Tag: TKPS

Tourists Who Allegedly Angered Mount Kinabalu Spirits To Be Charged In Sabah Native Court

The seven tourists who allegedly posed in the nude for photographs on top of Mount Kinabalu and whose actions are said to have angered the spirits there which unleashed Friday’s earthquake, will face charges in a native court for violating local native laws, said the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sabah Parks.

Datuk Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin told reporters at the Sabah Park headquarters in Kundasang last night that the tourists were in police custody in Kota Kinabalu and could be charged as early as tomorrow.

He, however, could not say if they would be charged in the court in Kota Kinabalu or the one in Kundasang.

The death toll from the quake that hit Sabah on Friday morning is now 13, while six people remain missing.

Most KadazanDusuns interviewed believed in their ancestors’ belief in the spirits of the mountain, and that the spirits were provoked by the tourists’ reported nude jaunt at the summit of the mountain last week.

The tourists also allegedly urinated in “improper places” at the summit.

“It’s akin to someone going to a mosque or temple and urinating in them,” said Zainal, describing the act as desecration.

Photos of their antics were posted on Facebook, which quickly went viral.

Even Sabah deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan shared the sentiment that the Westerners provoked the spirits and that they should be punished.

He reportedly said a ritual would be conducted to appease the angry spirits.

The mountain is revered by locals who called it Akinabalu, which in the native language means resting place of the dead.

“Kadazandusuns have long believed the mountain to be sacred, and in the past even pointing at the mountain was absolute taboo,” said Zainal.

“They still believe it to be sacred today and that is why the sogit (a sacrificial ritual) is performed at the end of every year to appease the spirits and seek their permission to climb it for another year,” he said.

“They (the tourists) have no respect for local beliefs. It is only appropriate they be punished for disrespecting and breaking local native laws.”

Even though he is Muslim, Zainal believed there is “something” in the mountain from personal experience.

The former Royal Air Force pilot narrated how a Frenchman in the 50s refused to perform the sogit before climbing the mountain and was seriously injured in a fall.

He said a series of unusual and unexplained incidents also occurred in the attempt to take the injured Frenchman to hospital.

The incidents, said Zainal, so unnerved the Frenchman that he later had the sogit performed.

The sogit is a ritual where seven white “kampung” chickens are slaughtered and seven of everything including beetlenut leaves and kapor, are offered to appease the spirit before any climb.

Seven, said Zainal, is an important number in ancient Kadazandusun religious belief.

Source: www.themalaysianinsider.com

June 8, 2015
Local Teacher: Singapore And Malaysia Need To Ban Nudist Prick And Crew For Disrespecting The Victims Of Sabah Earthquake

Admin,

I teach at a primary school. It’s been almost 8 years since I first started teaching. I did not become a teacher because I love children. I became a teacher for the opportunity it affords me to help mould the lives of these little ones. Over time, I learnt to love them. Even the naughty ones. They fill you with such joy with their earnestness and innocence.

Needless to say, I was overcome with grief when I first heard of the losses by TKPS. As a teacher and as a parent of a toddler myself, I was devastated. I thought of my own little one and how I would feel if I lost him. It scares me. So, I cannot imagine how it is for the parents to deal with their loss. Like other Singaporeans, I can only emphatise and offer my deepest condolences.

There are some who say that the Malaysian government’s rescue efforts was found wanting. I don’t know. Maybe it is still too early to say. For me, now’s the time to focus the effort on working together to look for those still missing. The review can come later. Then we’ll have a better idea of what went right, or wrong, during the search and rescue.

But what I cannot understand and forgive is these foreigners who react with not an ounce of sensitivity in their being. Go and see Emil Kaminski‘s fb profile and his page, Monkeetime.

Many have slammed the foreigners who chided and ridiculed their guides before taking naked pictures of themselves on Mount Kinabalu. Many Malaysians, including government officials, have blamed them for the disaster. I agree that it is a bit far-fetched.

But what I’ll say is what they did really disrespected the culture and traditions of people who treat the mountain as sacred. It is not their place to ridicule or to “liberalise” the Sabahans. They do this for what? Entertainment? I am very appalled by his reactions, to say the least.

They need to stop with the white men’s burden mentality and stop imposing their values on others. Even with all the grief sadness, this a**hole still posted on his timeline with the semi-naked photos of his trip and captioned it, “Mount Kinabalu. Time of my life”. This was last night when more or less, a lot of the students were confirmed dead. That is being very provocative. So no, you don’t call these people who blame you for the earthquake, stupid.

Stupid is one who had caused an uproar only to pour scorn on the loss of young lives. Stupid is one who is disrespectful of local customs in their search of fun. You may not have directly caused the earthquake. But that does not give you the right to mouth-off and ridicule, and rub slat into the fresh wounds of the parents who loss their children in the earthquake.

The Singapore government keep saying that we need foreigers. This kind of foreigner we don’t need. Instead, we need to keep them out. Our social compact is too fragile to cope with these rude people who with big egos who are resistant to learning, as well as showing compassion and humility.

Singapore and Malaysia should bar him and his nudist bunch from entering ever again.

Teacher Teaching

[Reader Contribution]

June 8, 2015
Sabah Quake: Peony Wee Says Bye To Parents In Poignant Video Before Quake

At the end of a video on a blog documenting her Kota Kinabalu expedition, Tanjong Katong Primary School pupil Peony Wee waved at the camera and said “bye” to her parents.

Beside her, a schoolmate said: “We’re safe here in Malaysia lah.”

They laughed and giggled throughout the video, which was uploaded on June 4, as they talked about waking up in the cold on Mount Kinabalu.

In the video, they were asked about their “expectations of the day”.

“Reach Pendant Hut safely, as a group (laughter) we have to motivate each other… see nobody give up along the way,” said Peony’s schoolmate.

Peony interjected: “Help each other.”

That was one day before a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Sabah on Friday (June 5), killing 12-year-old Peony and some of her young friends.

As of Sunday (June 7), six pupils and one teacher from the school are confirmed to have died. The Singaporean adventure guide who was with them also died. Another pupil and a teacher are still unaccounted for.

The victims were part of a group of 29 pupils and eight teachers on an overseas learning journey.

They were starting on Via Ferrata when the quake struck, sending rocks and boulders tumbling down from the mountain top. Via Ferrata, which means Iron Road in Italian, is a route where cables, metal rungs and bridges are set into the rocks to help climbers ascend the steep trail.

The school blog, titled ‘It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves’, documented the group’s progress before that fateful day.

The pupils were in high spirits as they prepared to ascend the 4,095-m high Mount Kinabalu. The expedition, called Omega Challenge, is an annual programme organised by the school for their student leaders and sport leaders.

An entry in mid-May showed the participants training for their trek by climbing steps while wearing backpacks.

When they left on June 3, their flight was delayed. But they updated later: “After the long delay, we are finally here!”

In a subsequent post on the same day titled ‘Dinner at D ‘ Villa Lodge’, pupils and teachers grinned at the camera as they ate dinner.

“What a day! Tomorrow, we will start our hike up to Mount Kinabalu!,” said the post.

The next morning, they were up bright and early to start a roughly 6km hike to Pendant Hut, which is 3,289m above sea level.

The checkpoint is where climbers stay before they attempt the challenging Via Ferrata route.

A blog post on June 4, titled ‘Getting ready…moving off soon… Pendant Hunt, here we come!’, showed several pictures of the group making preparations.

The final entry was “Reached! Pendant Hut” posted on the same day.

“Though it was an exhausting hike to Pendant Hut, step by step, inch by inch, we All made it up!” said the post.

“It wasn’t easy but they all succeeded getting up there. How did they make it up? How did they endure the cold wind and rain? How did they overcome the steepness of the mountain?

“The answer? Each other. They encouraged each other. They hSaelped their friends by retrieving water bottles from their bags when it was hard to reach. They checked in with their friends by asking ‘How are you?’, ‘Are you okay?’ They were effective. They pressed on. They utilised each other to give them strength. Eventually, they reached Pendant Hut. Together.”

The post ended with: “Tomorrow, we will take on the next challenge. VIA FERRATA! Bring it on, I say!”

Source: www.straitstimes.com

June 8, 2015
F-17 Academy Mourns The Loss Of Ameer Ryyan

It is with deep regret and sadness that we report the passing of one of our own, Ameer Ryyan.

Ryyan was a well- behaved boy, loved by all who knew him. The affable Ryyan was one of our promising budding talents.

To his parents, he was the perfect son who never disappointed. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family during this difficult period.

Our thoughts and prayers are also for the other deceased & missing in Kinabalu. Our condolences to families who lost their loved ones in the Kinabalu tragedy.

F-17 is in a state of mourning.

When Wendy and I first heard that there were children missing on that mountain after the earthquake, we hoped and prayed that they would return back to their parents safely. I then found out that one of my own football students, Ameer Ryyan was on that mountain. I immediately tried to contact his parents and asked my F-17 team to keep me updated.

And when news broke that he was one of those who lost their lives, I was devastated. I had really hoped to witness Ameer Ryyan’s rise in football. He had all the right ingredients, a good attitude, fitness, discipline, skills and parents who loved him dearly and really supported his dreams. It is truly a sad day for me and my F-17 team. We lost a child. We lost one of our own.

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Ameer Ryyan’s parents, Sanjay and Anita. Great supportive parents. My team is in contact with his family and we are doing all we can to assist them in this very difficult period.

To all who lost their loved ones in this tragedy, may you be given the strength, patience, peace and love required to take you through this most difficult ordeal.

I mourn with you.

Fandi Ahmad

Source: F-17 Academy

June 8, 2015
Sabah Quake: Teachers Use Their Bodies To Shield Students

When the rocks and boulders shaken loose by the earthquake came tumbling down Mount Kinabalu last Friday, the Tanjong Katong Primary School teachers used their bodies to shield their students from getting hurt.

Parents of the students who survived the disaster told TODAY this and commended the bravery and selflessness of the teachers.

Ms Hazreen Hussain, 38, whose daughter was among those who have returned to Singapore, said: “From what I heard from the kids, teachers got up even though they were injured and some even took the blows to cover their students.

“If you ask me, the teachers are the heroes,” added the real estate agent.

Another parent, Mr Alec Wing, recounted his 12 -year-old son Tristan’s account: “When the earthquake struck, the teachers were all asking the kids to keep together and they were trying to block the kids and shield them from the boulders.”

He added that the school and teachers had gone beyond the call of duty.

“Many of the teachers who were with them (on the trip) put themselves in harm’s way and got injured pretty badly. Their spirit is really admirable,” said the permanent resident from Mauritius, who works in the technology sector.

Mr Hafiz Ahmad, who received his niece Amal Ashley Lim, one of the TKPS students who returned from Sabah on Saturday, also said one of the teachers had shielded her and a schoolmate under an overhang when the quake happened.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat joined the parents in lauding the teachers as he gave an update on the two boys evacuated and flown back to a Singapore hospital in the morning.

“The parents said their boys told them their teachers shielded them from boulders. I am so moved by their strength and selflessness,” wrote Mr Heng.

Source: www.todayonline.com

June 8, 2015