The Hero

SINGAPORE - A butcher used his silat skills to disarm a man who was slashing another man with a chopper Thursday morning.

Mr Mohd Rahid, 33, who has been practising the Malay martial art for about 10 years, and his brother, Mr Hussain Khan, 51, were at their stall in an Ang Mo Kio market when they heard a commotion about 20m away.

When they went to check it out, they were shocked to see two men wrestling on the floor of the market and food centre at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4.

One man was armed with a chopper. The other was bleeding profusely from a large slash wound on his right arm and several wounds on his back.

Recounting the incident, which happened at about 10.45am, to The New Paper, Mr Rahid said: "Everyone else was just looking and no one went to help. I knew I had to do something."

The brothers went towards the two men.

"I wasn't scared and didn't think twice. All I thought about was taking away the chopper, which was dangerously close to the other man's neck," said Mr Rahid.

"It wasn't easy, though. The (attacker's) grip was very strong and I had a hard time prising the knife away."

But he eventually succeeded and managed to separate the men with Mr Hussain's help.

The police said they received a call at about 10.55am requesting for assistance.

Suspect arrested

When they arrived, they found an injured man.

They arrested a suspect in his 40s for voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon. They also took away a chopper from the scene.

Stallholders at the food centre said the suspect owned a drinks stall there, but they did not know the victim.

A passer-by bandaged the victim's arm and took him to a clinic about 200m away for treatment, reported Chinese evening newspaper Shin Min Daily News.

The man, who is in his 50s, was later taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman said.

When TNP arrived at the scene, the police had cordoned off the area. A large patch of semi-dried blood could be seen on the floor.

A friend of the suspect said: "He said he was going to the toilet. The next thing we knew, this had happened."

The suspect's wife said she was feeling dizzy and declined to speak to reporters.

The motive for the attack remains unclear but Shin Min understands that it could have been over a money dispute.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Mr Rahid, who was praised by other stall owners, played down his heroic act.

"All I know is that if I didn't go to help, there would be a 99 per cent chance the victim may have died.

"I'm not a hero. I'm just a butcher who wanted to save someone's life," he said.

Horror

People were looking at the fight in horror until two men he recognised from another stall in the market, appeared.

They were Mr Mohd Rahid and his brother, Mr Hussain Khan, who stopped the fight and separated the two men.

Mr Neo, who has been running his aquarium stall for about 30 years, said: "It all happened very fast. This is the first time I've seen something like this."


Article Taken from http://news.asiaone.com 

My real turning point came when speaking to one friend about Islam, I was given a book to read, The Choice. Quran and Bible, by the late Ahmad Deedat (MAY ALLAH grant him a high place in Jannah inn sha ALLAH).

In this book he speaks of how Jesus (PBUH) never said he wants to be worshipped and never proclaimed himself as God. The book also explained how the Bible in fact describes the coming of the comforter and the description given in the Bible matches that of our Nabi Muhammad (PBUH). Furthermore, the book highlighted numerous flaws found within the bible. 

After reading this book, I felt relieved, encouraged and excited, I actively sought out other reverts to hear from them about their call to Islam and their experiences. I was then directed to a sheikh who was also a revert to Islam. This was another influential step upon my journey to Islam. I remember the day I met with this Sheikh vividly, in was a stormy winters day and I rode on my then motorcycle to meet this sheikh at his house to discuss Islam. He recited beautiful verses from the holy Quran and explained the meanings thereof, I was in awe, that a revert could recite that well and was so knowledgeable about Islam. He recited about the fetus and how children are conceived and the steps there of, and how the Quran provides evidence of this (Qur'an, 56:57-59) (Qur'an, 75:36-37) (Qur'an, 76:2) (Qur'an, 32:7-8) (Qur'an, 75:37-39) (Qur'an, 96:1-3) (Qur'an, 23:14) (Qur'an, 39:6). As well as how the rain clouds are formed to the specifics (Qur'an, 30:48). As well as the oceans that meet and whose waters never mix (Qur'an, 55:19-20).  This gave me further hope and encouragement that it is possible to revert and become a good Muslim. This added to my hunger to learn more and more about Islam. Most importantly, I finally realized that the Quran was a divinely inspired book. For there is no way that an illiterate man who lived more than a thousand years ago in a remote desert, with no technology could ever have written or known such intricate details on science and biology as described in holy Quran. It is unfathomable.

Humans have only provided scientific evidence of the above natural occurrences less than a mere 100 years ago. ALLAHUAKBR! The following Thursday evening I drove in the cold to the sheikh, and said my kalimaah shahada. ALHAMDULILLAH.

What was your perception of Islam and Muslims prior to reverting?

I must admit, I believed most of the propaganda perpetuated in the media and society. I viewed Muslims in a very stereotypical way, and generalized that most Muslims (besides my friends) were extremists and terrorists or supported terrorists. I remember the day of 9/11, the so called “terror attack” on the twin towers, we were told it was perpetrated by  Muslim terrorists, images displayed on the media, showed Muslims in different parts of the world rejoicing and supporting the attacks. Even here in South Africa, many Muslims were defending the attacks and were fully in support thereof. Again this did very little to improve my opinion of Muslims in general, instead, it made me dislike Islam and what Muslims stand for, however, I was not  aware that that was the thinking of ignorant Muslims to support such an act. Despite all this “negative publicity” Muslims received during this period, I was intrigued to figure out what Islam is about and what it teaches. I was not unique in this respect; events surround 9/11 served as a great catalyst for introducing people to Islam.

What was your best and worst experience after reverting (if any)?

Worst experience had to be distancing myself from good loyal friends, as I could not hang out with them as I did before, most of the activities and events were not appropriate for a Muslim, for example, going to parties, intermingling between sexes, etc. inevitably, I grew apart from these friends and our relationship slowly died. However, I was meeting new and different Muslims all the time, and quickly made good friends which not only strengthened my Imaan, they taught me about Islam and made me more Deen conscious. However, it took a while before I made genuine friends, initially, I was just invited around from time to time for meals with different Muslim acquaintances, these invites were sporadic and often fleeting and during my first year of being a Muslim, I often was left feeling lonely and isolated having lost my core group of friends and now being the outsider trying to break into the group of Muslim friends. However, as time went on and I met more and more Muslims, I eventually made long lasting friendships, and even gained some family in the process. I would therefore, like to urge our Muslim community to be more inviting to people who revert, as it can be a daunting journey and even if you don’t end up being good friends down the line, at least you would have been there to help them get on their feet for that short while of their new lives.

There are many misconceptions about Islam, one of them is that Islam is a modern religion belonging to Arabs. What is your opinion on this matter and what would you advise non-Muslim readers?

Islam is a way of life. It addresses not only the religious and spiritual aspects of our lives, but also science and socio-political issues amongst others. It is structured and everything has wisdom behind it. The most useful advice I could give, would be to have an open mind, shed all preconceived prejudices you may have about Islam and use social media as a platform, watch youtube videos by Zakir Naik,The Deen Show, Habib Ali Jiffri and see the beauty of Islam. They cover a wide range of great Islamic topics as well as issues pertaining to revert Muslims in general.

How do you see the mosque compared to churches and temples? Do you find any similarities in the role or status of the imam and priests?

I find the mosque to be a place of serenity, peace as well as power, a place where one can just sit and meditate without any disturbances, the beauty of the mosque is the tranquility that it has, the quietness and cleanliness it offers. If I compare the mosque to that of the church, I guess each worshipper will feel the same amount of serenity from their respective house of worship provided that they feel spiritually engaged. The major difference between the mosque and church is that the mosque is open for all Muslims, it is not confined to a specific sect of Islam, and all Muslims are welcome. There is no such thing as in Christianity where you only attend the church to which your specific denomination is affiliated. Furthermore, the mosque is open most of the day.

Another difference that I have found in Islam (this may just be an opinion I have) is that the Imams are much more approachable and more in touch with the community that they serve. I have found that the sheikhs and imams are more straight-forward they speak openly and don’t sugar coat, they are firm when they speak about what is right and what’s wrong, regardless of whether or not what is said hits a sore nerve and the congregation. I didn’t find the clergy of the church to be as approachable and often found that their lectures were often dampened down so as not to “offend” their congregation, particularly when it comes factors regarding lifestyle. In the church there is often a “free-for-all” attitude which is most apparent in the way members dress and behave within the church. This is definitely not the case in the Islam. When we attend the mosque there is a degree of etiquette involved. We dress appropriately and act in a respectful manner.

How did u choose your muslim name?

Before reverting I was speaking to a group of friends, and asking them what would be a nice name once I reverted. We brainstormed the clichés of Sameer, Sulaiman etc, names beginning with "S" as the name my parents have given me was Steven. I always admired the name of one of my favorite cricket players, Amir Sohail (former cricketer for Pakistan),

I looked up the meaning (leader, general) and thought, “wow nice name”.

I then spoke to couple of friends and they said it suited me, and that’s how Ameer came to be.

Are you married?  

On the 15th June 2013 I got married to a lovely Deen conscious lady Laila.

 How did u get involved in Silat? 

I heard sheikh Riyad Walls (imam of Stegman rd masjid, claremont) mentioning it one day on the Mimbar during Jumua announcements, at the time I was a keen runner and never had time, then one day I decided to go check out Silat, practiced in class with Faheem and Muneeb and I was hooked.  

What is your experience of Silat thus far? 

Silat is awesome! As it is not only focused on fighting, but also on self defense and overall exercise. More importantly it has Islam at its very core. For example, you start and end the class off with a duah and recitation of al-fatihah and the 3 khuls.  

Silat pukulan melaka is a malay islamic art. Do you find this to be true and how does this style practice Islam?

That’s a difficult question lol.

I think it’s definitely a more holistic form of martial arts; this is especially true regarding the various techniques involved in Silat. Islamic teachings resonate throughout the sport, for example, one does not view your training partner as an enemy, instead you are there to help and assist with training techniques. We rectify each other and offer advice and even in class we speak allot about Islam and share our knowledge and opinions during training. So it serves as a great forum to share ideas and knowledge.

Silat being practiced in the mosque. What was your reaction when you heard this, and do you find this practical?

It is extremely practical; it keeps one’s head focused on the Almighty at all times. It prevents one from speaking idol talk and stay focused on becoming spiritually and physically stronger.

Do you derive any benefit from Silat training which you can apply in your daily life and activities?

I’m a physiotherapist, which requires me to lift patients daily, my work is physically taxing. I also counsel and have to listen to the patient’s problems on a daily basis, which is emotionally taxing, as many have poor home circumstances. Silat helps me escape for a little while every week so that I can go back to work relaxed, and physically and spiritually stronger. It helps me approach life with a different and more positive view point. Furthermore it helps me feel good, and healthy. I can’t stop speaking about it as I simply just love it.  I wish I was introduced to Silat during my childhood.

 What is your favorite and not so favourite part of Silat training?

My favourite aspect is definitely the self-defense skills learnt, the throws and the overall fitness it provides. I don’t really have a least favourite part of training; I guess my least favourite part is that I don’t always have the luxury of time to attend Silat with my busy schedule. Furthermore, I do find Jurus challenging, but that’s because I am bit lazy and don’t practice as often as I should.

Describe your perfect day.

Spending time with my Wife and having Silat is the added plus.

Final words of encouragement for people interested in islam and silat training?

For people interested in Islam.... Don’t judge the people who practice the

Religion, we are not perfect, but Islam is perfect. And read up before

making comments. Read the books and web sites I suggested, and see that we are not terrorists, it’s a small percentage of people who have hijacked the name of Islam to advance to their own agendas. Making uninformed generalizations about Islam is like someone accusing all catholic people of being colonialists and tyrants after invading the Americas and other lands for their own material gain.

Come for one Silat lesson, and see the beauty of Silat, if you’re looking to get fit then Silat is great, but it has so much more to offer, like self-defense, relaxation. We aren’t competitive with each other, but we compete to better ourselves in class, and we strive to help those in class to improve their skills, something which other martial arts tend to not do. We are a family and when one is weak then the whole family feels that weakness, thus we help each other get strong.

Novia D. Rulistia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | People | Thu, September 05 2013

Having lived in the US most of his life, Jakarta-born Wona Sumantri embraced Indonesian culture through pencak silat, a traditional form of martial arts. 

And now, the pencak silat instructor wants to teach more people in the US about it as a gateway to learning about Indonesia.

“I have been living in the US since I was five and I didn’t know much about the country I was born in. But through pencak silat, I now feel like I’ve gotten to know Indonesia better,” he said during the recent Congress Indonesian Diaspora in Jakarta.

His interest in pencak silat was sparked when he saw his father practicing Cimande-style silat, a style which is believed to have originated in West Java, at home every morning. 

But Cimande-style bored young Wona, because as a kid, he yearned to take part in activities that involved dynamic movements. 

“And then I found out that the Indonesian Embassy in Washington offered a pencak silat class. I enrolled in the course and I also signed-up at Al-Azhar pencak silat school in Maryland, Washington, which is currently still active,” Wona said.

The 37-year-old said that it was pencak silat’s movements that made it more special to him than other forms of martial arts. 

“It’s unique; the stance where we sit down or stand up still allows us to counter attack opponents. And it’s very receptive, every movement must have its own purpose,” Wona said.

After eight years in the US, he made a trip back to Indonesia at 13-years-old. He used his time in Indonesia to learn more about pencak silat. He took courses at Al-Azhar in Indonesia and met his father’s martial art teacher, Rifai Sahid, who became Wona’s private instructor, teaching him about different forms of pencak silat and its history. The more he learns about pencak silat, the deeper he falls in love with it. 

“I should also say that different variations of pencak silat, like silat harimau (tiger-style), makes me interested in it even more,” Wona said. 

It was not difficult for Wona to pass a series of tests that were required to progress to higher levels. At just 16-years-old, Wona successfully reached the instructor level and began teaching pencak silat two years later at the Indonesian Embassy. However, becoming an instructor was just the beginning of his long journey in mastering different aspects of the traditional form of martial arts. 

“We can’t stop learning even if we become an instructor—that’s actually just the start. I knew that I was nothing, so I had to keep learning,” Wona said. 

Wona is currently the head instructor at Al-Azhar pencak silat school, at the Indonesian Embassy and is an adjunct pencak silat professor at American University in Washington DC.

He currently has 100 students at Al-Azhar, mostly Americans who actively take part in many cultural events in the US.

“I teach my students, both at Al-Azhar and at the university, not only about pencak silat and its history, but also about Indonesia itself. I want them to know about Indonesia, too,” Wona said.

He said that one of his students at the university was so interested in Indonesia after taking his course that she earned a scholarship from the Indonesian government to learn about Indonesian culture for three months in Indonesia. 

“Many Americans become interested in Indonesia after learning a little bit about the country. Now I realize that pencak silat is also a tool to promote Indonesia’s diverse cultures and tourism,” Wona said.

After teaching at Al-Azhar and the embassy for years, Wona finally decided to open up his own pencak silat school in 2010, naming it Silat Martial Arts Academy in Maryland. 

He said that he decided to make it commercial because he wanted to give people an alternative place to study pencak silat that had more flexible hours and offered a variety of courses, including private lessons, bladed weapons training and defense and martial arts for kids. However, it is not easy living in the US relying solely on work as an instructor. In between teaching his pencak silat courses, Wona also works as an IT consultant. 

“I’ve always loved IT, and the money is good. To be realistic, it would be hard to get by just as a pencak silat instructor,” the holder of a Master’s Degree in IT from Maryland University said. Nevertheless, Wona’s passion for pencak silat should never be questioned. He is currently working on creating a non-profit association that unites all pencak silat groups in the US.

“There are a lot of pencak silat groups in the US, but we don’t work together. If we have an association, we can tell people that it’s part of something bigger, that it does not only have one style,” he said.

When that goal has been materialized, Wona said was already setting is mind on another target: returning home and seeing the beauty of the archipelago. 

“I don’t have the opportunity to explore my own country because I’ve been away since I was small. So when I make my return, I want to travel across Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua. Soon, hopefully,” said Wona.

On Monday evening, our gelanggang was graced with the presence of the only Kenpo Instructor Certified in the Western Cape by the International Kenpo Karate Association (I.K.K.A) Nazeem Holmes. Holmes Kenpo Karate is currently the only International Certified Kenpo School in the Western Cape.


One of Mr Holmes' senior students is friends with one of the Pesilats, who requested permission to view our silat training. Upon their arrival, the silat session had just started, and the Kenpo master was then requested to share his knowledge of martial arts with the students. Mr Holmes comes across as a very humble yet knowledgeable man, with a great passion for teaching the martial arts as well as learning. After displaying some basic silat techniques to the guests, it was time to learn some kenpo. 


Silat members were given a very brief and clear explanation of how kenpo works, which is mostly a street defense art. He also showed us some techniques using body mechanics and and attacks from various angles which could come as a surprise attack. Silat and Kenpo seems to share many underlying principles, yet differs in some regard. Mr Holmes also surprised us with his knowledge of Brazilian Jujitsu, and also holds an instructors certificate for this branch of knowledge. 


The session ended with traditional Fatiha, and an invitation for us to visit his dojo, and share some silat knowledge with his students. It was indeed a great pleasure to have guests from another MA system sharing their knowledge with us.  Find out more about Kenpo http://holmeskenpo.com/ 

Usamah Samuels, a 14 yr old grade 7 learner at the Hyde Park College has been awarded for bravery at his school awards ceremonyand graduation dinner  on Tuesday, 26th November 2013. Usamah is described by his parents and teachers as a gentleman, with good manners and character. 

On his way to school on thursday morning, 21st November 2013, Usamah and his younger brother Mishal were confronted by an african man. The man asked them to hand over their schoolbags, to which Usamah said no. This caused the man to become aggressive, and once more insisted that they hand over the bags, or else. 

The man then takes out his knife and threatens to hurt the young boys. Usamah then instructs Mishal to run to school, while he sorts the matter out. Without hesitation, Usamah grabs the mans arm and applies an arm lock which he just learnt the week before at his silat lesson. 

The attacker was quickly subdued, which allowed Usamah to grab hold of the weapon and disarm the guy. According to the 14 year old pesilat (silat practitioner), he thinks he broke the attackers arm due to the aggressive arm lock, as he heard the joint pop. The attacker quickly fled the scene which gave Usamah the freedom to attend school. The knife was handed to the principals office, and Usamah quickly gained popularity amongst the schoolkids. He is also a grade 7 learner and school prefect. 

His parents remarked that had he not been trained in Silat, he possibly would have given in to the attacker, and suffer an asthma attack. They believe that silat has boosted his confidence and given him the necessary life skills of self defense. During silat training, the students are always reminded never to believe that they are powerful, but only possess the power which the Almighty Allah has given them. And if you get hurt, it is only through the will of Allah and serves as a test. Allah is All Powerful over all things, and He will never test us with something which we cannot handle. 

Usamah and Mishal trains at the gelanggang (training facility) in Skaapkraal as well as the Rondevlei Islamic society in Mitchels Plain. Classes are open to youth from 7yrs and up. check out the training venues page 

A father wants his family to learn silat because it is not only a form of martial arts, but steeped in the Malay traditions of adab (respect) and adat (customs).

EPIDEMIOLOGIST Dr Mustafa Bakri’s fascination with silat started from watching old Malay films from the 1960s such as Anak Buluh Betong and Dharma Kesuma.

“I was fascinated by how silat invoked the spirit of heroism and justice. But after being introduced to different silat techniques such as silat lintau and silat panji alamin secondary school, I realised martial arts acts in movies were choreographed, be it in Malay, European, Hollywood or Japanese movies.

“Silat teaches the core art of martial arts, minus the fancy moves seen on the big screen. In a real fight, the scenario is entirely different. Silat is thus far one of the best and most practical,” shares Dr Mustafa, 57, who works at the Seremban district health office.

The Perak-born doctor attends Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9 lessons which he considers one of the most practical self-defence tactics.

“It is one of the few silat systems where students (beginners included) are encouraged to use the keris in both armed and unarmed combat. Silat exponents can use simple yet effective movements to counter attack the opponent.

“To me, Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9 is the most practical silat by far as it combines skill and rigorous exercise. It requires minimal running, pumping or punching unlike other silat forms that I have seen, making it a perfect martial arts form-cum-exercise for me,” he said.

Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9 is an old system in Silat Melayu that can be traced back to the Malacca Sultanate and it is believed Malay warriors used it to fight Portuguese invaders.

The modern version of this form of martial arts was developed by silat exponent Prof Dr Azlan Ghanie, who had learnt it from his father Abdul Ghanie Abu Bakar, who inherited it from his grandfather Abang Salleh Datu Patinggi Borhassan.

Dr Mustafa, who has been learning silat since 2007, is one of Azlan’s students. He was so enthusiastic about silat that he has persuaded his wife Noraishah Mohamed, 49, and his sons Muhammad Syahridwan, 13 and Muhammad Syahriezlan, 11, to participate in Azlan’s classes.

“Since my wife and sons do not do much physical activities, the classes help to keep them active,” said Dr Mustafa who has six children.

Noraishah, a homemaker, was inspired to join silat classes due to its simplicity and practicality. “We learn self-defense tips for women, be it in public spaces or at home. It is especially useful as I am a housewife and I am home alone most of the time,” said Noraishah, who has been a silat student for two years.

Muhammad Syahridwan’s interest was sparked by his father’s enthusiasm. “My parents have been silat enthusiasts and their interest rubbed off on us. I enjoy my silat lessons as they build confidence and discipline. It is also a good form of exercise,” said the secondary school student. Dr Mustafa works in Seremban but travels back to be with his family in Rawang during weekends. Every Saturday, his family travels from Rawang to Setapak, Kuala Lumpur for their silat lessons.

Students start their classes with Senaman Melayu Tua, an ancient form of physical exercise that focuses on breathing techniques, stretches and movements to strengthen the body. After the warming up session, students learn different forms of loks (a Malay term for the curve on the blade of the keris).

There are five loks (numbered one, three, five, seven and nine) to be learned to complete the basic syllabus. Learning the loks is the key to the principles of fighting in armed and empty hand combat. The basic syllabus takes two years of regular training to complete.

Dr Mustafa adds that besides an art of self defence, silat also places emphasis onadab (respect) and adat (customs). Traditional Malay values are maintained throughout classes where students are taught how to respect their elders and each other. Students are also taught how to confront danger (with or without weapons) which is useful for different age groups and gender.

“Silat practitioners are taught to respect our opponents and training tools. Before each session, we have to bow a little to shake hands with partners and kiss our weapon as a sign of respect. This traditional martial arts form teach us to avoid trouble and protect ourselves from danger. Being able to handle the keris during practice has helped boost my sons’ self confidence,” explained Dr Mustafa, adding that plastic or wooden knives are also used during sparring sessions.

Traditionally, the keris is regarded more than just a weapon and the adab (manners/ rules of behaviour) surrounding this art is extremely important. The keris is a symbol of the ancient Malay culture and must be respected, and those who own a keris carry heavy responsibilities. Learning the customs and traditions associated with the kerisis an integral part of the syllabus.

Another benefit of learning silat is that it is good for health as its practitioners learn how to regulate their breathing. “Some silat students with asthma and shortness of breath are now more aware of proper breathing techniques. Learning how to improve breathing is among the core essentials of silat,” said Azlan, who charges RM50 monthly for his silat classes.

Azlan has also further developed Senaman Tua – a traditional exercise system based on the movements found in Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9. He had turned to this exercise form after he suffering from a stroke at 32, which left him partially paralysed.

“Although I sought all sorts of treatments ranging from modern to traditional, I didn’t show signs of improvement. I eventually started to practise various techniques ofSenaman Tua (which I had learnt from my father) and my health gradually improved,” recounted Azlan, who is the founder and editor of Seni Beladiri, a monthly magazine dedicated to the Malaysian martial arts scene.

Dr Mustafa hopes more youngsters will learn silat as it is a self-defense art passed down from the warriors of the olden days. “Sadly, some feel that silat is out of fashion and not a necessity. Hopefully more students will sign up for classes as it is a powerful martial arts form that stresses on team spirit and confidence.”



*For more details on Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9, go to senibeladiri.com.my.


article from: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Family/Features/2013/09/25/Bonding-over-an-ancient-art.aspx

Say sorry.

That’s what enraged Singapore Silat Federation head, Sheik Alauddin, wants from bowling chief and chairwoman of the Singapore Sports Awards (SSA), Jessie Phua.

Sheik’s fury stems from the omission of the Sportsman of the Year accolade from this year’s awards, after a selection committee deemed that no male athlete had achieved anything of note in 2012.

Silat world champion Muhd Shakir Juanda was one of four nominated for the honour, along with paddler Gao Ning, sailor Colin Cheng and wushu exponent Seet Wee Key.

While explaining the decision not to award a Sportsman of the Year to various media, Phua said the panel had to “consider the quality of the competition” faced by the athletes.

A source told Yahoo! Singapore that on the night of the awards held on Tuesday, Sheik – incensed by the comment – had approached a minister to “demand” an apology from Phua.

When contacted, Sheik said that he was “just telling (the minister) how the silat council and community were unhappy, hurt, down and low in morale” as a result of Phua’s remark.

The silat chief, himself a two-time Sportsman of the Year nominee and former world champion, confirmed he wanted Phua to "apologise to the community”.

“Is she saying the quality of silat is not there? This is the first time in my life, and in 30 years of silat, that I’ve heard something like this,” he told Yahoo! Singapore over the phone.

“I personally feel demoralized,” added the Singapore Sports Council Hall-of-Famer. “This is not about awards or medals. It’s about the integrity of the silat community.”

Phua declined to comment when pressed for a response. As part of her earlier explanation, she had referred to the number of participants in the athlete’s sport – a point which Sheikh passionately addressed.

“25 countries took part. But it’s not about how many countries are taking part. It’s about who you fight; your opponent’s background,” said Sheik. “Shakir fought world champions. He fought with the best of them all. This is not a 'kampong' sport. What more do you want?”

In the grand final of the World Pencak Silat Championships last year, Shakir overcame defending world and SEA Games champion Le Si Kien of Vietnam.

Moving forward, Sheik said that the Jakarta-based international silat body “will know about this” and that locally, the Singapore Silat Federation plans to convene to deliberate the matter on 3 July.

The three-time SEA Games gold medallist also hit out at the SSA selection panel’s modus operandi.

“I personally invited the relationship manager of SSC to Chiang Rai (in Thailand) to watch Shakir compete at the World Championships, but they said they were busy,” said Sheik. “After that, the committee never interviewed the silat federation about Shakir’s achievement.”

The sports awards were given out during a gala ceremony on Tuesday. Table-tennis paddler Feng Tianwei won Sportswoman of the Year, but there was no male equivalent.

Former national fencer and triathlete Nicholas Fang, who was on the committee to decide the SSA recipients, told Yahoo! Singapore on the night itself that the committee was “not disparaging the achievements (of) the male athletes”.

Fang, who is also a Nominated Member of Parliament, then said that Shakir’s efforts did not go unrecognized as “we made sure we rewarded him with a meritorious award.”

But he acknowledged that the exclusion of a Sportsman of the Year award was “very tough” and that the “sports fraternity is disappointed for sure”.

Ultimately, he said, the panel’s decision was based on the need to “inspire people to aim very high.”

“If somebody wants to be Sportsman of the Year, he really has to dream big,” concluded Fang.

The question now is how big is big enough.



Article from http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/fit-to-post-sports/singapore-silat-chief-want-apology-demoralising-remark-031350035.html 

SINGAPORE - The Singapore sports community lost a former world champion on Friday night with the sudden death of retired silat exponent Abdul Kadir Ibrahim.

It is understood that the 40-year-old had collapsed after complaining of chest pains. He was running errands with his wife at the time, after going for a jog.

He was buried on Saturday morning and leaves behind six children, the youngest was born just under a month ago.

Kadir won the Match Male Class 'E' title at the 5th World Championships in Kuala Lumpur in 1997. Two years later, he won the gold medal in the same class at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei.

Singapore Silat Federation (SSF) chief executive officer Sheik Alauddin told TODAY that he is still reeling from the news about his friend who worked as a national coach for a few years after retiring from the sport.

Dear comrades, we greet you with the universal greeting of peace “Assalaamu Alaikum Waragmatullahi Wabarakatoe”, a prayer of peace from us to you.

RE: Palestine Bazaar| South African Friends of Palestine Convoy 2013

The South African Friends of Palestine (SAFP) invites the community of Cape Town to join them for a day of fun filled shopping and entertainment at the Ottery Islamic Society Hall (Oracle Academy) on Saturday 31st August 2013.

Hosted under the auspices of South African activist Aishah Cassiem, a Palestine Bazaar will take place on the day to raise funds for the upcoming SAFP Convoy 2013. Activist from around SA will be leaving to the Occupied Palestinian Territories in early September to donate much needed funds to various schools, orphanage homes, places of worship and community centres, during their 10 day stay. All funds raised from the Palestine bazaar will strictly go towards the convoy, Insha’Allah.

A variety of entertainment can be expected on the day, along with special guest speakers from various organisations in SA, including the Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU) and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). A variety of stalls will also be available from 9am – 7pm, ranging from  fashion wear to beautiful jewellery, hijaab galore to health and beauty products, Eastern accessories to Palestine products,  as well as tantalising foods to tickle your taste buds and delicious home-made cake’s & savouries. A media screening will also take place on the day, along with much more other exciting endeavours.

If possible, we would like all to be dressed in the colours of Palestine , Inshallah. I am hoping that you can take from your time to come and join us on the day, in support of Palestine. Remember our honourable president Nelson Mandela had once said “South Africa is not free until the people of Palestine are free...”

If you would like to know more about the Palestine Bazaar in aid of the South African Friends of Palestine Convoy 2013, please contact Aishah Cassiem on 0799662228or email aishahcassiem@gmail.com. For more details on SAFP contact the Pretoria offices at 0848178005 (Tasneem Mart) or email worldunite4palestine@gmail.com .

Please share this information with all you know. Thank you.

NB!!! PLEASE SEE MORE DOCUMENTS ATTACHED ON ACTIVIST AND SAFP CONVOY 2013

Yours in activism

Aishah Cassiem

The South African Friends of Palestine

 

Stall booking:

Regarding stall bookings for the Palestine Bazaar; all interested stall holders should please make a payment of R400 into the following account before the20th July 2013. Please forward your name of stall/ business, as your posters need to be printed out for the day of event.   

 

Banking details:

Standard Bank

A Cassiem

Promenade Branch

Branch number: 026609

Account Number:  310932661

 

There are a lot of stall bookings coming in and no need to worry about losing out on the day, as we will only have up to one or two stalls selling the same items, depending on what the product is. We will not have more than two of the same stalls as this will be a lost for stallholders.

 

Please book soonest. Shukran