GERAKSIKH requests Government to declare Vaisakhi a National Holiday

PETALING JAYA: Two prominent Sikhs have asked that Vaisakhi Day be made a national holiday.

Malaysia National Sikhs Movement president (GERAKSIKH) Tan Sri Dato' Seri Darshan Singh and DAP chairman Karpal Singh said such a move would reflect the government’s commitment to recognise all communities equally. This year, Sikhs will celebrate Vaisakhi on Wednesday which coincides with the Tamil new year.

“The Sikhs who arrived earlier in this country served in the security forces and have contributed towards the economic development of Malaysia,” Darshan said in a statement.

Karpal said Vai-sakhi was of considerable significance to Sikhs and the event should be given due consideration by the government.

“Various calls have been made in the past for the government to declare the Hindu and Vaisakhi as national holiday but there has yet to be any positive response,” he said.

He added that if the Government would not declare the Tamil New Year and Vaisakhi a national holiday, he planned to call upon the Pakatan-ruled Penang and Selangor State governments to do so
- STAR, 8/4/2010

GERAKSIKH President, Tan Sri Darshan Singh Gill named and receives BrandLaurette Brand Personality Award 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia National Sikhs Movement (GERAKSIKH) President, Tan Sri Dato' Seri Darshan Singh Gill was named and awarded the BrandLaureate Brand Personality Awards for his outstanding contribution towards Malaysia in all aspects.

This award given during the BrandLaureate Awards 2009-2010 gala dinner, which was attended by over 900 guests on 26 March, 2010 at Shangrila Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Tan Sri Darshan Singh who is a lawyer by profession and former President of Asian Cycling Confederation said that he was honoured to have received this Award of Branding.

Organised by The Asia Pacific Brands Foundation, the BrandLaureate Awards 2009-2010, which has the theme Your Brand, the Masterpiece, recognises the best brands from Malaysia and the Asia Pacific.


Others who received the Brand Personality Awards were Sunway Group Bhd founder and chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah and Universiti Malaya pro-chancellor and IJN Foundation chairman Toh Puan Dr Aishah Ong. Berjaya Corp Bhd chairman and chief executive officer Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing were named The BrandLaureate Entrepreneur of the Year Award and The BrandLaureate CEO of the Year Award respectively.

The Award was presented by Datuk Seri Idris Jala, Minister in the Prime Ministers Department.

BrandLaureate chief executive officer Dr K.K. Johan reiterated the need for organisations to develop their brands to be masterpieces.

“For Malaysia to stay ahead of the competition and be a developed country, we need make quantum leaps and create masterpieces of whatever that we are doing,” he said.

He said masterpieces were not created overnight and the same could be said of great brands. “They go through a series of branding processes before they can reach the pinnacle of success,” he said. He pointed out that brands must also exude positive energy to connect with the target audience.

“It is not enough to create brand awareness and to have a positive brand image but we must be able to create positive brand experiences for the consumers so much so that consumers aspire to own the brand and identify with it,” he said.

He said brands must be able to move on with times and be dynamic enough to keep up with times – be innovative, relevant and functional and to meet the changing trends and lifestyles of the consumers

Prime Minister of Malaysia At National-Level Vasakhi Celebration In Ipoh, Malaysia On April 23, 2010

IPOH, March 24 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will grace the Vasakhi celebration, held at the national level for the first time, at the Indera Mulia Stadium, here, on April 23, 2010.

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the one-day celebration was expected to be attended by about 20,000 people, especially from the Sikh community.

"The state government with the cooperation of the Prime Minister's Office agreed that Vasakhi Day be celebrated at the national level for the first time, as a one-day carnival,".

"Although members of the Sikh community in Perak number only 28,000, their support and contribution to the state and nation's development is important," he said.

Zambry said the state government had allocated RM500,000 from this year's budget for the Sikh community to organise activities.

Vasakhi is celebrated by the Sikh community the world over to commemorate the establishment of the Khalsa in 1699 by the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. It also marks the beginning of the Sikh new year, besides being celebrated as a harvest festival in the Punjab region.

-- BERNAMA

GERAKSIKH President & Secretary General granted Audience with Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh at PM's Residence in New Delhi

(L-R) One for the album: Puan Sri Suveender Kaur, Tan Sri Dato' Seri Darshan Singh, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Dato' Amarjit Singh Gill

In discussion: Tan Sri Darshan Singh together with Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh



Presentation of 'Sikh Community in Malaysia' to Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India

Dr. Manmohan Singh admiring the Coffee Table Book, Sikh Community in Malaysia with Tan Sri Darshan Singh and Dato' Amarjit Singh Gill (centre)


President of GERAKSIKH, Tan Sri Darshan Singh Gill and Secretary General of GERAKSIKH, Dato' Amarjit Singh Gill was granted an audience with the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh at the Official Residence of PM in New Delhi on 8/1/2010. Also present was Puan Sri Suveender Kaur.

During the 20 minutes meeting, various topics were discussed including the successes of Malaysian Sikhs. The Prime Minister was happy to hear the contribution of Malaysian Sikhs towards the development of Malaysia.

Tan Sri Darshan Singh thereafter presented a Coffee Table Book, entitled Sikh Community in Malaysia which is a very first of its kind in this region to cover the history, the belief, religion, diaspora, culture, traditions, festivals, contributions , growth and recognition of the Sikh Community in Malaysia. The book illustrates how the Sikh Community have played its role in the development of the young growing nation called Malaysia.

Manmohan Singh was certainly impressed with the said book.

Tan Sri Darshan: Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh Impressed by Malaysian Sikhs Success

NEW DELHI, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was impressed with the Malaysian Sikh community's social and economic success, said Malaysia National Sikhs Movement (GERAKSIKH) President Tan Sri Darshan Singh Gill.

He said the premier was happy over the contribution of Sikhs towards the development of Malaysia.

Earlier, Darshan presented a coffee-table book which he had authored, and titled 'Sikh Community in Malaysia', to Manmohan at his residence in New Delhi where the former attended the eighth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conclave.

-- BERNAMA