Nanyang Technological University(NTU) Singapore went the extra mile to raise funds for their students. NTU's 218 km ultramarathon was run round Singapore Sunday to celebrate its 55th anniversary. The total distance equal to 5 marathons is Singapore’s longest run and it raised $218,000 for the school’s bursary fund.
Physics teacher Yong Yuen Cheng, 38, was the fastest finisher in a time of 31 hours, 28 minutes and 51 seconds. Five out of the nine core runners finished the awesome distance within the cut off time of 36 hours.
This is a classic case of no-pain, no-gain moment. It's the mind over matter. It's the remarkable ability of the human spirit to transcend the limitations set by the mind- pain and suffering in this case. Toenail problems, blistered feet, a hurt knee, strained left quadriceps and diarrhoea were just some of the challenges that Yong Yuen Cheng overcame to complete the 218km gruelling feat without any sleep.
Despite the risk of injury, what drives relentless runners to do these ultra-distances and challenge their physical limits?
One of the nine core runners representing the NTU alma mater is MediaCorp Chinese news editor 56-year-old Lim Nghee Huat. Lim is no stranger to the marathon scene and has conquered miles in Brazil and Jordan. During the the three month period of training for this event, Lim said, "As daunting as it may seem to some, Mr Lim has these words of encouragement to those who are keen to take up the challenge.
He said: "I think from time to time, we should redefine the boundaries of our limits. If we don't try, we won't know what our limits are."
A fitting reply to the above question also comes from Yong Yuen Cheng when he said, "I do endurance races to let people know that no matter how ordinary you are, you can do something extraordinary."
While the NTU can immortalise the unwavering determination and perseverance of the core runners and the support group who helped runners endure the arduous ultramarathon, this feat also holds loads of positives and inspiration for everyone else, especially for those wishing to excel in their chosen path of life, be it sports, education or any other field.
"Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must, just never give up." American ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazez.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
British couple kiss goodbye to freedom in Dubai
This was a kiss worth prison time. A Dubai Misdemeanours Court has sentenced the Brits to one month in jail followed by deportation for kissing and touching at a restaurant in Jumeirah Beach Residence- the luxury waterfront homes complex that offers retail outlets, restaurants, sports and health clubs.
Marketing executive Ayman Najafi,24 claimed that all he did was peck the cheek of the British tourist Charlotte Lewis,25. The judge handed out the sentence after hearing the written evidence of a local woman who called the cops alleging she saw them kissing on the lips.
The couple will appear in the appeal court today to contest the verdict.(Link)
Marketing executive Ayman Najafi,24 claimed that all he did was peck the cheek of the British tourist Charlotte Lewis,25. The judge handed out the sentence after hearing the written evidence of a local woman who called the cops alleging she saw them kissing on the lips.
The couple will appear in the appeal court today to contest the verdict.(Link)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Optimism for Islamic Insurance-Takaful
The 5th Asian Takaful Conference is underway in Singapore from 9-10 Mar 2010. The Conference Theme: "Reality Check on Growth and Promise of Takaful as a Dynamic Force"
Industry executives are optimistic about the growth prospects of Islamic insurance or takaful which offers a mutual, co-operative type of insurance.
Total takaful contributions only account for just one percent of the global insurance market.
But this is expected to increase significantly, thanks to growing interest among Muslims and non-Muslims alike in shariah-compliant investment and insurance products. (Link)
Industry executives are optimistic about the growth prospects of Islamic insurance or takaful which offers a mutual, co-operative type of insurance.
Total takaful contributions only account for just one percent of the global insurance market.
But this is expected to increase significantly, thanks to growing interest among Muslims and non-Muslims alike in shariah-compliant investment and insurance products. (Link)
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Democracy is not enough
Looking at the problems we face in Maldives today, it now seems that getting to the democracy is the easy part. This is only the beginning of the democratization process, i.e., the separation of powers and the building of independent institutions that reinforce democratic values. We now have the separate powers, but each power has more than sufficient to still cause tyranny to the people who gave them the power.
Reducing the civil servants pay while the commissioners of the independent commissions decided to increase their wages and while the elected members of the parliament refused to even consider to take a pay cut stands out as a glaring injustice forced out on the ordinary civil servants.
Recently the Ministry of Economic Development pushed to permit sale of alcohol in inhabited islands against strong opposition from the Islamic Ministry and several civil society organisations and many members of the public who petitioned the government against such permit because of the widespread problems of drug abuse, violence and killings that even the president has acknowledged. Granted that we are on a learning curve of the multi-party pluralistic system of governance, what we saw in this case is still an appalling level of incoherent behaviour between two ministries of the same government. Under pressure from the mass public protest, the government had to heed the battle cry against the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands and was forced to change policy.
Today, civil servants are back on the street protesting to restore their pay cut, hoping that the government would take cue from them and heed their call as well.
To be a democratic country, a country has to choose its leaders through fair and competitive elections, ensure basic civil liberties, and respect the rule of law.
After a free and fair election of the country's first multi-party presidential contest, we have had a peaceful transition in 2008. Rewind 30 years back, in 1978 we also had a peaceful transition in the nation's top job. We have since learnt that everything good in a democracy does not come just by changing the political guard in a peaceful transition. Disingenuous politicians, their ignorance and careful evasion of issues have left behind for future generations a host of intractable challenges. On top of the social list, an illegal drug epidemic affecting more than 30,000 youth most of whom are addicted to drugs. The present government needs to do more to provide care and rehabilitation to the addicts. In order to tackle the illegal drug business, stricter deterrent sentences have to given to those who are trafficking and selling illegal drugs. Unfortunately, the judiciary that is not functioning as it should is making this woeful legacy even worse by not meting out stricter deterrent sentences against hardcore drug trafficking criminals.
History has shown us that the democratization takes time because it requires the development of new institutions and widespread trust in them by the citizens. In the United States and Britain, it took well over a century before all the institutions and democratic practices were firmly in place. In Maldives in order for the nascent democracy to take roots, our government has to initiate the process of inculcating democratic ideals of trust, tolerance, and cooperation starting with young children from homes and schools. The challenge to build a culture of peace depends on the ability of a community to settle disagreements and resolve conflicts without waging violence.
We have a long way to go, but we are on our journey of the democratization process.
Reducing the civil servants pay while the commissioners of the independent commissions decided to increase their wages and while the elected members of the parliament refused to even consider to take a pay cut stands out as a glaring injustice forced out on the ordinary civil servants.
Recently the Ministry of Economic Development pushed to permit sale of alcohol in inhabited islands against strong opposition from the Islamic Ministry and several civil society organisations and many members of the public who petitioned the government against such permit because of the widespread problems of drug abuse, violence and killings that even the president has acknowledged. Granted that we are on a learning curve of the multi-party pluralistic system of governance, what we saw in this case is still an appalling level of incoherent behaviour between two ministries of the same government. Under pressure from the mass public protest, the government had to heed the battle cry against the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands and was forced to change policy.
Today, civil servants are back on the street protesting to restore their pay cut, hoping that the government would take cue from them and heed their call as well.
To be a democratic country, a country has to choose its leaders through fair and competitive elections, ensure basic civil liberties, and respect the rule of law.
After a free and fair election of the country's first multi-party presidential contest, we have had a peaceful transition in 2008. Rewind 30 years back, in 1978 we also had a peaceful transition in the nation's top job. We have since learnt that everything good in a democracy does not come just by changing the political guard in a peaceful transition. Disingenuous politicians, their ignorance and careful evasion of issues have left behind for future generations a host of intractable challenges. On top of the social list, an illegal drug epidemic affecting more than 30,000 youth most of whom are addicted to drugs. The present government needs to do more to provide care and rehabilitation to the addicts. In order to tackle the illegal drug business, stricter deterrent sentences have to given to those who are trafficking and selling illegal drugs. Unfortunately, the judiciary that is not functioning as it should is making this woeful legacy even worse by not meting out stricter deterrent sentences against hardcore drug trafficking criminals.
History has shown us that the democratization takes time because it requires the development of new institutions and widespread trust in them by the citizens. In the United States and Britain, it took well over a century before all the institutions and democratic practices were firmly in place. In Maldives in order for the nascent democracy to take roots, our government has to initiate the process of inculcating democratic ideals of trust, tolerance, and cooperation starting with young children from homes and schools. The challenge to build a culture of peace depends on the ability of a community to settle disagreements and resolve conflicts without waging violence.
We have a long way to go, but we are on our journey of the democratization process.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
