Not sure how many of us still remember a lad by the name of Krishnamoorthy. He became famous last year during Raya holidays after saving people from a sinking ferry. There were lots of brouhaha over the apparent lack of appreciation for him. He did get RM10K from Kiwanis, appreciation certificate from Transport Minister,  but he was interested in getting a better job. After that, no news about him. This time, he is awarded an Unity Chain (along with RM5k). Six others also were honoured.

PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye and Datuk Michael Chong were among seven personalities honoured for their extensive contribution towards unity, peace and harmony among Malaysians.

Social activist Lee, 62, was named Tokoh Perpaduan (Unity Hero) while Chong, head of the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department was awarded the Kalung Perpaduan (Unity Chain) by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The awards were given in conjunction with the launch of Unity Month yesterday.
With a bang: Najib hitting a giant drum to signify the launch of Unity Month on Sunday. Helping him is Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

The other Tokoh Perpaduan was former Sabah Yang di-Pertua Tun Sakaran Dandai.

Other Kalung Perpaduan recipients were cartoonist Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid, better known as Lat, S. Krishnamoorthy, Nafisah Abdullah and Mohd Afzal Hamzah.

Sakaran was honoured for his active role in promoting religious understanding in Sabah.

Lat received the honour for educating the public on racial integration through his cartoons and animation series while Nafisah was honoured for saving a Chinese woman and her nine-month-old baby in a fire in Kota Baru last year.

Nineteen-year-old “ferry fire hero” S. Krishnamoorthy received the Kalung Perpaduan because of his heroic act in saving 18 lives during a ferry fire off the coast of Mersing last year while labourer Mohd Afzal saved a Chinese woman from being a snatch theft victim in an incident in Brickfields last year.

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Najib also presented medals to five other heroes and heroines for their acts of heroism and service which cut across racial barriers – MCA Public Complaints Bureau head Datuk Michael Chong; cartoonist Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid who is better known as Lat; S. Krishnamoorthy, who single-handedly rescued 19 people in the Mersing ferry tragedy; Mohd Afzal Hamzah, who came to the aid of a snatch theft victim and caught her attacker; and Nafisah Abdullah, who rescued her Chinese neighbour’s baby in a fire.

Krishnamoorthy, 19, said the award was an unexpected honour as he felt he was just doing what he had to do.

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Too all the teachers out there, wishing you all a Happy Teachers Day! Teaching is a passion that need to continuously be recharged. Its a calling that only selected few can fulfill. Its a energy sapping endeavour of which pre-requisites are lots of patience and willingness to listen.

Its a thankless vocation at times, getting brickbrats from parents and the public. But its the one title that elicits respect and admiration from many.

May you continue to teach well !

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THE prank may have been mean but M. Thavasothy Pillai, who is blind, took his Teachers Day joke in good faith.  On that day some years back, the SMK Taman Petaling class that Thavasothy was about to teach had switched with a class next door to fool the 56-year-old.

But the wise man could sense something fishy when he did not hear the familiar sounds of his students when they replied to his greeting. Far from being angry, he laughed with them and told them their game was up. » Read more: Happy Teachers Day