Let's make 2011 Malaysia Day very meaning....

Of late the happenings in the country has sent a wrong signal / message to the citizens. From the incident of MAIS raiding a private function at a church complex and of late, the debate on the freedom fighters of Malaya....Various statements and responses of leaders of various levels did not help to bring the citizens together. As a result the existing foundation of unity and harmony among the citizens some how has been shaken.....

As we are approaching our Malaysia Day which is next Friday; I sincerely hope the citizens of this beloved nation make a pledge to trust one another and take positive efforts / actions in strengthening the unity, harmony and understanding among us, come to a reality.

Towards this end I would like to quote Marina's observation in Australia...

"I was just in Western Australia where I was asked to speak at a conference on Rebuilding Harmony in the post-Sept 11 world. It was heartening to see so many people interested in the subject, and so disappointed by the ongoing violence that has accompanied the event by all sides.

Many Australians had been opposed to the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, correctly seeing that this was no way to have peace.

They emphasised that people of different backgrounds, cultures and faiths need to know one another in order to avoid war, and that politicians should be held accountable for their part in the violence.

In the evening after the conference, we attended a special service at the main cathedral in Perth to commemorate the anniversary of Sept 11. It was attended by all the state dignitaries as well as people from all faiths. The entire service was beautiful and solemn as befitted the occasion. But what moved me most was something I did not expect nor had ever experienced. An imam from a local mosque got up and recited the Al Fatihah and two other verses from the Quran dealing with compassion to humanity.To hear the first surah of the Quran recited in Arabic in a cathedral while everyone listened so respectfully was a profoundly emotional experience for me. Never had its meaning been more beautiful. It led me to think about how elsewhere in the world so many people have been reaching out to one another with respect, with humility and trust. When I heard the Al Fatihah in that church, it made me love my religion more. The translation was in the programme, along with the words of all the other prayers and hymns that day, Christian and Jewish. And what struck me most was how the sentiments expressed, while coming from different holy books, were in fact similar. My religion is as compassionate and generous as any other, not just to our own people but to all of humanity. It made me wonder why this does not happen at home, why there is so much mistrust that nobody steps into a house of worship that is not their own. Surely to be able to know one another is a good thing. After all, God says in surah Al-Hujarat, verse 13: O men! Behold, We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another. By constantly isolating ourselves from each other, are we not rejecting what our Creator intended?

As Malaysia Day approaches, perhaps we should think about how we can reconcile with one another. Or at the very least, refuse and reject the many deliberate attempts to divide us."  (source.. Star 14 Sept 2011)

If Australians can do it..Malaysians can make it happen...Malaysia Boleh!!!
Selamat Hari Malaysia!

Humanitarian Mission Success depended on preparation....

Organisers of humanitarian missions should ensure that their participants have received adequate survival training and that measures are taken to minimise their risk of getting injured, Malaysian Red Crescent honorary secretary Norbaini Baharudin said.

Commenting on the death of BernamaTV cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, who was shot dead while covering the Putera 1Malaysia Club’s humanitarian mission to Somalia, Norbaini said the organisers could have made more preparations.

“Judging by the current situation in Somalia, volunteers should have been given bullet proof vests to protect themselves,” she said.

Noramfaizul, who was part of a 15-strong media team, was hit by a stray bullet last Friday while returning to his hotel in a 4WD.

His death had turned the spotlight on preparations made by organisers of such aid missions and the training given to volunteers.

Norbaini told theSun all individuals who are interested to volunteer with the Red Crescent are required to undergo at least two weeks of compulsory training in various fields.

“The courses not only cover the ways in which a volunteer can assist victims of a tragedy, but also to ensure that they can survive the often harsh conditions in the affected regions,” said Norbaini.

The Malaysian Red Crescent through its in-house training institute offers classes in, among others, first aid, international humanitarian law, psychological support programme, disaster management and simulation.

Norbaini also stressed on the importance of a volunteer being physically and mentally fit to handle all potential situations.

“We can’t have a volunteer going to offer aid, but who ends up falling sick instead,” she said.

Besides the Malaysian Red Crescent, other NGOs which has been actively organising humanitarian aid missions include Mercy Malaysia.

According to its website, all Mercy Malaysia volunteers are required to undergo a Volunteer Induction Programme and Basic Mission Training sessions before being allowed to participate in any humanitarian aid efforts.

Mercy Malaysia had also sent a three-man assessment team to Somalia on Aug 25, led by its vice-president Assoc Prof Dr Mohamed Ikram Mohamed Salleh.

The team has since came back and Mercy Malaysia is expected to reveal findings from the trip today, along with details of its next mission to Somalia.

Source: newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Humanitarian Day..What to focus

World Humanitarian Day 2011

Key Messages

• Every year, disasters cause immense suffering for millions of people – usually
the worldʼs poorest, most marginalized and vulnerable individuals. Humanitarian
aid workers strive to provide life-saving assistance and long term rehabilitation to
disaster-affected communities, regardless of where they are in the world and
without discrimination based on nationality, social group, religion, sex, race or
any other factor.
• Humanitarian aid is based on a number of founding principles, including
humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. Humanitarian aid workers
should be respected, and be able to access those in need in order to provide vital
assistance.
• Humanitarian aid workers are national and international, male and female, and
reflect all cultures and backgrounds. The majority come from the countries in
which they work. Strong, professional and independent local partners are fully
involved in all humanitarian responses.
• Everyone can be a humanitarian. People affected by disasters are often the first
to help their own communities following a disaster. Communities, local partner
organizations, international organizations and the general public can build a
chain of solidarity to support communities in responding to and recovering from
disasters.
• Responding to emergencies is only one aspect of humanitarian work.
Humanitarian workers also support communities to rebuild their lives after
disasters, to become more resilient to future crises, to advocate for their voices to
be heard, and to build lasting and sustainable peace in areas of conflict.
• Today, the most pressing humanitarian crisis in the world is unfolding in the Horn
of Africa. Famine has spread in Somalia, including Mogadishu, and threatens to
expand throughout the south. Too many people are dying. 12.4 million people in
Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti urgently need our help, and the numbers
are increasing. Our partners continue to work hard on the ground to save lives.
Their commitment must be matched by donors, the private sector and individuals
alike.

Life is full of suprises

Why wait for things to happen..be proactive and get going..

Medical Relief Mission to Chile, 26 Mar-14 Apr 2010

MERCY Malaysia in Chile to provide medical assistance to most affected area following massive earthquake and tsunami on 27 February 2010.

Attending the needs of the Constitución’s community, a coastal town of 60,000 inhabitants and the most affected by strong earthquake and tsunami on 27 March, a team from MERCY Malaysia arrived in the town last Friday 26 March to provide support in particular in the primary healthcare services.

Among the many sickness following the earthquake and tsunami are diarrheas and vomiting, due to stomach infections caused by lack of hygiene and poor manipulation of food in diverse shelter camps. According to Dr. Ho Loon-Hsin, medical doctor of the team, there also exist post traumatic stress symptoms among the consulted patients.

“We are here to support the local medical professionals of the Municipal and Ministerial Health Services of Constitución and its surrounding areas as well as to provide primary health care in shelters camps and rural hospital,” said Mr. Raja Manickam, chief of the team.

The team comprised of a general practitioner in primary healthcare, a Ph.D. psychologist expert in post traumatic stress by disasters and two nurses specializes in primary and maternity care. All members of the team are trained volunteers with vast experience in post disasters and traveled to Chile to work together with the Center of Family Health Care of Cerro Alto.

The team stayed in Constitucion for two weeks, attending health care to four shelter campers who lost their houses and are now living in temporary houses provided by different organizations from state and private sectors. To-date, the team attended an average of 50 patients per day, examining and supplying appropriate medicines.

Other sicknesses that have been treated by the team are: fungus, flu, respiratory infections, wounds and bruises done by the tsunami and because of the difficult conditions they are living at the moment.

“It is a big help to us to have medical assistance since we are isolated and we cannot go to a health center, specially our elders and children. That is why we are thankful for the help of the Malaysia doctors, who came from so far to help us” said Evadio Perez Rojas, President of “Quebrada Pichaman” community, one of the most isolated areas of Constitución.

New sport

Started hiking as a new sport. Discovered a beautiful lake on a hilltop. Suprisingly the hill overlooking my condo. Been hiking on the hill many times. Last Friday, 26 Feb being public holiday.. decided to go for hiking in the morning. Invited a new member, Kinn Abass from Ghana (my train buddy) to join me for the hike. I have been talking to him about the lake and he needs to get out off his apartment and get some exercise.Call up another friend a pro-hiker, Glenn Leong.

It was a refreshing time..Kinn Abass extremely enjoyed the session. Gleen made the company more meaningful..We are excited and waitng for next Saturday... to discover new places..

Avoid Big Failures

As the new saga begins.....
there is a need to be watchful for pitfalls and the subtle strategy Satan uses to take control of our lives. The Bible calls it lasciviousness and it means "to have no restraint".

Living a life of no restraint can slowly build up things that eventually become great stumbling blocks or the great canyon that can really bury us. So need to make up our mind and heart today, and pay attention to the little things that can subtly destroy us in the long run. Avoid big failures by walking in the Spirit one small step at a time . Major victories will eventually be ours.

We can take courage by this: "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." (Eph. 4:7). So, a little mistake or wrong step can still be corrected. The important thing is becoming conscious or aware of it and make amends.