Fifteen people will receive the Darjah Kebesaran Datuk (DSIS) which carries the title Datuk or Datin Paduka for women.Lulu's an ex-Assuntarian, and is thrilled that Sister Enda is now Datin Paduka Sister Enda.
Among them are president of the Pure Life Society orphanage Mother S. Mangalam, Irish nun Sister Ryan Ellen Philomena @ Sister Enda, who set up the Assunta School, and Journal Malaysian branch of the Royal Asiatic Society historian John Michael Gullick.
We read about these stupid, silly and narrow minded remarks made two MPs in Parliament
Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Not only statues, but fellow Yang Berhormat, go and see for yourselves, Christian crosses are displayed in front of schools. I do not understand the Ministry of Education, did the officers not see that, or is it our policy to allow such a thing? Nevertheless, I, as a responsible person to my religion, race, and country, I state my views that these statues need to be demolished, these crosses need to be destroyed and church influences in these schools need to be stopped. Also, the funds that are collected at these schools. Do we have a report? If possible, the ministry should reveal the funds for these schools. I was made to understand that these schools are also sponsored by the church.source : Darn Malaysia
This was what was translated from the Hansard recordings of the Parliament sitting.
School Heads of mission schools face this kind of bigotry and stupid, silly & narrow minded thinking everytime they have to go to the ministry. This is an email to my Assunta alumni yahoogroup sent in Y2002 in the midst of a school segregation row.
When Mrs.George [our Senior Assistant] had to hold assemblies, she would say to us -"Sister has gone to the Ministry of Education".
If you happen to "stay back" that day, and see Sister drive back in her classic car - she would usually be looking quite annoyed.
I imagined that Sister has had another row at the ministry.
Recently, I read an article in the NST about the segregation of schools.
Sister was one of those interviewed in the article, and said Assunta had always been multi-cultural.
Nothing new to us but what Sister said next was interesting and possibly unknown to us, that is -if you went to the Ministry, you often deal with junior personnel who have no interest in moving your cause forward.
This made me wonder about the times Sister had "gone to the Ministry" to fight for, and protect the Assunta way of life.
And up to today, mission schools are still fighting to protect their way of life.
Junior officers all the way up to the ministers should open their eyes and see for themselves the product of mission schools. We are the testament of an education gone right.
Congratulations Datin Paduka Sister Enda!