A Penang gurdwara has set-up a helpline for anyone needing help to purchase groceries and delivery or undergoing emotional distress as Malaysians face a partial lockdown in its battle against Covid-19.
Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang (WGSP) secretary Sukhveer Kaur said the helpline, manned by volunteers, will operate from 7am to 7pm.
“We have keeping in touch with some of our senior citizens and single mothers. It is tough for some,” she told Asia Samachar in a telephone conversation.
“People need to lookout for each other. People can be lonely. At times, my call is the only call that they have received. So, do make a call to a friend or family now.”
She said WGSP has also written to the state health department if there was a need for vegetarian food for the staff or patients.
The gurdwara has stopped serving langgar at its premises to comply with the government instruction, but it is preparing food to be distributed to the needy.
The helpline will assist in provision of langgar (food), those undergoing emotional distress, feeling lonely in isolation, feeling unwell or needing help with purchasing groceries and delivery.
“We will continue to operate and offer our sewa in these challenging times to those in need,” she said in a message shared via the social media. Sewa refers to selfless service, one of the cornerstones of the teachings of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith.
At the same time, Sukhveer has cautioned people not to fall prey to bogus operators asking for donations in the name of serving the needy.
Sneham Malaysia: 1-800-22-5757 (4pm-8pm daily). Emotional support and awareness for suicide prevention
Women Centre for Change: Penang 011-310 84001, 016-428 7265; Seberang Perai 016-439 0698, 016-4180342; Whatsapp: 016-4480342 (Counselling for women, children in crisis). Time: 9am-9pm, until 14 April 2020.
All Women’s Action Society (AWAM): To speak on the phone, you can email them at telenita@awam.org.my and they will call you back, or reach Awam on Awam on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for a quick chat.
Befrienders KL: 03-7956-8145
Sisters in Islam: 011-2370 1006 (Hotline/Whatsapp)
Women’s Aid Organisation: – 03-7956-3488 or SMS/WhatsApp TINA at 018-988-8058
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 |
Sri Guru Singh Sabha (SGSS) Singapore – Photo: Asia Samachar
By Asia Samachar Team | SINGAPORE |
Singapore gurdwaras will cancel all congregational prayers and gatherings, effective tomorrow (27 March), in line with the government’s efforts to step us measures to combat Covid-19.
In a joint meeting yesterday, it was decided that gurdwaras will suspend all programmes, including family sponsored and group programs, until 30 April.
Gurdwaras would remain open for private worship limited to 10 people at any one time, according to a statement by the Co-ordinating Council of Sikh Institutions (CCSI).
The new measures took into account the latest Singapore Covid-19 directive to suspend all religious services and congregations. This brings the measures one step closer to the Malaysian gurdwaras which have effectively closed all prayer sessions since March 18 as the neighbouring nation imposed a partial lockdown nationwide to arrest the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“The Sangat has been very supportive as they understand the need to slow the spread,” said Inderjit Singh, Singapore entrepreneur and former parliamentarian, told Asia Samachar, who chaired the CCSI meeting.
In its previous meeting on 16 Feb, CCSI had advised gurdwaras to institute a number of measures, but stopped short of cancelling programmes.
In a statement on Tuesday (24 March), Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) said the recent spike in imported cases signaled a new phase in its fight against Covid-19. In view of that, the multi-ministry taskforce had decided to enforce ‘stricter measures’ that included closure of entertainment venues and tuition centres.
For faith-based activities, the statement said: “All religious services and congregations will be suspended. Places of worship (e.g. temples, mosques, churches) may remain open for private worship and essential rites, subject to group sizes of 10 persons or fewer at any one time.”
In Singapore, the number of coronavirus patients aged between 20 and 29 has overtaken that of patients aged 60 and above to become the largest infected group, with most young adults having caught the bug overseas, primarily in Britain, reported the Straits Times.
In a Facebook entry, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat noted that the coronavirus outbreak will be with Singapore for many months to come and badged the Covid-19 global pandemic as the republic’s biggest challenge after the global financial crisis in 2008.
“Our resilience as a country, as a society, is being put to the test as we face our biggest challenge in more than a decade,” he said.
Heng, who is also Minister for Finance, will be present today to the Parliament a supplementary budget, called the Resilience Budget, intended to help to save jobs and support companies.
BELOW IS THE CCSI GUIDELINE IN FULL
GUIDELINES OF ADDITIONAL MEASURES AT ALL SIKH GURDWARAS TO MANAGE COVID- 19 SPREAD
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
The Coordinating Council of Sikh Institutions (CCSI) met on the 25th of March at 7pm to discuss the additional measures all Sikh Gurdwaras should take in light of the Government’s requirements announced on the 24th of March 2020.
Among other guidelines and requirements announced by the Government, and which we advise the Sikh Sangat to follow in the interest of the health and safety of all members of the public, the Government has spelt out requirements and guidelines for places of worship. This requirement is “To suspend religious services and congregations and limiting private worship and essential rites to 10 people”
At the CCSI meeting, we have come out with the following guidelines for all Sikh Gurdwaras in Singapore to follow, effective Friday 26th of March 2020 till 30th April 2020.
Gurdwara Programmes
All programmes will be suspended for the duration above, to cut down on mass gatherings in the Gurdwaras.
All family sponsored and Group programs including but not limited to Akhand Paaths, Sukhmani Sahib programs will be suspended.
The Gurdwara Sahibs will remain open for private worship but the number of Sangat allowed into the Gurdwara Sahibs will be limited to 10 people at any one time. Best to have a sign in and sign out mechanism to keep control of the numbers in the premises at any one time.
All Gurdwaras will do temperature takings for all people who enter the Gurdwaras premises and record down details of the people for contact tracing.
All Gurpurab celebrations and commemorations will be suspended.
All Gurdwaras will continue to do Prakash, Nitnem, Asa Di War, Rehras, Kirtan Sohaila and Sukashan will be carried out by the staff daily. Gurdwaras and encouraged to do live streaming for Sangat to follow from home.
Weddings will be either postponed or if the family decides to continue, the wedding party will only consist of the bride, bridegroom, their parents and the religious staff.
All Istri Sat Satsang and any other outreach programs to be suspended.
Langgar in the Gurdwaras premises will be suspended.
We encourage Gurdwaras to institute “Packed Langgar’ services where possible and viable, but all should not compromise the rules of mass gatherings when doing so (See Annex A for Guidelines)
ANNEX A: Guidelines on Packed Langgar Distribution based on CCSI Meeting, 25th March 2020
PACKED LANGGAR
For Gurdwaras, as far as possible, to continue to provide Packed Langgar as there is a need for individuals affected during this period. It is important to continue this Sewa in the spirit of service, and send a positive signal to the Sangat and Public. For Packed Langgar Gurdwaras are to refer to the following guidelines;
Langgar to be cooked and packed with strict adherence to hygiene.
Only Packed Langgar to be distributed and on a take-away basis. Individuals should not consume Packed Langgar within the Gurdwara.
If possible, find ways to distribute Langgar without long queues forming and any crowding. If queues form, keep individuals separate with safe distancing within queues. Dispersed distribution points for Packed Langgar can also be set up to avoid queues.
Gurdwaras to inform individuals and the public on specific time-periods for the distribution of Packed Langgar (recommended 2-hours for each meals, i.e., Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner). This follows food consumption guidelines in the case of fresh foods prepared as Packed Langgar.
Gurdwaras can also try to assist individuals and families on stay at home notice by delivering Packed Langgar if there are available resources.
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 incident is devastating and worrying for those Afghan Sikhs living in Afghanistan. This is a cowardly attack on the Gurdwara. It is hugely detrimental to those who lost their lives in this attack.
I was shocked and extremely angry that it has happened once again. I felt sad and helpless for those still living in Afghanistan. We left our homes for a better life and yet some are still there and suffering.
However, this is not the first time. This calls for state intervention, where religious minorities are under threat. They need greater protection and those who did this need to be prosecuted.
Afghan Sikhs have struggled to continue their day to day lives without being fearful or anxious. They have been pushed out their own country for years! They can’t live in peace without religious intolerance. Being a minority does not mean you don’t matter, the state need to protect their civil liberties.
The Gurdwara that was attacked was a place close to my parents. My mother used to go there as a child where her mum was a sevadaar. When they saw the news this morning, it was heartbreaking because their homeland was constantly being targeted. I am too. It’s really sad. How can they attack a place of worship.
My prayers are with those who lost their lives and their families to give them the strength to get through this difficult time.
Meeno Chawla was called to the Bar of England and Wales in In October 2019, making her the first Afghan Sikh to do so. The youngest of four children — all girls — her family migrated to England in 1995, six years after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and the start of the Afghan civil war in 1989
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 |
Kabul gurdwara attacked – Photo: Ramesh Singh Khalsa
By Asia Samachar Team | AGFHANISTAN |
The small Sikh minority community in Afghanistan once again came under fire when their place of worship in Kabul was attacked by unidentified gunmen and suicide bombers today.
Some 200 Sikhs were believed to be in the the Sikh gurdwara in the Shorbazar area when the attack happened around 07:45 (03:15 GMT).
Afghan security forces had blocked off the area and were battling the attackers, and had killed two of them, Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian said in a message to journalists.
“The majority of people were rescued, unfortunately there are casualties,” he was quoted by Reuters, adding that defence forces would take some time to entirely secure the area as they were moving slowly to prevent civilian casualties.
It was not immediately clear how many attackers there were or who they were, the report added.
A Ministry of Health spokesman said one child had been killed and 15 people wounded but the toll could rise.
Sikhs have been the target of attack by Islamist militants before in South Asia. A Taliban spokesman, in a message on Twitter, denied responsibility for the attack.
Narender Singh Khalsa, a member of parliament who represents the tiny Sikh community, was also quoted as saying he had reports that four people had been killed and up to 200 people trapped inside the temple in the early morning attack.
“Three suicide bombers entered a dharamsala,” he said, referring to a sanctuary area in a temple compound.
In 2018, a suicide bombing targeting the Sikh community and claimed by the Islamic State militant group killed more than a dozen people in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad.
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 |
Some Malaysian tourists stranded in Amritsar, Punjab – Photo: Videograb from Punjabi Live Tv 24
By Asia Samachar Team | MALAYSIA |
Efforts are underway to bring back Malaysians still stranded in India, including those in New Delhi, Punjab and in southern cities like Chennai.
Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) is in active discussion with the various authorities on both sides to secure landing rights to enable special flights to be sent to get the passengers out, as India has already suspended all international flights.
The efforts were further complicated when India yesterday imposed a total lockdown nationwide in its efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19, the novel coronavirus that is causing a global pandemic.
In Punjab, 157 Malaysian tourists have registered with a team mobilised by the political party and a Punjabi bureau organised by Yayasan Sikh Malaysia (YSM).
“That’s the number registered with us at this moment,” MIC treasurer general Amrit Kaur told Asia Samachar. She is also the founder of YSM.
She said unlike getting the passengers out from Chennai and Tiruchirappalli, where MIC had paid for a number of chartered aircrafts, the effort in Punjab will be more complicated.
“Those passengers were already at the airport. This group is scattered all over Punjab. So, when the time comes, we will also need permission from the local authorities to allow them to reach the airport,” she said.
Amrit Kaur added: “Let’s work with MIC and bring our people back.”
One batch of the Malaysians stranded in Amitsar were interviewed by a local television station. See here.
Malaysians stranded in Punjab who have yet to register themselves can call these numbers: Amrit Kaur +6014-331 1590, Amarjit Kaur Mann +6016-953 3543, Jasbir Kaur +6012-236 9907, Sonia Kaur +6016-278 2766
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 |
Malaysia has extended the partial lockdown called movement control order (MCO) until 14 April, the day Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi.
In a televised address today (25 March), Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced said the move comes on heels of a spike in Covid-19 positive cases.
On its part, India has imposed a 21-day total lockdown which also ends on 14 April as it attempts to battle the spread of the novel coronavirus which has caused close to 19,000 deaths attributed to the virus.
“There will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes,” India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a televised address yesterday.
Neighbouring Pakistan, which had almost twice as many confirmed cases as of Monday evening, have also imposed sweeping restrictions, although the government has stopped short of imposing a nationwide lockdown. However, several provinces have announced them independently. The army is being brought in to help enforce the restrictions, reports BBC.
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 |
Thousands Of Heroes Have Arisen: Sikh Voices of the Great War 1914-1918 by Sukwinder Singh Bassi
Title: Thousands Of Heroes Have Arisen: Sikh Voices of the Great War 1914-1918
Author: Sukwinder Singh Bassi (Author),
Foreword: Maj Gen Peter Davies CB
By Asia Samachar Team | NEW BOOK |
A six-year labour of love, including sifting through hundreds of letters to and from Sikh soldiers, resulted in a 414-page compendium.
Thousands Of Heroes Have Arisen: Sikh Voices of the Great War 1914-1918 is a treasure trove for lovers of anything connected to Sikh soldiers.
Sukwinder Singh Bassi, a data manager by day, has captured the voice of the many Sikh soldiers involved in the First World War.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
After the annexation of the Punjab in 1849, the British were quick to acknowledge the fighting prowess of the proud Sikh nation and started to recruit Sikhs into the British Indian army. This soldiering tradition continued into the early 20th century and when the Great War commenced in 1914, Sikhs were in high demand. They came forward in their thousands and enlisted in numbers disproportionate to their population. Although they made up approximately 1-2% of the Indian population they made up 20% of the British Indian Army at the beginning of the Great War.
The Great War was truly a global conflict for the Sikhs, who fought in every arena of the war including the Western Front, Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, Persia, Africa, Palestine and the Far East. Their contribution in manpower to the war effort reached over 100,000 men by the end of the conflict.
The Great War produced a vast literature of novels, poems and myths. But the story of these Sikh soldiers and the Sikh people is mostly forgotten. This book seeks to address this by telling the story of the Great War through the eyes of the Sikh soldier and Sikh people themselves, by examining their war time experiences from France, from the hospital, from the trench, from the village and an array of lands. The book also tells the story of parallel Sikh movements of the time, from fighting against racism in the Empire to would-be revolutionaries returning from aboard to uproot the British from India.
Most fascinatingly, the story is told in their own words by previously anonymous Sikhs such as Gajan Singh, a cavalryman, who tells of the horrors of the Somme in his own unique Indian way, and Mul Singh, who waxes lyrical about the grandeur of England he had encountered on a tour. Poetry from Gurdit Singh exhorting loyalty to a King-Emperor that he had no real knowledge of, and a letter full of emotion and desperation from Partap Kaur, a widow, whose husband had been killed in Flanders. Their voices are arranged by theme and ordered chronologically to allow the reader to understand how perspectives changed through the course of the war.
The book explores many reasons why Sikhs rose to the challenge of fighting in the Great War, and how this is linked to the Sikh psyche, their martial traditions, coercion and to the prevailing situation in the Punjab.
Utilizing research from hundreds of unpublished letters written to and from Sikh soldiers, testimonies, newspaper articles, archives and a range of other sources, the book builds a picture of the human experience of Sikhs during the Great War, a war of the 20th century whose effects are still being felt a century later.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sukwinder Singh Bassi is the British born son of Sikh parents who emigrated to England from the Punjab. He has had a long career developing his research and analytical experience in the field of health informatics, and works for England’s health and social care regulator.
He has a passionate interest in military and social history, with a special interest in both world wars and, in particular, Sikh heritage.
His motivation for compiling this book was created on the back of a tour of the Great War battlefields of northern France and Belgium in 2014. Accompanied by his eleven year old son, Sukwinder was transfixed by the rows and rows of Sikh names at the Indian Memorial in Neuve Chapelle and on the Menin Gate in Ypres. He decided there and then that he would find out as much as possible about the people who had come thousands of miles to fight in Europe.
Sukwinder’s first book, Thousands Of Heroes Have Arisen, is the result of more than five years of painstaking research and endeavour, immersing the reader in the Sikh experience of the Great War years.
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Helion and Company (December 19, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1911628984
ISBN-13: 978-1911628989
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 1 x 9.8 inches
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 |
I believe yoga is a path to liberation and Samadhi, versus just turning and twisting your body.
The gurus who show the light are out there—but finding your “true guru” can be a challenge.
In the name of yoga and spirituality, unfortunately, the concept has been commercialized, and at its worst, women and men have been sexually exploited. And this is where we should educate ourselves: where are we going for guidance, what are the teachings of the guru, how is the money being spent by a guru, who are his followers—even try researching for any kind of public records, ask questions, and if does not feel right then chances are it isn’t.
Yes, you read that headline right. My first reaction was “WTF?!” to this posted on Facebook. Missing here is the angry emoji and my blood boiling when I saw and heard this brief video from Yogi Bhajan:
I had never heard of this person before. I am not a follower of any guru or anyone for that matter, though I do like to converse around diverse topics with active thinkers in my discovery for self and quest for personal growth. Therefore, the outrageous and somewhat deliberate headline on the video glared back at me, and I wanted to know more about this so-called spiritual guru.
In the New York Times, Yogi Bhajan is the “‘Boss’ of both worlds—Spiritual and Capitalism,” as written in the obituary section.
A customs officer in India, he rose meteorically by bringing Kundalini Yoga to the West and establishing business ventures, vis a vis providing security to federal offices and Army bases in the U.S., Yogi Tea operations, numerous yoga centers, Golden Temple Foods, and so on. The accumulation of wealth runs in billions of dollars. The “Yogi” was connected to the famous and met with the Pope and the Dalai Lama.
The New Mexico state government went so far as to name a highway after him. State Highway 106, which ran in front of his home, was renamed the “Yogi Bhajan Memorial Highway.” And New Mexico flew flags at half-staff for two days upon his death, declaring October 23rd as Yogi Bhajan Memorial Day.
He was also known to introduce Sikhism, a 15th-century monotheistic religion, to the West. His version of Sikhism had some differences from the original one. His biggest accomplishment might have been the 3HO: Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization to expand upon his missionary and spiritual work. From Wikipedia, “In 1994, the 3HO Foundation joined the United Nations as a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, representing women’s issues, promoting human rights, and providing education about alternative systems of medicine.”
In short, the above is the man who also stated that “Rape is always invited.”
One may question if the person is already dead, why we are still talking about him? And how this video maybe important today.
The YouTube video came out on Feb 29th, 2020. The description says, “This is an audio recording of Yogi Bhajan from one of his lectures in Española, New Mexico. This recording was made on April 26, 1978.”
When I last checked, the 3HO foundation Facebook page had 73k followers. The 3HO foundation is robust and flourishing with new followers for his Kundalini yoga training.
My question is simple: would you join 3HO or follow the “teachings” of Yogi Bhajan, after listening to this video?
Read the full story, “Rape is always invited. It never Happens.” What the Actual F*ck? (Elephant Journal, 22 March 2020), 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 |
A Sidhu Brothers transporter with a Covid-19 awareness campaign poster – Photo: Suplied
By Asia Samachar Team | MALAYSIA |
Sidhu Brothers, one of Malaysia’s largest palm oil transporters, is hard at work to deliver much needed cooking oil as the nation observes a partial lockdown due to Covid-19.
Sidhu Brothers Transport Sdn Bhd has received permission to be on the roads despite the movement control order (MCO) imposed from March 18-31.
“We are delivering cooking oil despite the lockdown. All our tankers are moving,” Sidhu Brothers commercial director Jimmy Sidhu told Asia Samachar. “There is high demand for cooking oil currently.”
He said some 50 to 60 trucks are plying the routes in the east coast of Malaysia, Johor and central Klang Valley.
The Rawang, Selangor, based company transports largely palm oil (95%) and some cement. Its fleet is the the biggest in the country after that of the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA). Jimmy’s elder brother Ranjit Singh is the managing director.
He said the company was willing to work to deliver food and have given their full cooperations time ensure hygiene. “All drivers are given face masks and sanitizers,” he said.
He noted that the policemen have been helpful and cooperative when checking their trucks at road blocks. “In fact they are sayang ‘terima kasih’ to our drivers,” he said.
Sidhu Brothers began in 1979 as a family owned and operated business. The company was founded by the late Mahindar Singh Sidhu and his brother Jaswant Singh Sidhu, as lorry drivers. In the early stages, the two took turns driving their only truck, achieving a 100% utilisation of the vehicle.
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 |
These are some short messages shared by two Malaysian medical frontliners fighting the Covid-19, the novel coronavirus whose spread is now a global pandemic. Asia Samachar found them on a Facebook page where the frontliners share a few words about themselves.
PRAVEENA
Hello everyone. I am Praveena Kaur. I am currently a medical officer in Emergency Department Hospital Teluk Intan. Being in this department, I stand as one of the frontliners. Current situations are not pleasing but we have not given up and we will not give up till the end. We, as doctors stand united in fighting this pandemic ?
Stay safe. Wash your hands regularly and keep yourself well hydrated.
WE STAY AT WORK FOR YOU, YOU STAY AT HOME FOR US ??
NAFISA
Hi..I am Nafisa, staff nurse in PPUKM, Chera. Stay safe and protect ourselves and our family too..
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 |
By Asia Samachar Team | MALAYSIA |
