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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Class of ‘78 Assuntarians walk down memory lane
Calls for reform in leadership
Chairman: Former members of Al-Arqam suspected to be operating in Tampoi

Class of ‘78 Assuntarians walk down memory lane

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 05:09 PM PDT

THE tight hugs and excited squeaks summed up the joy of the members of the Class of 1978 from Assunta Secondary School when they met up for the first time in 33 years.

Dressed to the nines, about 100 of them gathered at Holiday Villa in Subang Jaya last Saturday for a reunion and to celebrate their 50th birthday.

They chatted lively among themselves and updated each other on their latest happenings.

Ruth Shamini Tucker flew in from Sydney, Australia specially for the gathering.

"It is so amazing to be here finally after anticipating it for a long time. It is the best thing I have ever done.

"We recalled the nicknames we used to have for each other and tried to match the names with faces," said the bookkeeper, who migrated to Down Under a month after graduating from Assunta.

For many, the opportunity to meet up with their then teachers and headmistress, Datin Paduka Sister Enda Ryan, were a priceless one.

Kuhaam Nannithamby said she was reminded of the "Thinking Pool" and "Woodlands" within their school compound.

"Sister Enda sent the naughty ones to the pool to reflect on their mistakes. I have never been sent there but we loved to sit around the small pond to study.

"We also frequented Woodlands, which was located next to the canteen and had a lot of trees and benches," the real estate agent reminisced.

Sister Enda, 83, was a picture of health and zest as she addressed the Assuntarians, whom she fondly referred to as her children.

She said she could remember quite a number of her former students, "especially the naughty ones."

"As we get older, we do not know how much time is left. So it is good to catch up.

"This is also the Assunta family spirit which we are so proud of. We visit those who are sick, attend weddings and funerals together," she said.

Sister Enda drew laughter from the floor when she talked about her car that carried the plate number "BAD 513", and how the Assuntarians removed their school badges from their uniforms, telling her that they were from another girl school in the vicinity when caught playing truant and hanging out with the La Salleans.

Despite having left school for more than three decades, the ladies had not forgotten about Sister Enda's favourite phrase.

When she ended her speech with "Do your best…" the rest of the ladies in chorus finished the sentence for her, "… and God will do the rest."

All of them then sang the Assunta school song. Valerie Manuel, an events company director, said she almost cried singing the song.

"It brought me back to the lawn where we sang the song during assembly, as the school flag was being raised up the pole," she said.

She added that work commitments have made her lost contact with the rest of the schoolmates but she made a promise to herself to keep in touch with them after the gathering.

The ladies later sang a happy birthday song to mark their big 50 and cut a butter cake.

"It is a simple cake with a simple icing — the way we had butter cakes in our time," Kuhaam said.

The organising committee also announced that proceeds from the night's event would be contributed to their alma mater.

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Calls for reform in leadership

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 05:08 PM PDT

JOHOR BARU: In an effort to rejuvenate the party, some 15 disgruntled MIC branch chairmen are calling for reforms in the state leadership.

They wanted the party to mirror the MCA which was successful in injecting new blood into the party.

Taman Ungku Tun Aminah MIC branch chairman R. Vigneswaran who represented the group hoped that MIC president Datuk G. Palanivel would reshuffle the state's leadership line-up.

"It is high time for the party's senior leaders including Johor MIC chairman Datuk K. S. Balakrishnan give way to younger leaders to prove themselves," he said, adding that Balakrishnan has been at helm for 14 years.

He also voiced out about allocations totalling RM3mil not reaching the branches since 2008.

Vigneswaran added that when they wrote to the MIC leadership asking for the allocations, they were told that it would be given next year.

Pulai MIC youth deputy chairman P. Silva said that the allocations were meant to be used to fund youth activities, help out single mothers and helps sustain the branches.

"Without the allocations, we have been funding activities with money from our own pockets," he lamented.

Silva added that the state committee should submit a report to the party's president, the mentri besar's office and MIC branch chairmen to justify where the money was channelled to.

Kampung Seri Purnama branch chairman A. Martin, said that the state's committee members should be elected and not appointed because grassroot leaders understand the needs and wants of the locals better.

He also hit out at the some Johor assemblymen and said that they were not allowed to voice their frustration at the recent MIC convention.

When contacted, state MIC chairman Datuk K. S. Balakrishnan rubbished the allegations as baseless as everyone was given a chance to speak during the annual convention.

"We gave everyone full freedom to speak their mind on whatever issues they wished to bring up.

"As for the allocations, the state liaison committee's role is only to recommend which temples, Tamil schools and non-government organizations (NGOs) to distribute the money to," he said.

Balakrishnan added that he would not be contesting in the upcoming elections, as he wanted to retire.

"I wanted to step down from the post as state chairman but the party president told me to hold on so I did," he said.

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Chairman: Former members of Al-Arqam suspected to be operating in Tampoi

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 05:08 PM PDT

NUSAJAYA: Former members of the defunct Al-Arqam Islamic group may be trying to revive their movement under the banner of a business known as Global Ikhwan.

State religious committee chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman said the group comprising remnant members are operating under the new guise around Tampoi in Johor Baru.

Zainal added that religious authorities in the state are working together with the Home Ministry to monitor the situation closely to gather more information on the group.

"We are very concerned about these groups that promulgate misleading teachings, and are always on the look out and will take stern action against individuals or groups that are involved with these groups," he said.

Among the groups or teachings that have been declared illegal by the National Fatwa Council include the Al-Arqam group, the followers of the teachings of Ayah Pin, the Rufaqa Corporation and the Layar Bahtera group.

He added that the department had taken measures such as monitoring, advising and counselling, as well as detaining and charging those who remained stubborn.

Zainal said the department had also detained 25 members of the Layar Bahtera group in early June.

"We nabbed 22 men and 3 women, between 30 to 40 years in Taman Rinting near Masai," he said, adding that the group had been in operation for about three years with 30 members.

Members of the group. he added, did not pray five times a day, had their own interpretations of the Quran and Hadis, and their leader claimed to have knowledge of all mystical things.

Zainal also revealed that the Syiah group, which had been declared illegal by the National Fatwa Council in 1996, had been found to be in existence in Johor.

"The Johor government has taken corrective measures, including organising a few meetings with the group and counselling them.

"A seminar on the falseness of the Syiah understanding had been held in Johor Baru in February, and was attended by almost 1,000 people," he said. Books and pamphlets debunking the Syiah faith had been published and distributed to the public.

Zainal also urged members of the public to stay clear of these misleading faiths.

"If these teachings are not controlled, they may confuse the people.

"We will continue to monitor the situation closely along with the security forces to ensure the safety and peace of the people," he said.

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Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Sabtu, 2 Julai 2011