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