Apr 14 2008
Sikhs in the limelight
Karpal Singh defends Perak MB’s mistake by saying that it was a honest mistake and not intended to insult the community. He said its a trivial matter. I think no need to blow up this issue. The guy apologised via SMS, perhaps should issue a proper statement in the papers. People can accept if you sincerely apologise over a honest mistake. However, if the MB keeps quiet…hmm…won’t look so good on him.
Also, looks like the Sikh community may benefit from having a number of their kinsmen in the state assemblies and parliment. No one is saying that for such a small population, there are too many Sikh representatives. As long as the person can do the job and is qualified, no problems.
All the best for new gurdwara extension application.
Sikhs won’t take offence to Nizar’s gaffe: Karpal
By : Sharanjit Singh
source
GEORGE TOWN, Mon:
The Sikhs should not take offence to Perak Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin’s reference to the community as Bengalis. Prominent Sikh politician Karpal Singh said it was obvious that Nizar did not mean to insult the community. He said it was also obvious that Mohammad Nizar had not referred to the community in a derogatory manner.
Karpal explained that Sikhs had for decades been generally referred to as Bengalis out of ignorance by many. “It is a trivial matter and Sikhs should not take offence to what has been said. A Sikh is a Sikh by any name,” he said after accompanying Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib here.
Lim, who wore a bright red turban, later wished all Sikhs a happy Vasakhi and joined those present at the temple for langgar (vegetarian meal). Also there were his wife Betty Chew, Dato Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo and the temple president Sarjit Singh Naura.
Karpal was commenting on a New Straits Times report that some Sikhs in Perak were upset with their MB’s gaffe. It was reported that Nizar had referred to the Sikhs as Bengalis when wishing them a Happy Vasakhi at a function in Ipoh on Sunday.
His comment at the Sikh and Tamil New Year celebrations raised eyebrows as the Sikhs gathered there had expected the head of the state government to know the difference between the two communities. Some Sikhs immediately left the function as they felt it was an affront to the community.
Nizar later sent an SMS to the NST admitting he had made a mistake in referring to the Sikhs as Bengalis.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated development, Lim said the Penang state government would consider a request from the Sikhs here for land to expand their temple. He said the application would be put through the usual process and assured the community that the state government would try not to disappoint them.
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Karpal has no standing locus standi in the Sikh community, to spak on behalf of the Sikh community.He is NOT a practising Sikh as ordaine dBy the Tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh.To rattle on in his politics he has used this opportunity to dribble on, but what Karpal fails to understand that a rose may be known as Rose , but there are good roses and bad roses!
It was heartening to read his son Idolworship Guru Gobind Singh, but Guru Gobind Singh.But what he forgets is Guru Gobind Singh JI did not encourage idol worship, but encouraged his Sikhs to live like in the form of a natural man- the articles of Sikh faith are totally absent from fathger and son.
I do not gauge for a minute their own personal commitment to their faith in the best way they can muster .. but would question his definition of the gaffe and his standing as a Sikh to speak on behalf of Sikhs or the religion.He speaks for NO sikhs or the religion.
To do so, I suggest he return to his Guru given form, then perhaps we can respect him for that.
Now for some one who not too lo0ng ago was probably running in the padi fields with a tattered sarong and fishing …ASTON university does NOT seem to have given him much knowledge to distinguish between the people of his state!
Perhaps, he just a fisher boy who sneaked by MAR into ASTON, with 7 Ds and one A in bahasa.
God help the people of Perak with a gaffing Sarong boy!
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