Colonel Inderjit Singh has been promoted to a Brigadier General, making him the senior most ranking serving Sikh in the Malaysian armed forces.
On 16 April, he took over as the commandant of the Army Senior Officers Institute (INSPEKA) based in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. Here, he will oversee a team that runs PhD and master level courses as well as training future unit commanders.
Malaysian Army Chief General Tan Sri Datuk Zamrose Mohd Zain pinned the star on Inderjit at a recent ceremony in Sungai Besi Camp
The one-star general is the only serving Sikh general in the Malaysian armed forces at this juncture. He is also the fifth Sikh to make it as general in the history of the Malaysian Armed Forces.
Four Sikh officers who retired as generals were Major General (Rtd) Ranjit Singh Ramday, Brig Gen Rajbans Singh (Rtd), Brig Gen (Rtd) Baljit Singh who was Royal Rangers Corp chairman and Brig Jen Ranjit Singh Gill from Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
Ranjit Singh Ramday made history as the first Sikh major general in Malaysian Armed Forces upon his promotion on 6 Jan 2014, and then appointed as Commander Task Force 450 responsible for the defence of the state of Sabah. In 2012, he became the first Sabahan to command the Lok Kawi-based Army First Division.
“We are delighted with this news. We thank the Government, the Malaysian Armed Forces and The Army Chief for promoting a Sikh to the rank of a general, a truly deserving candidate,” Malaysian Armed Forces Sikh Veterans Association (MAFSVA) president Major (Rtd) Baldev Singh Ganda Singh told Asia Samachar.
BG Inderjit joined the Malaysian Armed Forces on 8 Feb 1982 as a Cadet Officer. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 21 March 1983. Upon commission, he had served all over the country, including Perlis, Penang, Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak and Sabah.
In 1986, he was attached to the British forces in Hong Kong. After four-and-a-half years in service, he was made a Company Commander, something that usually lands on those with no less than a decade’s service under their belt.
People familiar with Inderjit describe him as an accomplished trainer and instructor. Having begun his first training assignment in 1992, he was at one time the Chief Instructor of the Royal Military Police Training Centre (PULAPOT) in Kuala Lumpur.
He has also served in Bosnia in 1995 as well as in Liberia in Africa as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), where he played the role of team site leader, in 2005-2006.
Prior to INSPEKA, he served for three years as the Director of Non-Commission Officers (NCO) College – Army Academy, also in Port Dickson.
Inderjit was born on 29 September 1963 in Sentul Pasar, Kuala Lumpur. His parents were businessman Bachan Singh Mangat and Jaswant Kaur. His father passed away when he was 14 years-old when they were living in Lucky Garden, Kuala Lumpur. His mother is now 85 year-old. Inderjit is the youngest of six siblings.
He is married to Hardeep Kaur who is a teacher and the couple have two children aged 26 and 23 years-old.
Inderjit was awarded a Masters in Management from Universiti Malaya in 1999 and a Masters in Defence and Strategic Studies from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in 2011. He was the best student from the Army at the Malaysia Armed Forces Defence College in 2011.
Newly promoted one-star general BG Inderjit Singh with his mother Jaswant Kaur – Photo: Family
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 |
People at a vigil hold photos of victims of the April 15 shooting at the FedEx facility, including Jasvinder Kaur, at a vigil in Indianapolis’ Krannert Park. – Photo: IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey
By Dave Stafford | The Indiana Lawyer | United States |
Amrith Kaur wants answers. But days after the FedEx shooting in Indianapolis that left eight people dead, she was dissatisfied with those she had gotten and troubled by those she hadn’t.
Kaur, legal director of the New York-based Sikh Coalition, represents a population that has been repeatedly targeted in hate crimes, particularly since 9/11. Responding to the shooting in Indianapolis, Kaur said she is concerned about what she considers a lack of information about the shooting and about gunman Brandon Scott Hole, 19. She’s troubled by what she called inconsistent information from law enforcement on whether bias may have been motivating his killings.
“I think more important than asking whether this was a hate crime, the first step for us was asking for a thorough and complete investigation,” Kaur said. “Unless we have that, we’re never going to understand what happened.”
Four of the eight people killed were Sikhs, and Kaur acknowledges some things may never be known because Hole took his own life after the shooting. But she said a comprehensive and transparent investigation, possibly involving the U.S. Department of Justice, is critical to ensuring law enforcement builds trust and rapport with victims’ family members, survivors and the community.
Kaur has questions. Among them, why did Hole choose to target the FedEx Ground facility where he briefly worked before he was fired last year? Was there a pattern to whom he targeted and shot, or a significance to the late-night assault? Was he motivated by white supremacist websites police said he had been viewing when they were dispatched on a mental health call to his home in March 2020?
She also has an overriding question that came to the fore in the days after the shooting: Why didn’t law enforcement act on a pattern of facts that, to her prior experience as a Chicago prosecutor for more than a decade, raised plenty of red flags that she believes should have triggered a red flag petition to prevent Hole from obtaining a weapon?
“My job here is to ensure that all of those factors are investigated and taken into account,” Kaur said.
The FBI issued this statement April 22 attributed to Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan: “The FBI continues to work with (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department) and other law enforcement partners to find a motive for this senseless act of violence, and will be meticulous and thorough in our investigation and devote as much time as needed to find answers for the victims’ families. We are not ruling out any motive at this time, including one based on hate/bias.”
Keenan previously had told reporters that after the March 2020 incident involving Hole, “no probable cause was found to initiate any type of legal federal process” against him, adding, “The FBI takes great care to distinguish between constitutionally protected activities and illegal activities undertaken to further an ideological agenda.”
In calling on law enforcement to thoroughly investigate, Kaur noted a police report from that incident stood in “stark contrast” Keenan’s statement.
Read the full story, ‘For Sikhs, FedEx tragedy leaves familiar fears’ (28 APril 2021, The Indiana Lawyer), here.
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 |
Princess Anne opened the Siri Guru Singh Sabha Northampton on Wednesday (28 April). The centre will serve as a a gurdwara, community centre and youth club for Northampton’s Sikh community.
“At the Gurdwara HRH met Hot Food for the Homeless volunteers, who provide hot meals for rough sleepers, food bank volunteers, museum volunteers, and the Community Centre and Youth Club Management Committee,” according to an entry at the Royal Family twitter.
In June 2020, Siri Guru Singh Sabha Northampton and Sikh Community Centre and Youth Club (SCCYC) received the Queens Award for Voluntary Service 2020, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
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 |
Gurdwara Baba Bakala – Photo: Gurmit Gill / Flickr
By Nirmal Singh | Sikh History | Part 3 |
COMPOSITIONS OF GURU
We know that the Pothi Sahib, known as Adi Granth, was compiled by Guru Arjun and it contained the compositions of the first five Gurus. The 6th, 7th and 8th Gurus did not leave any composition but subsequently Guru Tegh Bahadur did and his compositions were added by Guru Gobind Singh to Adi Granth. We thus have access to Shabads in 15 Ragas and 54 Sloks written by Guru Tegh Bahadur in the SGGS. We will dwell briefly on the Guru’s compositions to grasp some facets of his preaching and persona.
Guru Tegh Bahadur’s grasp of Sikh thought and lived Sikhi enabled his uncanny skill to understand the finer points of the reality that the Panth faced. This set his ministry as an exemplar visionary change catalyst. Coming to occupy Gurgadi just half a century after the execution by torture of his grandfather, Guru Arjun, he went about followed by his unarmed Sikhs. He talked to them, sought their views in an open and accessible manner – truly a people’s Guru.
He was thoughtful and pensive in expressions – that brought mellow sweetness, seen in Guru Arjun’s bani, to his compositions. In a world that is ephemeral and where all relations seem guided by fickle self interest, one does tend to feel lonesome and that is the feel one gets reading his bani. A careful reading of his compositions though reveals a veneer of resolute compassion seeping through, suggesting his inspiration emanating from the ideals of Sikh resistance. His advice is sane and practical when he says, “only worry over what is unusual”- in his Slok 51. He commends the fundamental teaching of Gurmat – naam is the real blessing; imbibing it is the way to nirbaan – so contemplate on naam and live by it. The message comes in various forms – all in simple words and familiar metaphors, going straight to one’s heart! Enjoy some sampling below:
Pray, Guide Me!
The compositions of the ninth Guru are characterized by the flow of complex emotions and thoughts using simple language and easily graspable metaphors. Read the way he has shared a dilemma that many of us would have experienced – “to whom should I tell the state of my mind? Engrossed in greed, running around in the ten directions, I cling to my hopes of wealth. For sake of some gain, I suffer all this and cringe before each and every person wandering from one door to another like a cur. I am wasting this precious life, unaware if others even laugh at me.” [36] The message could not be clearer – place not your integrity, dignity or belief at stake for petty gain!
To Merge with Divine
Here is the simplest enumeration of qualities that may make a person receive the divine blessing to merge with God: The one – who in the midst of pain, does not feel pain, who is not affected by pleasure, affection or fear, and who looks alike upon gold and dust; is not swayed by slander or praise, nor affected by greed, attachment or pride; remains unaffected by joy and sorrow, honor and dishonor; has renounced all hopes and desires and has no expectation; who is not touched by sexual desire or anger – within his heart, God dwells – such a person, O Nanak, merges as easily with the Lord of the Universe, as water merges with water! [37] The Guru himself was such a person and such attributes are repeatedly stressed in his Bani.
Sample now another genre that addresses self for own failings; goes directly to heart as a grim yet gentle reminder, witness: your life is slipping away, slipping away aimlessly. You ignorant fool, night and day, you listen to the Puraanas but understand them not! Where will you escape to, now that death is knocking at the door? You believed that the body was for keeps, but it shall turn to dust. Why don’t you chant Naam of Hari, you shameless fool? Abandon your intellectualism and let devotional worship of the Lord enter your heart. Lowly Nanak tells this, the way to live in this world. [38] The imagery of not doing what one should have done, being entangled in the web of distractions keeps coming see Slok:
ਕਰਣੋ ਹੁਤੋ ਸੁ ਨਾ ਕਓ ਪਰਿਓ ਲੋਭ ਕੈ ਫੰਧ ॥੩੬
Imbibe Humility
Guru places value on humility in relations – get sense of pride out of one’s mind and control urge to be judgmental of others by expressing of praise or blame. To savor the true essence of life, restrain yourself from sex, anger and evil company. Relate to pain- pleasure or honor- dishonor, as the same and treat joy and sorrow with detachment, Renounce; and tread the complex path to Nirvaanaa that only rare Gurmukhs understand! [39] There is simplicity of expression and a sense of indifference to worldly affairs.
Dispelling of Anxieties
When one keeps introspecting, looking within, one learns of own failings and prays in humility: Now, what should I do to dispel my anxieties about how will I cross over the terrifying world-ocean? Born human and having done no good deeds; makes me full of fear! I worry that neither in thought, word or deed, have I sung the Lord’s Praises. Nor by listening to Gurmat, did spiritual wisdom well up within me. I just kept filling my belly like a beast. Nanak realizes that it is only through Thy Merciful disposition that a sinner like me can be saved. [40] Another sound advisory is that anxiety is well placed if only the happening is unexpected:
ਚਿੰਤਾ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਕੀਜੀਐ ਜੋ ਅਨਹੋਨੀ ਹੋਇ ॥੫੧॥Slok M IX, p.
Naam & Maya
Holy people: what way should I now adopt, to dispel all my evil propensities so that my mind may vibrate in devotional worship to the Lord? My mind entangled in Maya, knows nothing at all of spiritual wisdom. What is the Naam, contemplating which the world might attain the state of Nirvaanaa? The Saints became kind and compassionate and told me that whoever sings the Kirtan of God’s Praises, has performed all religious rituals. One who enshrines the Lord’s Naam in his heart even for an instant in night and day, his fear of Death is eradicated and his life approved and fulfilled. [41] For the sake of Maya, the mortal wanders constantly, night and day. Among millions, O Nanak, there is scarcely anyone, who keeps the Lord in his consciousness:
– ਨਿਸਿ ਦਿਨੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਾਰਨੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਡੋਲਤ ਨੀਤ ॥ਕੋਟਨ ਮੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੋਊ ਨਾਰਾਇਨੁ ਜਿਹ ਚੀਤਿ ॥੨੪॥ Slok M IX, p.
Spiritual Wisdom
Says Nanak, listen my mind, call spiritually wise the one who neither frightens any, nor is afraid of anyone else. [42]
Vacillations to Abhaypadh
My associates and companions have all deserted me; no one remains with me. Says Nanak, in this tragedy, the Lord alone is my Support. [43] My strength is exhausted, and I am in bondage; I cannot do anything at all. Beseeches Nanak, now, please Lord be my Support and help me, as You did the elephant. [44]
My strength is restored and my bonds are broken: now, I can do everything. Nanak tells that all and everything is in Your hands, O Lord, and You are my Support. [45]
RESISTIVE PARADIGM OF GURU TEGH BAHADUR
In social transactions Guru Tegh Bahadur persuades:
ਭੈ ਕਾਹੂ ਕਉ ਦੇਤ ਨਹਿ ਨਹਿ ਭੈ ਮਾਨਤ ਆਨ
bhai kahoo ko daet naa, naa bhai maanat aan [Slok 16, M IX, p. 1427].
This verse defines the concept of resistance that Guru Tegh Bahadur gave voice to and that he demonstrated by accepting request of Kashmiri Pandits to plead their case against forced conversion to Islam even at the risk of his own life. Kabir has shared a similar thought saying:
ਆਪਿ ਨ ਡਰਉ ਨ ਅਵਰ ਡਰਾਵਉ ॥
Āp na dara▫o na avar darāva▫o – fear not yourself, nor strike fear into any other – Gauri Kabir, p. 327
An extract from my 2005 Paper [46] on ‘Sikh Culture of Resistance’ relating to the thought and actions by Guru Tegh Bahadur is relevant here and is reproduced below:
“Guru Tegh Bahadur has dwelt on the theme of fearlessness in his compositions quite a few times. Fearlessness is one of the attributes of God mentioned in the opening line, the creedal statement, in the Granth. Guru Tegh Bahadur seeks the gift of fearlessness for his own self and bares his soul saying ‘the fear of death has entered my heart and I cling to the protection of Your sanctuary. O, ocean of mercy please save my honor. I am a great sinner, foolish and greedy who has now realized that sinful life is futile but I cannot forget the fear of dying and this anxiety is consuming my body. To achieve liberation I have run around in all directions but have not understood the secret of mystery of the pure, immaculate One who abides deep within my heart. I have no merit, and I know nothing about meditation or austerities; please tell me what should I do now? Says Nanak, I am exhausted and seek Your sanctuary; please bless me with the gift of fearlessness.’ [47]
The influence and corrosive effect of fear on the lives of men was his continuing concern. He believed that in an ideal setting people should neither live in fear nor cause others to live in fear. One who realizes the truth of this dictum, call him spiritually wise. [cited earlier] This no doubt was the inspirational thought defining his approach to resistance.
Guru Gobind Singh later wrote in his autobiographical account saying that ‘in a great event in the Iron Age Tegh Bahadur protected the forehead mark and sacred thread (of Hindus). For the sake of saints— [cited earlier in the paper – p. 8, note 28]
Guru Tegh Bahadur gave his life so Hindus could have their freedom of faith. This he understood to be his dharma, his creed that all men, without distinction must have this freedom even if it takes him to give up his life to arouse people’s consciousness. His concern could not have been more forcefully articulated in any other way. There surely was a man whose prayer for gift of fearlessness had been accepted in the Divine court!”
[46] See Nirmal Singh, Militant or Compassionately Resolute? Exploring Culture of Resistance In Sikh Thought, pp. 18- 60 in his book ‘Searches in Sikhism’ Hemkunt, 2008 – book text @ Discover Sikhism site.
[47] har joo raakh layho pat mayree. jam ko taraas bha-i-o ur antar saran gahee kirpaa niDh tayree. . mahaa patit mugaDh lobhee fun karat paap ab haaraa.bhai marbay ko bisrat naahin tih chintaa tan jaaraa. kee-ay upaav mukat kay kaaran dah dis ka-o uth Dhaa-i-aa. ghat hee bheetar basai niranjan taa ko maram na paa-i-aa. naahin gun naahin kachh jap tap ka-un karam ab keejai.naanak haar pari-o sarnaagat abhai daan parabh deejai – Jaitsree, M IX, p. 703
[Nirmal Singh has written six books on Sikhs and Sikhi and several of his articles have been published in journals like Sikh Review, Journal of Sikh Studies and Comparative Religion and Abstracts of Sikh Sudies (IOSS) as well as in the US mainstream news media. Resident in Orlando, he spends considerable time in Delhi. The article will also appear in The Sikh Review‘s Special 4th Centenary of Birth of Guru Tegh Bahadur issue due 1 May 2021]
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 |
Sergeant Mehrban from the Vancouver Police Department – Photo: VPD
By Asia Samachar Team | CANADA |
As Canada celebrates a month-long Sikh Heritage Month in April, the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is profiling Sikh members in its service. The latest to be featured is Sergeant Mehrban Singh Sidhu who has served VPD for 18 years.
Sikh Heritage Month was first celebrated in Brisih Columbia (BC ) in 2018. Its purpose is to celebrate the contributions and aspirations of all Sikh-Canadians and develop a greater understanding and appreciation of a rich, unique and diverse heritage.
Sikhs have been in BC for over 100 years and this is an opportunity to showcase their contribution to the economic, social, and cultural fabric of the province. The initiative is meant to help create awareness and appreciation for Sikhi in Canada, according to a website dedicated to the month.
On April 30, 2019, the Sikh Heritage Month Act was formally recognized by the Government of Canada. This means that throughout Canada, in each and every year, April is to be known as “Sikh Heritage Month.”
FROM THE MEHRBAN HIMSELF
“I am the E-COMM Liaison, and have served with the VPD for 18 years.
From my earliest memories, I was intrigued by policing, and my interactions with the police as a young boy growing up in a small northern town in BC only served to solidify my goals. My local Gurdwara was at times a target of vandalism, and my father led the meetings with the police who showed compassion and understanding.
My first inspiration was a RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] officer who lived on my street, he always made time for me and answered my questions. One of my biggest influences now is retired RCMP Inspector Baltej Singh Dhillon. He faced many difficult challenges, but he persevered and paved the way for myself and many others.
I believe it is important that those we are serving and protecting see themselves reflected in policing in order to build that trust and a positive relationship. When members of my community see me in uniform, there is an automatic connection that is present; they feel safe and comfortable in approaching us.
Our entire job is not strictly about law enforcement; it is about helping the public, assisting with access to resources where needed, and being connected with the community. In policing, we see a great deal throughout our careers. Being a Sikh and having a daily practice helps to stay grounded and process what you are exposed to on a daily basis.
Sikh Heritage month is about remembrance and pride. My great-grandfather came to Canada on the Komagata Maru, and his journey was a difficult one that resulted in racist reactions by authorities at the time. Those that first settled here worked hard, fought for their rights, and were confronted with many challenges such as racism.
The Sikh community has made many positive contributions to the betterment of Canada in various industries and organizations, and the kitchens at the Gurdwaras are always open to feed anyone in need. It is a sense of pride that the community continues to promote the belief in Seva – selfless service – by giving back in many ways. I am grateful for being able to serve in my position and for the opportunities given to me in this great country, which is all due to the sacrifices of those before me.”
RELATED STORY:
(Asia Samachar, 19 Sept 2020)
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 |
The U.S. government told its citizens to get out of India as soon as possible as the country’s Covid-19 crisis worsens at an astonishing pace.
In a Level 4 travel advisory — the highest of its kind issued by the State Department — U.S. citizens were told “not to travel to India or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so.” There are 14 direct daily flights between India and the U.S. and other services that connect through Europe, the department said.
#India: Access to medical care is severely limited due to COVID-19 cases. U.S. citizens wishing to depart should use available commercial options now. Daily direct flights to the US and flights via Paris and Frankfurt are available. https://t.co/p5a3v5ws9y pic.twitter.com/LqHhCiZVEg — Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) April 28, 2021
Indian authorities and hospitals are struggling to cope with unprecedented Covid infections and deaths. Official data on Thursday showed new cases rose by a staggering 379,257 over the prior 24 hours, another record, while 3,645 additional lives were lost. More than 204,800 people have died, Bloomber reported.
“U.S. citizens are reporting being denied admittance to hospitals in some cities due to a lack of space,” the website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India said in a health alert. “U.S. citizens who wish to depart India should take advantage of available commercial transportation options now.” All routine U.S. citizen services and visa services at the U.S. Consulate General Chennai have been canceled.
The South Asian nation now has the world’s fastest-growing caseload with 18.4 million confirmed instances. The virus has gripped India’s populace with a severity not seen in its first wave. Mass funeral pyres, lines of ambulances outside overcrowded hospitals and desperate pleas on social media for oxygen underscore how unprepared India’s federal and state governments are to tackle the latest outbreak, the report added.
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 |
Karnjote Singh, a chartered accountant and corporate restructuring professional, has joined HSBC as a vice president for loan management, based in Singapore.
He joined the bank this month after a short stint as Deloitte’s restructuring services head based in Qatar, according to his LinkedIn update.
Prior to that, he was accounting firm Borrelli Walsh as a senior manager for corporate restructuring and insolvency for over five years between 2015 and 2020. Before that, he was a senior associate for audit and assurance at Ernst & Young.
Karnjote, who holds a Bachelor of Accountancy (B.Acc.) from Nanyang Business School (NTU), is a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA).
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 |
Sukhbir Sidhu, who states in his business profile that media sales runs in his blood, has joined Chinese video streaming giant subsidiary iQiyi International.
The move comes on the back of iQiyi’s recent string of partnerships with Media Prima Bhd and Celcom Axiata Bhd.
Prior to the appointment, industry veteran Sukhbir was TGV Cinemas’ media and corporate sales head. With Sukhbir’s contribution in developing strategic and creative ideas, TGV bagged Gold in the 2019 Malaysia Media Awards.
He comes joins iQiyi with over 15 years of experience in the media sales industry and has accumulated a wealth of experience at forging loyalty with clients and introducing new forms of advertising opportunities and sponsorships. In his new role, he will lead the media sales operations and strategic planning to enhance iQiyi International’s network portfolio in Malaysia.
“I am honoured to be on board iQiyi and to build on the solid foundation and momentum achieved since 2019,” Sukhbir told MARKETING Magazine.
“During my five years career journey with TGV Cinemas, I am proud to be a part of the cinema ADEX success growth year on year (YOY) apart from the most memorable TGV Cinemas campaign of introducing the nation’s first ever tie-up between a cinema and a beauty brand.
His previous roles included as advertising sales head at Star Radio Group and a senior associate at Astro Radio Sdn Bhd.
Also coming on board iQiyi International is Keith Pua as senior sales manager for Malaysia.
“We’ve seen significant momentum since launching locally, to become a top streaming service with a significant and sizeable user base in a short period of time,” Dinesh Ratnam iQiyi country manager for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, told the magazine. “Therefore we felt the time was right to establish a local media sales team to help brands fully leverage our customised advertising solutions to target the digital-first, millennial audience base we are seeing on our platform.”
In March, the Baidu-backed China company expansion to Malaysia came out in the open when it was announced that iQiyi was teaming up Primeworks Studio, the content production and distribution arm of Celcom Axiata and Media Prima, to boost its footprint in Malaysia.
The partnership, inked through its subsidiary iQiyi International, was aimed at positioning the group as the preferred streaming destination for Asian entertainment, ad personalisation and targeted digital video advertising.
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 |
Nodeep Kaur speaking at the Delhi farmers’ protest site in January 2021 – Videograb _farmers protest Delhi_january 2021_1
By Nodeep Kaur | MALAYSIA |
My name is Nodeep Kaur and I am a labour rights activist. I am 23 years old and I come from a Dalit family of activists in rural Punjab. While my mother and sisters are members of different unions that work with Dalit landless agricultural labourers, students, and workers, I am a member of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan that fights for workers’ rights in the Kundli Industrial Area in Sonipat, Haryana.
I have been an activist for as long as I can remember. I understood, very early on, the class and caste inequalities in our society. After reading books written on and by philosophers and political theorists such as Karl Heinrich Marx and Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (better known as Lenin), my resolve to fight the injustice meted out to the so-called lower caste and the working class grew stronger. I have been taking part in protests and demonstrations along with my sisters and mother since my school days.
Being aware of our rights and having the will to fight to protect them often landed my family and me in trouble.
Being aware of our rights and having the will to fight to protect them often landed my family and me in trouble. My family was forced to leave Lakhewali—a village in Sri Muktsar Sabhib district, Punjab—because my mother, who was an agricultural labourer, was trying to unionise other labourers to ensure that their rights to fair payment and better working conditions were not compromised. Agitated by her actions, the zamindars (landlords) made sure that my family was boycotted and no one gave us work in their fields. That’s when my education was interrupted.
Before being arrested by the Sonipat Police on January 12th, 2021 on false charges of attempt to murder, rioting, and assault, I was working at FIEM Industries Limited at Kundli. I used to manufacture 2,000 motorcycle indicators in a day at the factory and was being paid INR 7,500 to 8,000 per month for 10 hours of work. I was fired from the job after my arrest. During weekdays, I used to work at the factory, and on weekends, I would organise and hold meetings with workers, especially migrant workers, to spread awareness about their rights and listen to their grievances. But ever since the farmers’ protest broke out, I had been paying regular visits to the Singhu border to show my solidarity with the cause of the farmers.
During my time in jail, I received a lot of support from people across the world and I was eventually released on bail in February 2021. This support has been very encouraging not just for me, but also for my colleagues from the union; now everyone knows what we stand for and what our fight is all about. But this recognition has come with its own set of challenges. Since my release, I have been looking for jobs in the industrial area, but no company is willing to hire me or my fellow union members as they fear retaliation from us in case of exploitation.
So, now I have decided to dedicate my entire time to activism. I have been living in a makeshift tent with union members and workers at the farmers’ protest site at Delhi’s Singhu border.
5.00 AM: I wake up early on Sundays because all the workers are at home and I have to accompany the other union members on a door-to-door outreach and labour rights awareness drive. We mostly operate in labour colonies at Kundli such as Prem colony, Pyau, Bahalgarh, and Rai among others.
On other days, I get up at 5.30 AM because I have to reach the Kundli’s traffic junction where all the labourers working in various factories in the area gather at 6 AM to be picked up by contractors and employers. We talk to them and distribute pamphlets with information on labour rights and our contact details.
(Nodeep Kaur is a 23-year-old Dalit woman from Punjab. She is a member of Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, a union that fights for the rights of workers. She completed Grade 12 from DAV Boys School in Muktsar, Punjab through correspondence. Before her arrest on January 12, 2021 for organising a protest outside a factory in the Kundli Industrial Area in Sonipat, Haryana, she was working as a technical labour at FIEM, an auto parts company in Kundli. She is also an active supporter of the farmers’ protest.)
Read the full story, ‘A story of caste, class, and activism’ (IDR Online, 26 April 2021), here. India Development Review is published by the Forum for Knowledge and Social Impact, a not-for-profit company.
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 |
AKHAND PATH: Commencing 8.30am on 3 May 2021 (Monday) to 5 May 2021 at Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya.PATH DA BHOG: 8.30am, 5 May 2021 (Wednesday), followed by Kirtan till 10am. Pre-packed Langar will be served| Malaysia
By His Will we come, and by His Will we go. O Nanak, when it pleases Him, then He absorbs us into Himself. ||6|| (SGGS, 294)
MDM ATHAM KAUR BACHAN SINGH
27.1.1935 – 27.4.2021
Husband: Late Sardar Bhag Singh Tugal
Children / Spouses:
Late Sardar Satvinder Singh Tugal,
Late Kalvinder Kaur ,
Davinder Kaur, Spouse Param Cumaraswamy.
Saskaar / Cremation: 1pm, 28 April 2021 (Wednesday), at Nirvana Shah Alam
Cortège timing: Cortege leaves No 11A, SS2/86, Petaling Jaya at 12 noon
Akhand Path: Commencing 8.30am on 3 May 2021 (Monday) to 5 May 2021. Path da Bhog: 8.30am, 5 May 2021 (Wednesday), followed by Kirtan till 10am, at Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya. Pre-packed Langar will be served.
Family would like to thank relatives and friends for their love, care and support during her illness. She would like all who knew her to celebrate her life and bring a smile on their face when they think of her.
| Entry: 27 April 2021 | Source: Family
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 |
