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Lankan’s honesty and kindness bring hope for expat
PETALING JAYA: A personal experience and people’s response to a disaster have combined to strengthen a Briton’s faith in the country he now calls home.
Christopher James Syer, an octogenarian who has spent the past 60 years in Malaysia, recounted an experience that could have ended badly but for an honest man.
“It was a normal day when I went to a bank in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur to deposit a cheque,” he recounted to the Sun.
“There was a bit of a hassle so when I left the bank I did not check to ensure I hadn’t left anything behind.”
Syer said that as he was walking back to his car, he heard someone call out to him. “I turned to look and there was this young man standing in front of me, telling ‘Sir, I think you lost this’,” he said.
It turned out that he had forgotten to take his wallet with him and the man, a young Sri Lankan named Tony, had picked it up and returned it to him, together with all the cash, credit cards, ATM cards and his identification document.
Syer realised that had it been someone with bad intentions, the day would have turned out quite badly for him.
“In today’s world, where we are always hearing bad news, it is worth acknowledging that there still is some kindness in our lives,” he said.
Syer, who is now the vice-president of the Malaysian British Society, sees the same good intentions in the people who have come together to help those affected by the recent floods.
“It is sad to see so much tragedy but it’s also fantastic that everyone is helping each other. This has brought people together,” he observed.
Syer noted that in today’s society, everyone is always in a hurry and as a result they become desensitised to everything happening around them. “Eventually, they stop caring about everything,” he said.
Nonetheless, he said, it was heartening to see young people step up to help others in a civic-conscious way.
For instance, he said, the outpouring of love and care during the floods showed that in times of crisis, people could still come together. “This must be one of the amazing qualities of Malaysians,” he said.
As someone who has spent time travelling to many nations, Syer believes the multiculturalism in Malaysia is still its greatest strength.
“There is no country in this world that has such a mix of different cultures,” he said.
On the other hand, he said, society is becoming more fragmented. “In this age of modern technology, people have drifted apart. There is a lot of misunderstanding among peoples as society becomes more fragmented,” he said.
He said this has led to the loss of a sense of belonging in the community, a quality that used to be the highlight of the good side of Malaysians.
Syer also worried about the emergence of those who were gaining attention with their stronger grip of what is happening in society and espousing the wrong ideas.
“If this continues to happen, we will be walking down the path to self-destruction.
He said it has become imperative for all, especially the young, to look back on history and take the good out of it and continue to build on the great things.
“We need more non-commercial things and to do that, we should bring back culture, art, sport and a civic culture that had made Malaysia a great country,” he added. (Sun Daily)
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
