ECB is about differentiating Sikhs from the word 'Asian.' Its a Vision to help raise awareness of Sikhs in the Western World, their history,beliefs and identity.
This Month
March 2009
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
Year Archive
Login
User name:
Password:
Remember me 
View Article  Malaysian Sikh leaders in political turmoil
 
 
Singapore: Malaysian father and son - Sikh politicians - have run into another political turmoil, following recent allegations of challenging the royalties and a deputy prime minister, according to Kuala Lumpur media reports Monday.

Member of Parliament, Karpal Singh, is to be charged for sedition at the sessions court Tuesday morning, for threatening to take legal action against the ruler of Perak state in northern Peninsular Malaysia, following the appointment of a new chief minister.

''I believe this is in relation to the fall of the Perak Government and the claims on the royalty,'' the New Straits Times online quoted the 69-year old Mr Singh as saying.

He said the Malaysian police had Monday served a notice on him to appear in the court Tuesday.

Mr Singh's intent drew flak from many groups who claimed that it tantamount to treason and in the process, attracted about 100 police reports.

Mr Singh, also the country's top lawyer, had challenged Perak state's Sultan Azlan Shah's appointment of Dr Zambry Kadir as the new chief minister deposing Nizar Jamaluddin, an opposition leader who led the opposition win in the last general elections.

Meanwhile, Mr Singh's MP son Gobind Singh Deo has been suspended from Parliament without allowance and benefits for one year for alleging that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was involved in a murder case and for contempt against the Deputy Speaker.

Parliament Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia made the decision Monday after the matter was put to vote and a majority of MPs were in favour of suspending Gobind Singh.

Mr Gobind Singh was ejected from the House for the third time last Thursday when he kept on speaking about Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder case although the chair had ordered him to stop.

Mr Gobind Singh, also a lawyer, alleges that Mr Najib, due to take over as Prime Minister from the incumbent Abdullah Ahmad Badawi by end of this month, was involved in the murder of the 28-year old Mongolian beauty a few years ago.

Mr Karpal Singh is the chairman of the opposition Democractic Action Party (DAP) and Mr Gobind Singh is a member.

The DAP, along with other opposition parties, won 82 of the 222 parliamentary seats or 36.9 per cent seats in the March 8, 2008 general elections, the biggest and upsetting win by the opposition to the ruling coalition front of Barisan Nasional led by the predominantly indigenous Malay party, United Malays National Organisation and supported by other leading Malaysian parties.

Mr Karpal Singh's second son Jagdeep Singh Deo is an Assembly man in the northern state of Penang.
View Article  Akal Air steps in to run new routes from Birmingham to India

A new air link to northern India from Birmingham International Airport is being launched – shortly after the withdrawal of national carrier Air India left the city without a direct link to the country.

Akal Air, a trading division of Air Sylhet, will be running twice-weekly flights to Amritsar – the most popular Indian destination from Birmingham – passing through Vienna.

Air India dropped its direct Birmingham-Amritsar flight at the end of last year. It had been hoped the flights would return this summer, but the airline announced last week it would be abandoning Birmingham for the moment to focus on its routes to Heathrow.

Because of regulation by the Indian government, only Air India is allowed to run direct flights from Birmingham to Indian airports, so firms looking to take advantage of the demand left by Air India have had to go via other airports.

The Akal Air flights have an hour stopover in Vienna, but do not involve changing planes. There are two other indirect routes to India from Birmingham, run by Turkmenistan Airlines and Air Slovakia.

Business groups and politicians from the West Midlands are lobbying the Indian government to relax air legislation and let other firms replace the direct route from the city to Amritsar.

A spokeswoman for Birmingham International Airport said it was still hopeful Air India would return later in the year.

Although its Birmingham-India route was more profitable than any of the London ones, Air India had to drop the service to avoid losing valuable slots at Heathrow because of the way the London airport is run.

The first Akal Air flight is planned for Saturday, April 4.

http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2009/03/16/akal-air-steps-in-to-run-new-routes-from-birmingham-to-amritsar-65233-23151364/

View Article  50 firefighters battling to save East End’s major Sikh temple

16 March 2009

By Gemma Collins

SHOCKED worshippers have been arriving from all over London to witness the tragic blaze that is sweeping through a major Sikh temple in the East End.

Many have been close to tears watching the flames sweep through the upper floor of the ornately decorated Gudwara Sikh Sangat with its classical pillared entrance.

More than 50 firefighters have been called to the sangat at Harley Grove in Bow where fire broke out at 2pm.

Ten emergency crews have been mobilised so far to tackle the blaze which has been out of control on the first floor of the temple, after the Fire Brigade received several 999 calls at 2.10pm.

Thermal imaging cameras were being used to search the premises for anyone still inside the two-storey house of worship.

HOLY BOOKS DESTROYED

“It is s difficult to watch because we know what is in the temple,” said one worshipper arriving in Harley Grove after spotting a pall of smoke several streets away.

“We know what’s inside the temple. All the holy books are being destroyed.

“It is like one of my gods are burning down—we worship our holy books as steps to God.”

A women’s function was being held on the first floor where the fire broke out. The 10 women managed to get to safety in the street as the flames swept through the building.

One of the women in who was in the temple was reported to have seen a man in the building before the fire was spotted.

PLUME OF SMOKE

One eye-witness contacted by the East London Advertiser, Peter Footman, guv’nor of the Coburn Arms pub close by, said: “I can see out the window one big white plume coming over the houses.”

Another publican, Sarah Jesson, assistant manager at the Morgan Arms, said: “There’s lots of smoke and huge flames coming out the top of the roof.”

Police have closed off the turning off the main A11 Bow Road while fire crews tackle the blaze.

+++

Please contact the East London Advertiser by email or call the Newsdesk on 020-7791 7799 if you are near the scene or have taken any pictures.

http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/content/towerhamlets/advertiser/news/story.aspx?brand=ELAOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsela&itemid=WeED16%20Mar%202009%2016%3A41%3A11%3A440