Cricketer Virandeep Singh has emerged as the first Malaysian to score 1,000 T20 international runs, according to the Malayisan Cricket Association.
“It’s a major personal milestone, more so it being the T20,” Virandeep told Asia Samachar.
He achieved the score in 38 matches since 2019.
In 2019, Virandeep made history as the first Malaysian cricket player to make it into the professional league when he joined Chitwan Tigers for the 4th Edition of the Everest Premier League 2021, Nepal’s biggest T20 cricket tourney.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
First Barsi prayers on 16 July 2022 from 5pm-7pm at the Gurdwara Sahib Titiwangsa.
Please help us minimize food wastage by kindly confirming your attendance with full name and no of pax before or by 12th of July 2022 via SMS/WhatsApp to:
Reena: +60197562010
Sukhdev: +60122135060
Daljit is dearly missed and forever remembered by his children, wife, siblings, relatives and friends.
| Entry: 9 July 2022 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twfffitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
Bhagwant Mann weds Dr Gurpreet Kaur – Photo: Raghav Chadha Facebook
By Harjeshwar Pal Singh | Opinion |
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Singh Mann’s marriage to Dr Gurpreet Kaur is perhaps the first celebrity political marriage in Punjab.
Though a starkly modernist event both in content and style, it strangely evoked the British Raj and looked more like the marriage of a titular Maharaja than a democratically elected CM of a proud state.
In this ‘Raj era’ marriage, all the arrangements seemed to be made by imperial Delhi from their glitzy PR photography, restrictive guest list to effusive Twitter messages.
In the strictly hierarchal system of the Raj the pride of place was reserved for the Delhi based imperialists. The imperial Viceroy of Delhi Shri Arvind Kejriwal was in full attendance with family giving his blessings.
Equally important and conspicuous was the Gora resident at Chandigarh, Raghav Chadha performing the role of a sarwala and “big brother“ with equal aplomb.Even the old resident Sanjay Singh was also in attendance.
The titular Maharaja “Shri Bhagwant Mann” whose marriage rites were being performed looked tense and edgy.
All his “Sardars“ and “Ahilkars” — read ministers and MLAs — were not invited in this “family function”. Being clearly of lesser status, they were left to distribute “ladoos” or “dance” in the streets outside the hallowed premises of the function.
The media, the supposed watchdogs of democracy, competed with each other to spin favourable PR for the Delhi masters and the “Maharajah”.
The event also aimed to appease the “Janta” which had recently revolted against the “Maharaja” at his “Rajdhani” Sangrur through this “Roman Circus”.
Day after the “nuptials” the Maharaja was further stripped of his powers through an imperial firman which placed the administration of the state at the disposal of the Resident.
Bhagwant Mann who sat on the throne with the mandate of a “Ranjeet Singh” has been relegated to being a “Patiala “ or a “Kapurthala”.
Note: Dr Gurpreet Kaur, 30, is a medical doctor from Haryana’s Kurukshetra district. She completed her MBBS from a private university in Haryana in 2018. Bhagwant and his first wife Inderjeet Kaur had mutually divorced in 2015. Inderjeet and their two children, Seerat Kaur and Dilshan, had moved to the United States after the divorce.
Harjeshwar Pal Singh is an assistant professor at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Chandigarh, where he teaches history. He is an avid political commentator.
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 |
A number of Sikh oganisations have expressed concerns with the potential outcome of a local box-office sensation revolving around Mat Kilau, a Malay warrior from the Malaysian state of Pahang.
Though released as a fictional action movie, the way nationalism is promoted in ‘Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan’ can cause a racial divide in a multi-racial country like Malaysia, according to a joint statement by three Sikh organisations.
“It has tendency to promote ill-will against the minorities as they are shown as oppressors and barbaric in the film,” according to a statement released by the Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC), Khalsa Diwan Malaysia (KDM) and Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM). A copy of the statement was emailed to Asia Samachar. See below for the full text.
In a separate statement, the Malaysian chapter of humanitarian agency United Sikhs expressed concern that the hit film may cause religious and racial misunderstanding.
“While expressing appreciation for the film’s attempt to portray Malay struggles against British imperialism, the group said it was regretful that those from other races and religions were portrayed as villains,” it said. “In view of this, United Sikhs urged the Malaysian film industry not to produce other movies at the expense of hurting religious and racial sentiments.” See below for the full text.
In response to the United Sikhs statement, National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) said in a statement released yesterday (July 8) that it will not stop or restrict production of work of art, but has urged the creative industry to be mindful of the ‘sensitivities of movie goers in this nation that is rich with various cultures and faiths’.
It added that it had supplied funding to the Mat Kilau filmmakers through the Digital Content Fund, which is aimed at providing a conducive post-production environment for the film’s development.
As of Thursday (June 30), one local media report said the local box-office phenomenon had grossed RM23.3 million in just seven days, according to information shared by the film’s studio and local cinema operators on social media.
Look out for Asia Samachar’s review of the movie. Coming soon your way.
FULL JOINT STATEMENT FROM MGC, SNSM AND KDM
Date: 08/07/2022
Subject: Film MAT KILAU has tendency to promote hatred towards minorities.
The Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC) had received complaints from some Sikh Gurdwara Committee Members about the film ‘MAT KILAU’. As a responsible organisation before it could act, the MGC President and the Secretary saw the film of the Malay warrior MAT KILAU on 6/07/2022.
The Film appears to rally Nationalism amongst the Malays. The common theme that runs through the film is fight for “Bangsa dan Agama” and for “Tanah Melayu”. This itself is not wrong. The Non-Malay characters are painted as Barbaric and evil. The film shows the Sikh soldiers who were employed by the British Army brutally attacking and maiming women, children and the elderly. In one scene the Sikh soldier is shown mercilessly kicking an expectant mother who is in advanced stage of pregnancy. Since throughout the film only Sikh soldiers were shown, this has resulted in the Sikh soldiers being seen as Barbaric.
The Sikhs during the Mughal rule in India fought against oppression and never laid a hand on a woman, child or the elderly. During Mughal rule of India an invader Ahmad Shah Abdali from Afghanistan had invaded India a few times to plunder and when returning taking along hundreds, sometimes thousands of girls as slaves. It is recorded fact of History that the Sikhs would confront the returning Ahmad Shah Abdali forces and after freeing women would send them back honourably to their homes. In a recent example, during the Kashmir riots about 2 years ago, curfew was imposed throughout Kashmir. Some about 30 Muslim college girls took shelter in a Gurdwara amongst others and asked for help to be sent home as they were from other states. The Sikhs made arrangements for their transport and putting their lives in danger sent the girls personally to their homes to ensure they were safe and giving transport to others. This was reported in major Indian and Pakistan Newspapers and there were photos of reunion of the girls with their families. See Quotations below:
They were welcomed by volunteers from the Sikh Community, who fed them, gave them shelter in a Sikh Temple (called “Gurdwara”) and arranged transport for them to go back to their homes. The Sikh volunteers gave us food and accommodation and arranged 13 vehicles for more than 100 of us to go home together, Shabad said”.
From article “Restored our Faith in Humanity: Kasmiris thank Sikhs for help”. (https://www.thequint.com/news/india) by Aditya Menon updated 21/Feb 2019
The way Nationalism is promoted in MAT KILAU film can cause a racial divide in a multi-racial country like Malaysia. It has tendency to promote ill-will against the minorities as they are shown as oppressors and Barbaric in the film. The film makers should have been more responsible and portray the true history and not add fiction to portray the Non-Malays as Barbaric and Inhumane. The minorities can be easy targets if feelings of the majority were aroused due to misinformation contained in the film.
History books show that the rebellion was led by Tok Gajah, Mat Kilau, Dato Bahaman etc. against the British who were assisted by some Malay chiefs and the Sultan. In Serambi Dakwah (Friday June 5, 2009) is stated: “Unfortunately, the Sultan himself welcomed their (British) arrival having been taken in by their convincing promises”. In the book “The Sikh Police Contingent” by Karam Singh PBS, it is recorded: In January 1891, Tengku Mahmud (the Sultan’s eldest son and the regent) with about 200 followers and the British with 60 Sikh Policemen, erected 2 stockades in Semantan area against the rebels; In May 1892, Tengku Ali (sultan’s second son) with 300 men captured Batu Hempar killing one of Bahaman’s sons. These instances show that it was not a Malay versus Non-Malay fight as portrayed by the film. A lot of Malay chiefs had joined the British in fight and rebelled against taxation imposed.
The film makers should understand that we are living in a multi-racial country. There is no colonial master anymore. Malays are no more colonised and are in power. Thus, the theme of the film is out of place especially as it is claimed as fiction. They should have been guided by the Rukun Negara and promote unity in the film. The film has a tendency to promote racial divide amongst the various races. This is a disservice to the Nation done by the film makers. We call upon the film makers to act responsibly and not to produce films which are historically wrong and have tendency to divide the races in our multi-cultural and multi-religious country
This MGC statement is issued jointly with the Khalsa Diwan Malaysia (KDM) and the Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM).
Signed: Jagir Singh, President, Malaysian Gurdwaras Council
FULL STATEMENT FROM UNITED SIKHS MALAYSIA
We at UNITED SIKHS MALAYSIA humbly advise that the new local movie, MAT KILAU which is supposedly a historical film, has fictional components that may create religious and racial misunderstanding.
The film is inspired by the Malaysian historical figure Mat Kilau (1865-1970) who fought against British imperialism in Pahang. The film shows the spirit of the Malays, who are determined to defend Tanah Melayu.
However, regretfully it portrays members of other race and religion as villains. We believe this can lead to a racial disharmony. In particular, we note that turbaned-Sikhs who were British soldiers in the movie were portrayed to have laid hands on old folks, children, and helpless citizens. These parts were added by the producers to make a compelling storyline.
The Sikh code of practice prohibits laying hands on old folks, children, women and helpless citizens even during war. Whilst the controversial scenes in the movie were fictional, it is distasteful and hurts the sentiments of Sikhs.
We humbly urge the Malaysian Film Industry NOT to produce movies at the expense of hurting religious and racial sentiments and those which have the potential to create religious and racial misunderstanding.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
Our mum is dearly missed, has always been cherished and will be remembered forever by her children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends whose lives she had touched.
Please treat this as a personal invitation to our mother’s first Barsi.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twfffitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, caregiver Shanti, and a host of relatives, and friends to mourn their loss.
Cortege leaves at 1.40 pm, 7th July, 2022 from residence at 873, Jalan Rimba Panjang, Buntong, Ipoh.
Saskar/Cremation: 2.15 pm, at Papan Memorial Berhad, Lot 337427, Papan Lama, Jalan Besar, 31550, Pusing, Perak.
For enquiries contact:
Mr. Mohan Singh – 012 5018232
Dr. Inderjit Singh – 012 5039609
Dr. Davinder Singh – 019 4774971
Our Ma was a remarkably tough woman, a figure of strength and discipline. She was never one to sit back and complain, she just soldiered on with life. Her strength and determination were visible in every aspect of her life, especially in her children and grandchildren who are grateful to have inherited her amazing tenacity.
We love you Ma and will deeply miss you!
| Entry: 6 July 2022 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twfffitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
Kellvina with her uncle Kalwant Singh. Left: Kellvina in tears in a video shared by TJC
By Asia Samachar | Singapore |
It is the end of the road for Kalwant Singh’s legal battle to stop the authorities from hanging him for drug trafficking offences. The Singapore Court of Appeal today (July 6) dismissed the final appeal of the Malaysian for a stay of execution.
“He will be executed tomorrow morning,” rights group Lawyers for Liberty tweeted today.
A number of campaign groups opposed to the death sentence have highlighted the case, as they did with previous cases involving hangings. One of them is pressure group Transformative Justice Collective (TJC).
In a social media entry, TJC shared Kalwant’s case background. It said:
“At trial, Kalwant gave evidence that in 2013, when he was 23 years old, he owed RM 44,000 to an illegal creditor and bookmaker called ‘Anna’ in Malaysia. Anna suggested that Kalwant deliver bundles for him in Singapore to repay the debt. Kalwant, under threat for his inability to pay off the amount, agreed.
“He was to travel from Malaysia to Singapore on Anna’s motorcycle, meet with an individual at a petrol kiosk to collect the bundles (wrapped in black tape) and drop off the bundles with other people, according to instructions sent to him by text message from Anna. Kalwant carried out this task several times in September 2013.
“On 24 October 2013, Kalwant was given six bundles and six transparent packets, which contained a brown granular substance. Kalwant helped wrap the transparent packets in black tape, following which he met Yazid in a car park.
“Officers from CNB ambushed the meeting. In total, six bundles containing at least 120.90g of diamorphine were found in Yazid’s motorcycle box and three bundles containing at least 60.15 g of diamorphine were found in Kalwant’s haversack.
“Kalwant was charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act for trafficking the six bundles to Yazid and for possession of three bundles for the purposes of trafficking. Both Kalwant and Yazid were both found to be couriers by the High Court.”
The Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN), which describes itself as an independent cross-regional network that campaigns for an end to the death penalty across Asia and the Pacific, had announced a candlelight vigil at the Singapore high commission in Kuala Lumpur tonight.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
A photo and entry at Sidhu Moose Wala Facebook page: For those of you that don’t know Sidhu Moosewala, let me explain. He revolutionized the Punjabi music industry and was one of the first to merge folk Punjabi music with rap/trap music. And he did it flawlessly. His impact was as big as Tupac & Biggie. RIP gone way too soon
By Zoya Mateen | BBC News | India |
It has been more than a month since rapper Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead in the northern Indian state of Punjab. But he is still making headlines. Some of this is because of the way he died and the ongoing police investigation.
But his music is also continuing to make waves.
In June, Moose Wala’s last song SYL was removed from YouTube in India after the government lodged a legal complaint. The posthumously released song talks about decades-long dispute over sharing river water between Punjab and the neighbouring state of Haryana, while also touching upon some other controversial subjects like Sikh militancy.
It’s fitting that his legacy of asking hard questions continues even after his death.
In a career spanning just four years, Moose Wala wrote several powerful lyrics that explored the history and current state of Punjab. Critics say the state has an unsavoury side, involving a gritty gangster culture, corruption and rising unemployment and his music spotlighted that.
His fans see him as a man who was engaged with social realities. But what set him apart from his contemporaries was that he also offered a divergent vision of how Punjabis perceive themselves and his ideas were often considered unsettling and incendiary.
His affinity for guns and attempt to force listeners into complex and sometimes even uncomfortable conversations – like YSL – made him the subject of intense scrutiny.
“There is no doubt that he was a man of contradictions,” says Harinder Happy, a journalist based in Punjab. “But his style spoke to the times and to living in a post-modernist society where everyone has the right to assert their identity the way they understand it.”
Moose Wala was also deeply rooted to his home and village in a state where thousands are looking to immigrate to foreign shores in search of a better life.
Read the full story, ‘Sidhu Moose Wala: The unsettling legacy of the rapper’s protest music’ (BBC, 6 July 2022), here.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
Hungry Hub, a restaurant and hotel reservation platform counting more than 900 outlets as partners, has received a funding boost that will see it venture beyond Thailand.
The five-year old startup has raised Series A round from Southeast Asia growth-stage fund Orzon Ventures for an undisclosed sum.
Founded in 2017, Hungry Hub says it has served over 2 million diners and generated over THB 1 billion (US$30 million) of sales to the restaurant and hotel partners.
“With this round of funding, Hungry Hub is going to expand beyond Thailand!” Hungry Hub CEO and co-founder Surasit Sachdev said at his LinkedIn page.
In August 2019, Hungry Hub raised seed funding from Expara and 500 TukTuks and pre-series A funding from ECG Venture Capital and MOVF Media Group.
Hungry Hub says it has partnered with more than 900 outlets in Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Samui and Phuket. The startup’s one-year target is to bump up its partner restaurants to 2,000.
“While Covid have impacted our business in many ways, we have come out of it stronger and have grown over 2-3x compared to pre-Covid. Our first half of 2022 is showing great recovery signs with over 80% YoY growth compared to 2021,” Surasit said in the same entry.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
SEHAJ PATH DA BHOG will be held at Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya on 9th July, 2022 (Saturday) from 5pm to 7pm. Kirtan and Antim Ardas followed by Guru ka Langgar. Your presence for the said prayers will be much appreciated by the family.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twfffitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
