 Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, Pahang)
The cortège will depart from the residence at 1.00pm for the antim saskaar / cremation at Tanah Perkuburan Hindu, Tanah Rata
Path Da Bhog: 19 March 2023 (Sunday), from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm, at Gurdwara Sahib Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands
For more info, please contact: Mahindar – 012 555 9775 Ammitroy – 012 207 6496 Kiran – 012 243 4065
“What moves through us is a silence, a quiet sadness, a longing for one more day, one more word, one more touch. We may not understand why you left this earth so soon, or why you left before we were ready to say good-bye, but little by little, we begin to remember not just that you died, but that you lived. And that your life gave us memories too beautiful to forget”
| Entry: 9 March 2023 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
ਇਕਿ ਸੇਵਕ ਗੁਰ ਪਾਸਿ ਇਕਿ ਗੁਰਿ ਕਾਰੈ ਲਾਈਆ ॥ Ek Sevak Gur Paas Ek Gur Kaarai Laaeyaa The Guru keeps some of His Servants with Him, and engages others in His Service – SGGS Ang 648
SARDAR JIT SINGH S/O SHAM SINGH
31.03.1932 – 9.3.2023
Age: 91
Merged with the Almighty on 9th March 2023.
Those we love don’t go away, They walk beside us every day You were always our pillar of strength, Showering us with unconditional love… Our guiding light throughout our lives
Will always live in the hearts of Sardarni Ranjit Kaur Randhawa, children, grandchildren and all relatives and friends.
Children & Spouse (Grandchildren)
Lakhvinder Singh and Ann Marie Moohan (Anna Reesha Sidhu, Adrian Parveet James Sidhu)
Harbhajan Singh and Gurdeesh Kaur (Balwinder Singh, Bhavanjodh Singh)
Ravinder Kaur and Parvinder Singh (Jaiveer Singh)
Path da Bhog: 19th March 2023 (Sunday) from 10am to 12pm at Darbar Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
Any queries or further information, kindly contact: Lakhvinder Singh 012 – 601 9331 Parvinder Singh 016 – 678 9500
| Entry: 9 March 2023; Updated: 11 March 2023 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
A former journalist with the Business Times, New Straits Times and The Malay Mail. He was also active on the Sikh community front as a trustee of United Perak Sikh Organisations (UPSO Foundation) and an advisor to the Sikh Single Mothers Association Ipoh, known as SikhMai.
Jaspal was married to Daljeed Kaur, 46, and the couple have nine-year-old twins Gurjeevan Singh and Gursamrath Kaur.
PATH DA PHOG & ANTIM ARDAAS Date: 18 March 2023 (Saturday) Time: 10.00am – 12.00pm Venue: Gurdwara Sahib Tanjong Rambutan, Perak
For further details, kindly contact: Sardar Jageer Singh 016-5337092
Please treat this as personal invitation. Your presence will be appreciated.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
MALAYSIA’S Budget 2023 features many measures to help the low and middle-income groups to tackle the rising costs of living. Clearly, the budget takes a holistic and pragmatic approach towards managing the livelihood, costs of living, job creation concerns towards ensuring sustenance of the rakyat initially, with adequate steps to be undertaken to lead to economic recovery and growth eventually.
A reduction of the tax rate for individuals that have taxable income in the band of RM35,000 to RM100,000 by 2% has been introduced so that they have more disposable income. Goods and services tax has been left on the sidelines for now together with an alternative tax called Carbon Tax, taxes that are a possibility once the country’s economic situation is more feasible. The exclusion of GST and Carbon Tax is to avoid an increase in the price of goods and services for the rakyat.
A 2% reduction in the concessionary corporate tax rate from 17% to 15% is applicable for the first RM150,000 of chargeable income for small and medium enterprises (SME) to reduce their cost of doing business. Various measures have been included in the budget to help create job opportunities and boost the SMEs as a vibrant and progressive SME sector is integral to the Malaysian economy since it makes up more that 95% of the business community and employs about 70% of the workforce.
The government has introduced the People’s Income Initiative (IPR) and allocated RM750 million to overcome hardcore poverty among some 130,000 people by providing opportunities and the impetus to generate income for those willing to grab these opportunities. Basic goods can be purchased at a discount of 30% through the Jualan Rahmah program, with RM100 million being allocated to the 222 parliamentary areas. Another initiative is the Rahmah Meals program which will offer meals at RM5. A similar program, launched in 2011 called the Menu Rakyat 1 Malaysia offering food at RM2, proved to be financially unsustainable for the operators due to rising costs of material and there being no support from the government. Government assistance would be important to ensure that the noble plan does not fizzle out and lessons can be learnt from previous experiences. .
Households with income less than RM2,500 are eligible to receive Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) up to RM2,500 depending on the number of children. Perhaps the concern with the STR program is that it might provide a disincentive for the eligible recipients to work as they would be receiving RM2,500 anyway, and therefore the government has to carry this huge and exorbitant cost. A gradual but sure shift towards creating more jobs opportunities along the lines of the IPR initiatives would be more sustainable and meaningful.
The government expects to widen Malaysia’s tax base with the introduction of e-invoicing which will be instrumental in capturing “missing income” from the shadow economy. Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) have already been issued to taxpayers, with youth that turn 18 automatically being issued with a TIN, increasing the taxpayers’ database. A reintroduction of the Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP) means that taxpayers that have undisclosed income that they need to get off their “treasure chest” – pun intended – can do so from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2024, without being subject to penalties. The VDP is expected to contribute to higher tax collections.
As expected, no major new taxes were introduced in Budget 2023 although the introduction of Capital Gains Tax(CGT) in respect of the disposal of unlisted shares is being mulled. It is however envisaged that CGT is not expected to contribute significantly to government revenue but it’s introduction might cause capital flight to neighbouring countries that do not have CGT.
To compensate for the loss of tax revenue, individuals with chargeable income of between RM100,001 to RM1,000,000 will be imposed with a higher tax of between 0.5% to 2%, and coupled with a tax on luxury goods that is being introduced, the shortfall in tax collections due to the reduction of personal income taxes for the lower and middle income groups can be covered.
Harvindar Singh is a council member of the Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia and Managing Partner of Harvey & Associates
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
At the heart of religious belief, there is one blindingly obvious contradiction which is, if each claims that their path is the ‘true path’ then, by definition, all other paths must be ‘false’! As the Scottish enlightenment philosopher David Hume suggests, if each religion is true, then the others must be untrue!
Following this logic, one is left with two choices; to either accept that ALL religions are essentially the same, or they are all false; both options appear problematic. This paradox is known as the problem of religious diversity. According to this paradox, there are many different religions in the world, each claiming to have the truth about the nature of ‘God’ or the ultimate reality.
However, since these claims are often contradictory and mutually exclusive, it seems impossible for all of them to be true. Followers of one religion will claim that those who are not followers are destined to ‘Hell’ or some other equivalent, implying that only those belonging to their faith are saved. Each religion has developed specific terms, mostly derogatory, to describe ‘believers’ of other faiths or none-believer. It follows that ‘Heaven’ or its equivalent will be occupied by followers of one faith, the correct faith, or it will be empty! Indeed, given the many divisions within religious traditions over which schisms have taken place, wars have been fought and genocides committed, one may speculate only members of a particular ‘correct’ tradition within a religion will be allowed into Heaven.
I know where I am presenting a somewhat polarised argument, and that in reality most people believers or non-believers find a way to accommodate and live with difference, but it is still the case that religious absolutism is a source of much conflict and misery in the world. One way to resolve this paradox and avoid the kinds of conflict we see in the name of religion is to recognize that the claims of different religions are not necessarily incompatible with each other. That is to say that the differences between religions are quite superficial and culturally determined, but the core philosophies, such as belief in one all-powerful, knowing, loving God, or in the importance of compassion, etc. Moreover, many religious traditions emphasize different aspects of the same ultimate reality or the same God, and there may be different paths to the same ultimate truth.
Another approach is to take a more agnostic or sceptical position and recognize that we may never be able to know for certain which religion, if any, is true. This does not mean that we cannot engage with religious ideas or that we cannot find value in different religious traditions, but rather that we should be open to the possibility that our knowledge of ultimate reality is limited and that we may never have a complete or definitive answer to the question of which religion is true.
Another way in which this argument may be expressed is that we can’t be sure that a new religion may not emerge that provides all the answers. I know this appears like an unlikely prospect, considering the history of the major religious traditions is about 5,000 years. Who knows what other systems may emerge in the future?
Despite the dramatic rise of science and technology, belief in a divine entity seems to be widespread; God is not going anywhere soon! But tragically, religion is also a source of much violence and hate in the world and we do need to find a solution. In the following shabad, Guru Arjan explores this very question of religious diversity and supremacy. You can judge for yourself, but I think he offers a sensible way through.
ਸਰਬ ਧਰਮ ਮਹਿ ਸ੍ਰੇਸਟ ਧਰਮੁ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਿ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਕਰਮੁ ॥ Of all religions, the best religion is to live one’s life according to divine command and perform noble deeds.
ਸਗਲ ਕ੍ਰਿਆ ਮਹਿ ਊਤਮ ਕਿਰਿਆ ॥ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਮਲੁ ਹਿਰਿਆ ॥ Of all religious rituals, the most sublime ritual is to clean the mind of destructive thoughts by keeping the company of those who have not been corrupted.
ਸਗਲ ਉਦਮ ਮਹਿ ਉਦਮੁ ਭਲਾ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਜੀਅ ਸਦਾ ॥ Of all efforts, the best effort is to nurture divine wisdom and divine consciousness forever.
ਸਗਲ ਬਾਨੀ ਮਹਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਬਾਨੀ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਜਸੁ ਸੁਨਿ ਰਸਨ ਬਖਾਨੀ ॥ Of all speech, the most ambrosial speech is to hear of and speak of the divine universal entity that transcends all existence.
ਸਗਲ ਥਾਨ ਤੇ ਓਹੁ ਊਤਮ ਥਾਨੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਹ ਘਟਿ ਵਸੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੮॥੩॥ Of all places, the highest place, O Nanak, is that heart and mind in which divine virtues reside ||8||3|| (SGGS, 266)
Ultimately, the resolution of this paradox may depend on our own personal beliefs and experiences, as well as our willingness to engage with and learn from different religious and non-religious traditions without necessarily accepting all of their claims as absolute truth.
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.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
Children / Spouses: Manjit Singh / Jennifer Dodd Datin Sheela Deo / Dato’ Amarjit Deo Rajdev Singh
Grandchildren: Amardil Singh Deo Jasdil Singh Deo Gobind Singh Deo Elliott Dodd Henrietta Dodd
Those who wish to pay their last respects may do so on Wednesday, 8 March 2023 from 12pm-3pm at 12, Lorong Setiabistari 5, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.
The cortege will depart from the above residence at 1:45pm on Thursday, 9 March 2023.
The Anthim Saskaar/cremation will take place at the Shamshan Boomi crematorium, Jalan Loke Yew, Kuala Lumpur at 3.45pm, on Thursday, 9 March 2023
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
Deeply missed and always cherished by all his loved ones.
Prayers will be held on the 11th of March, 2023 at Gurdwara Sahib PULAPOL from 6.30pm to 8.30pm followed by Guru Ka Langar
Please treat and accept this as a personal invitation from the family.
Contact: Harvin 010 246 9945 Dharam 013 341 1183
| Entry: 6 March 2023 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
“What moves through us is a silence, a quiet sadness, a longing for one more day, one more word, one more touch. We may not understand why you left this earth so soon, or why you left before we were ready to say good-bye, but little by little, we begin to remember not just that you died, but that you lived. And that your life gave us memories too beautiful to forget”
A golden heart stopped beating, Hard working hands at rest, It broke our hearts to see you go, God only takes the best. ❤
| Entry: 6 March 2023; Updated: 13 March 2023 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
Pola Singh and his newly released book ‘Uphill — The Journey of a Sikh-Chinese Kampung Boy’ – Photo: Anandhi Gopinath / The Edge
By Tan Gim Ean | The Edge | Malaysia |
“What for you want to sell milk if you can go to university?” Pola Singh’s neighbours in Melaka might not have said this out loud, but they could see a better future for him and his older brother when the pair got places at University of Malaya.
Going to university was a game changer for his family as well as Kampung Ayer Leleh, where Pola and his nine siblings were born and raised. He and Jaib, the first person from their village to win a state scholarship, “broke the taboo” of impoverished kids having no chance to pursue tertiary education. Suddenly, the villagers — for whom even filling up a form was susah — saw that anyone could do it, if they worked hard.
University changed the course of this young man’s life. “I shed my inferiority complex and made new friends. I realised I was no longer the Pola Singh from Melaka. I was a new person with talent and brains.”
Pola, whose name denotes “a good man”, has certainly made good. He shares how his family made do with what they had in Uphill — The Journey of a Sikh-Chinese Kampung Boy and the brood inheriting values and a belief system from two worlds.
“My father tackled my mother because both of them knew Hokkien. But he told mum that at home, we must only speak Punjabi or Malay. My cowherd parents went for my convocation and could not understand what was going on. But they shed tears of joy.”
NOTE: POLA SINGH WILL TALK ABOUT HIS BOOK ON 14 MARCH 2023 AT GURDWARA SAHIB PETALING JAYA. Book priced at RM40, all proceeds from the sale will go to GSPJ. To attend, please RSVP to Sarjit Kaur (012 213 9005) by March 7, 2023. Seats limited to first 40.
The Movement Control Orders imposed in 2020 allowed Pola to reflect on his humble beginnings and write this book, after his first, My Reflections of Life (2016), a compilation of articles published in newspapers, periodicals and news websites.
He also wanted to leave a legacy for the younger generation so they will never forget how Tara Singh and Ram Kaur raised five girls and five boys through sweat and sacrifice but did not leave them a single sen. “So we didn’t quarrel. We had enough.”
In 1992, he joined the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department, where he served for more than seven years. The job gave him an in-depth working knowledge of economic and social development issues that affected the nation.
After 27 years in the civil service and just before turning 50, Pola opted to retire. He then did consultancy work for a Danish energy company before joining the Initiative for Asean Integration, established in 2000 to bridge the development gap within the association and enhance its competitiveness as a region. But flying to and from the Asean secretariat in Jakarta took a toll on his back. So, after four years, he decided to take a break from work.
In 2009, just as his back improved, he was offered the post of director-general of the Maritime Institute of Malaysia, a policy institute parked under the Transport Ministry. The role involved removing deadwood and shaking up a few others in the name of change. Resistance to those measures caused him to lose sleep and he did not renew his contract in 2011.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
