Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
MCA Youth urges Kedah to focus on owner responsibility, not solely on banning certain dog breeds like Rottweilers.
Its secretary-general, Saw Yee Fung, says poor ownership and lack of training, not the breed, led to recent attacks.
She calls for legal action against negligent owners and stiffer penalties, rather than punishing animals acting on instinct.
Two Dobermans and a Mongrel from the shelter
Having lots of fun with my dogs
MCA
Youth has called for a more nuanced approach following reports that
Kedah is considering a ban on “aggressive” dog breeds in residential
areas.
Its secretary-general, Saw Yee Fung, said the
focus should not be solely on banning specific breeds, but on holding
owners accountable for the lack of responsible care.
BCF : France’s right-wing Rassemblement National (RN) has called for a
demonstration in Paris on Sunday, April 6th, in support of Marine Le
Pen.
The planned protest—which follows Le Pen’s conviction, prison
sentence, and disqualification from running in the 2027 presidential
election—has provoked the anger of the Left, which called it a “fascist”
threat. Despite this, the RN, supported by a public statement from
Donald Trump, claims that its membership has exploded in the space of a few days.
Malaysiakini : COMMENT | Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim’s poor choice of the word “victory” in the temple and mosque
controversy was highly irresponsible and dangerous. He seemed oblivious that his war-like rhetoric has probably sown more mistrust and hatred.
Claiming “victory”
invites the suggestion of a clash of different cultures, or religions,
between non-Muslims and Muslims, or in this case, between Hindus and
Muslims – “them and us”. Anwar’s self-proclaimed “victory”
probably went unnoticed by the federal ministers and his supporters at
Masjid Madani’s groundbreaking ceremony. His remark should have rung
alarm bells throughout the nation.
Whilst
it is true that the word “victory” can be used in several different
contexts, for instance, when overcoming a personal challenge like an
addiction, or when it's used to indicate success in a game like a
football, more often than not, “victory” is often used to signify the
defeat of an enemy in battle.
For someone who claims to be a uniting factor in Malaysia, Anwar did not do himself any favours. He
praised various federal ministers and many others who were involved in
the temple standoff. He claimed that their victory “was not borne out of
arrogance”.
He said, “This victory is because we were able to demonstrate the wisdom, strength, and nobility of Islam - not arrogance.”
Did he or his Madani team think the temple representatives lacked wisdom, were weak and did not possess any noble values? He
claimed victory had also been achieved because the Muslim had set a
good example for others and that this "showed the Muslim's good
character - compassionate, caring, just.”.
What is he trying to
suggest? That the temple people involved in the negotiations did not
exhibit similar good qualities displayed by Muslims?
You had an emergency Cabinet meeting on Trump’s new tariffs. I do not know if the matter of the urgency of negotiating was raised in your meeting. Here is a news report (by Donald Trump’s son) stating that the earlier countries negotiate the better chance of Malaysia being relaxed/reduced of the tariffs.
Strategy:
1 Foreign, Trade and other relevant ministries and secretary generals and DGs must convene meeting over this weekend to deliberate on how best to reduce the tariffs imposed on Malaysia.
2. Monday, 7th April 2025, a letter should be sent from your office and Malaysia’s proposals to reduce the tariffs. If possible, reach out to Trump. Hopefully, he takes your call. Nothing like trying.
3 Publishing statements and social media posts with threats of retaliatory action after the Republican's announcement will not help Malaysia.
4 Unlike Canada and Mexico, who spoke up, Malaysia is a small nation.
5 In addition, as the Asean chairman, another letter should be send through your Asean secretariat in protection of Asean countries.
6 Most of the Asean would have already submitted their proposals for the reduction of the tariffs.
7 Counter-productive stand like this “China, the E.U., Japan, Mexico and Canada have all announced planned countermeasures underway to combat Trump's policy” will not help Malaysia.
8 Get your inner circle of proactive ministers and ministries to discuss this over weekend (5th and 6th April) to have the proposals ready by Monday.
9 Read below on the urgency of reaching Trump with your constructive proposals.
10 Do engage top professional management consultants’ experts in negotiations to add value to your proposals.
ERIC TRUMP GIVES FREE ADVICE TO COUNTRIES TRYING TO NEGOTIATE TARIFFS.
Eric Trump's Advice:
News Report follows
President Donald Trump's son has a word of advice for countries reeling from his father's newly announced tariffs.
“The first son said those who quickly get in negotiations with the president will be better off than countries that wait before coming to the table.”
Eric Trump, the president's middle son who has worked with his father for decades, is now offering a word of advice for world leaders wondering how to react.
'I wouldn’t want to be the last country that tries to negotiate a trade deal with [the president],' Trump, 41, posted on X Thursday morning.
The first son was urging countries serious about getting a better deal to quickly get in contact with his president father.
The younger Trump currently serves alongside his brother Donald Trump Jr. as a senior executive at the Trump Organization.
Having overseen development and acquisitions at his father's company, Eric Trump has since branched out to into other ventures like cryptocurrency.
Other countries who quickly get into negotiations with the president, the first son wrote, would yield better results than that delay.
'The first to negotiate will win - the last will absolutely lose,' his post said. 'I have seen this movie my entire life.'
The president has used previous rounds of tariffs as negotiating tools.
He notably backed off tariff threats on Canada and Mexico earlier year after they increased border enforcement operations.
However, the president is also known to change his mind and policies, indicating the rates could fluctuate.
‘Islamophobia’ Phobia Subverts Combating Antisemitism By Andrew Bostom
Muhammad Tantawi
Jihad Watch : Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, and its mosque, founded in 972 A.D., have represented the authoritative, Vatican-like pinnacle of Sunni Islamic religious education since the beginning of the late 13th century,
Mamluk reign in Egypt. At a recent March, 2025 Ramadan event in front of Al-Azhar’s mosque, celebrating its founding, Muslims were reminded of the words of the famous 16th century Egyptian Muslim scholar al-Haytami (d. 1567), “There is no spot on the face of the earth that has gathered as many scholars and righteous people as Al-Azhar.”
An ugly, but equally important “reminder” to another gathering of Muslims in front of Al-Azhar—and Muslims worldwide—occurred recently on “the 7th night of the blessed month of Ramadan,” Thursday, March 6, 2025. Sheikh Reda Al-Sioufi chose not to recite any Qur’anic reference to Ramadan (see Qur’an 2:183; 2;184; 2:185). Instead, the good Sheikh intoned, gratuitously, a Ramadan-unrelated central Antisemitic verse from the Qur’an, 5:82, which opens by telling Muslims, “You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews.”
The insidious persuasive power of Qur’an 5:82 to animate Muslim hatred of Jews has been acknowledged by Muslim and non-Muslim observers, alike, across a millennium, since the mid-9th century A.D. This is unsurprising given how Muslims have been taught to understand 5:82 by Islam’s leading Qur’anic commentators, both classical and contemporary, including the major modern Qur’anic scholar, and late Al-Azhar University Grand Imam—Islam’s near “Papal equivalent”—Muhammad Tantawi (d. 2010).
How Turkey's Hagia Sophia, once a cathedral, became Waqf property by Priyanjali Narayan
India Today : Thievery and coveting the property of the Infidels, has never left their DNA. The Hagia Sophia is at the centre of Turkey's Byzantine, Ottoman and secular history. How did the sixth-century cathedral become a Waqf property, get converted to a museum, and again a mosque? Tracing the history of the Hagia Sophia amid the Waqf Bill debate in India.
This is "the tent of the heavens, which man, indeed, has set up,
although God has surely taken part in the work," wrote Michael of
Thessalonica, a 12th-century scribe, describing the Hagia Sophia, which
was then a cathedral, in what is now Turkey. This masterpiece of volume,
scale and architecture would see a trajectory like few other places of
worship. From a cathedral to a mosque to a museum, and then back to
being a mosque again. The Hagia Sophia’s 1,500-year history is steeped
in events, myths, and symbols that resonate across the East and West.
It was built in the sixth century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I as
the Roman Empire’s premier cathedral and was dedicated to "Holy
Wisdom". For nearly a millennium, the magnificent structure of the Byzantine Empire stood as the world's largest church.
When Constantinople (now Istanbul) fell to the Ottomans in 1453,
Mehmed II the Conqueror converted the Hagia Sophia into the Great Mosque
of Ayasofya. Over time, Byzantine mosaics with Biblical
references were covered or destroyed, and four towering minarets rose
around its dome.
It remained a mosque until 1934, when Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, turned the Hagia Sophia into a
museum. Hidden mosaics and marble decorations were uncovered in what was
seen as an effort to liberate both the monument and the nation from the
contested legacy of conquests.
However, in July 2020, Turkey's Council of State, the country's highest court, annulled the 1934 decree that had turned Hagia Sophia into a museum.It
based its decision on the premise that it was a Waqf property and could
only be changed on the grounds of "becoming useless or contravening law
or public policy", writes The Harvard Law Review.
The Directorate General of Foundations overtook the Hagia Sophia as property of the Fatih Sultan Mehmed Foundation. "Wakf-alal-aulad
is an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law, typically
denoting a building or plot of land for Muslim religious or charitable
purposes," reads the website of the Directorate General of Foundations.
"Waqf, an inalienable religious endowment in Islam, is often translated into English with "Foundation", it added.
Shortly after, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree
converting the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque and it being
administered as a Waqf property. This led to the first official Muslim
prayers in the Hagia Sophia in nearly 86 years on July 24, 2020.
The
Hagia Sophia's centuries-long trajectory, ultimately being declared a
mosque, is an interesting case study even as India debated and passed a
law for better and transparent administration of Waqf properties.
Turkey’s Trail of Terror and American Foreign Policy By Michael Rubin
The late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh while visiting the ship Mavi Marmara in Istanbul on January 2, 2012.
ME Forum : The Pragmatism That Western Officials Ascribed to Erdoğan Was Always a Ruse That Erdoğan Embraced to Allay Concerns While He Consolidated Power. A segment of the multi-author memo "Hamas and Turkey: A Partnership in Terror."
In 1979, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini led the Islamic Revolution that
swept away Iran’s shah and replaced the Iranian monarchy with a clerical
rule. Overnight, Iran transformed from a pillar of American partnership
in the region to an adversary and terror sponsor. The change was
undeniable, even to Iran’s most ardent supporters.
Prior to his
ascent to power, Khomeini denied any ambition to rule Iran. He spoke of
bringing democracy and renounced interest in ruling Iran. “I don’t want
to have the power of government in my hand; I am not interested in
personal power,” he told one gullible journalist.102
There
is an irony today that while policymakers recognized the obvious
regarding Iran’s transformation, too many remain in denial about
Turkey’s equally momentous shift.
The pragmatism that Western officials ascribed to Recep Tayyip
Erdogan was always a ruse that Erdogan embraced to allay concerns while
he consolidated power. It worked. And not just with the Obama
administration. Daniel Fried, George W. Bush’s assistant secretary of
state for European affairs, described Erdogan’s AKP Party as “a kind of
Muslim version of a Christian Democratic party,” while Bush’s secretary
of state, Colin Powell, praised Turkey as a “Muslim democracy.”103
Erdogan played to Western naivete as he consolidated control. The
Turkish leader’s authoritarian tendencies were on full display after the
March 2025 arrest of Turkish opposition figure Ekrem Imamoglu on
spurious charges. Erdogan’s subsequent crackdown on protestors only
exacerbated Western concerns that Turkey’s window to join the club of
liberal democracies has all but closed.
In hindsight, Ankara’s
European Union accession process had less to do with a desire to join
Europe than with serving as a mechanism to consolidate Erdoğan’s
autocracy. Indeed, Erdogan was only too happy to accede to European
demands that he unravel any internal military role in Turkish society.
In theory, this was good for democracy given the military’s role in
toppling previous regimes.
In 1960 and 1980, the Turkish Army interceded
to end governments that violated the constitution or failed to maintain
law and order. In 1971 and 1997, the threat of intervention was enough
to force governments to resign. But the European Union unraveled the
military’s role to protect the constitution before establishing a check
on Erdogan’s power. In retrospect, this may have been the final nail in
the coffin for Turkey’s democracy.
Free Palestine from oppression, from poverty, from prison and from Hamas By Jason Shvili
Palestinians in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, take part in an
anti-Hamas protest calling to end the war with Israel, March 26, 2025.
Photo by Flash90.
JNS : Pro-Palestinian protesters in America and around the world ignore the war-mongering jihadists who forced these Palestinians into the gates of hell. Hundreds of Palestinians rallied last week in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, chanting, among other things: “Out, out, Hamas out!”
This is the first time masses of Gazans have openly called for the terrorist group to be removed from power. Protests against Hamas rule have since spread throughout the Gaza Strip. Good news, right?
But wait: Why have no pro-Palestinian protesters in the West stepped up to support these brave demonstrators? Why have no mass protests been held echoing Gazans’ demands that Hamas relinquish power?
No surprise, of course: Pro-Palestinian protesters in America and around the world ignore the war-mongering jihadists who forced these Palestinians into the gates of hell … preferring instead to blame Israel, whose primary crime is defending its citizens from bloodthirsty terrorists. If the protesters truly cared about the Palestinian people, then they would focus on the disaster zone of the Gaza Strip, where 2 million Palestinians are held prisoner by Hamas.
It wasn’t Western protesters who demanded that Palestinians be given the right to emigrate from Gaza and take refuge in neighboring Arab lands; it was U.S. President Donald Trump. But this humanitarian idea has drawn virtually no support from progressive voices, NGOs, the United Nations or other world leaders.
Likewise, most proposals for ending Israel’s war with Hamas envision the Hamas monsters remaining in place, if not in power. This notion contradicts both U.S. and Israeli plans for the territory, which call for Hamas’s elimination. It also contradicts even the remotest sense of sympathy or desire to ease the Palestinians’ plight.
Gaza is a prison: Hamas are the wardens. In 2005, Israel withdrew completely from Gaza, allowing the Palestinians there to govern themselves. Two years later, Hamas seized power in the territory from the Palestinian Authority. Since then, the terrorist group has run Gaza as an iron-fisted authoritarian state.
Here are facts that no “pro-Palestinian” protesters—or the progressive media—will tell you: In Hamas-ruled Gaza, there is no free speech, no free press, no elections. No rights of any kind for women or LGBTQ+ people. Arbitrary arrests and torture are commonplace. Those now demonstrating against Hamas rule are taking a mortal risk, since the terrorist group ruthlessly suppresses dissent. Hamas also has complete control of the economy, heavily taxing impoverished Gazans. No wonder Hamas leaders are some of the world’s richest terrorists.
Hamas, not Israel, is responsible for Palestinian suffering. It is Hamas that wields absolute control over Gaza. Yet protesters on U.S. college campuses and public squares worldwide irrationally blame Israel for the Gazans’ misery. Similarly, mainstream media push a narrative in which Israel, not Hamas, is the cause of the Palestinians’ suffering.
Another hard fact: Israel has not occupied Gaza for 20 years, nor does it have any political power over Palestinians there. Free Palestine from what?
The most chilling thing about Southport? It could have been stopped By Rakib Ehsan
Spiked : Axel Rudakubana was known to the authorities. It is unforgivable that he slipped through the net. Michael Stewart – head of the UK government’s counter-extremism scheme, Prevent – announced he was stepping down
last week after a damning review exposed Prevent’s failures in relation
to the Southport attacker, Axel Rudakubana.
Good. Stewart presided over
a truly catastrophic failure, leading to the murder of three young
girls. But Prevent’s problems go much deeper than the man at the top.
A so-called learning review, published in February, showed that Prevent had misspelt Rudakubana’s surname
in its database, something that may have hindered its ability to assess
the threat he posed. We also know that Rudakubana was referred to
Prevent three times between 2019 and 2021, due to his morbid fascination
with knives, terrorist attacks and school shootings. Yet Prevent still
closed his case ‘prematurely’, three years before he went on to murder
and maim innocents at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Rudakubana was clearly a ticking timebomb. And Prevent failed in its
fundamental task to protect the public. His case was closed because he
lacked any coherent terroristic or religious ideology – even though
Prevent also caters to would-be killers of this kind.
This is not the first time Prevent, a crucial pillar of the UK’s
counter-extremism apparatus, has come in for stinging criticism. William Shawcross’s independent review of Prevent,
published in 2023, concluded that the scheme too often ‘bestow[ed] a
status of victimhood on all who come into contact with it’. Shawcross
argued that it needed to shift focus from ‘safeguarding’ to ‘protecting
the public from those inclined to pose a security threat’.
Moreover, there is an increasing threat posed by non-ideological
actors, which Prevent is struggling to grasp. The Shawcross review
referred to ‘the sharp uptick of “Mixed, Unclear or Unstable” (MUU)’
referrals to Prevent. This often-overlooked category essentially
describes a ‘salad bar’ form of extremism, in which different, disparate
elements are combined in the mind of a killer. Tracking those with an
uncertain, incoherent combination of motivations poses significant
challenges for authorities accustomed to dealing with more traditional
Islamist or far-right forms of extremism.
Rudakubana seems to fall into the MUU category. He displayed a chilling obsession with acts of terror, genocidal violence and school shootings. He possessed an academic study of an al-Qaeda training manual, material on Nazi Germany and anti-colonialist literature – suggesting the through-line here wasn’t ideology or religion but a revelling in mass violence itself.
Ismail Youssef, also known as Ish of Arabia, a former Muslim who left Islam to embrace Catholicism, rejecting what he sees as the contradictions, injustices, and oppressive teachings of Muhammad. Now, he dedicates his life to exposing the flaws of Islam and bringing the truth of Christianity to Muslims worldwide.
Ismail produces hard-hitting videos that challenge Islamic doctrines and reveal the historical and theological problems within the faith. He is currently writing Thirst for a Life-Giving Water, a powerful account of his journey out of Islam and into the freedom of Christ. His work is a stand for truth, no matter the cost.
I am also an ex muslim, getting baptized through the Catholic Church this Easter Vigil. Please pray for my family and all other muslim brothers and sisters to come to Christ. Our dear Lord, Jesus Christ.
In this TRUE Crime Documentary, we explore the controversial cases of all prisoners currently awaiting execution by the U.S. Military. Discover the shocking crimes that landed these inmates on military death row, the intense trials that led to their sentencing, and the dark truths behind military executions.
This is a deep dive into the world of military capital punishment. Don't miss these rarely discussed stories of justice, crime, and ultimate consequences. I was in the military in the late 1970s and 1980s. I am a woman and worked as a behavioral science specialist, an E-4 & E-5. I worked in at 2nd Gen psych with a group that did all the psych work ups for murders and rapists in the European Theater. The shit I heard and saw at 22 -24 years of age. I did intake interviews and testing on these people. I would sit in the same room with these guys, by myself. Many were sent to Leavenworth. We even had a few that were sentenced to death. The question I was taught to ask was after you ask them if they are sorry for what you did, they always say yes.
So, then you ask WHY are you sorry? 99% of the time they will say "because I got caught", it's all about them. These guys were sickos. At 67 years I still remember those conversations.
Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion in Subang Jaya: A Victim’s Voice By Lim Kean Boon
Via WhatsApp : The Mayor of Subang Jaya has stated that the construction project for the row of shop lots had received proper approval. However, based on my experience in the construction industry, whenever we encountered a Petronas-owned natural gas pipeline, we had to reroute the plan or construct a special bridge to cross it.
The city council is indeed responsible for approving building plans, but that approval should only cover the structure of the building itself—not the work involved in crossing Petronas gas pipelines, cables, or drainage systems that are integral to the nation’s critical infrastructure.
To be honest, in order to build this row of shop lots, TNB carried out excavation work a month ago. Just a few days ago, in conjunction with Hari Raya, another excavation was done—possibly related to the water supply or drainage system. The day before the incident, I passed by the location myself. A JCB machine was in operation, and I was given a path to cross. After that, they continued digging.
Where is the Minister of Housing and Local Government? The Selangor State Executive Council member in charge of the relevant portfolio did visit the site, but the statements given were too general—lacking direction and follow-up action. Inside the victims’ homes, refrigerators are still filled with food that has now spoiled. Can’t the authorities send a garbage truck, allow the victims to enter their homes to collect important belongings, and at the same time, remove food waste and trash to the front for collection? This may seem like a small action, but it would mean a lot. It would also help prevent hygiene issues and foul odors that may arise later.
I do not deny that all of Petronas’ operations comply with existing laws and the Petroleum Act. And yes, most of their information is confidential and protected. But when an incident of this magnitude occurs, shouldn’t there be a well-trained, efficient crisis management team ready to respond? Why not consider buying back all affected properties, leveling the area, and turning it into a green park—a memorial park? Just like the 9/11 Memorial in the United States, at the very least, it would serve as a learning point for all. Future planning and construction should not repeat the same mistakes. It could also become a symbol of awareness and responsibility—not a political battlefield or media fodder.
This is not a natural disaster. It is not a typical fire. This is a first-degree accident, occurring in a residential area. Even insurance companies are unsure how to categorize it—ultimately opting for automatic compensation. Petronas should take this opportunity to be more transparent and address the issue swiftly and comprehensively. With the right approach, the public will feel reassured, political issues can be avoided, stock prices will remain stable, and pipeline repairs can proceed without disruption. This is an opportunity for a solution that benefits all parties.
In the past, I wrote from a third-person perspective. But this time, I write from the heart—because I am a victim myself. I witnessed firsthand the flames shooting 100 meters into the sky. I felt the heat, which reached thousands of degrees Celsius. I lived through the panic, as if I were in a volcanic disaster film. Then, thunder and rain followed. This was not just a tragedy—it was trauma.
The government owns Petronas. Therefore, this incident should be a major lesson. Compensation is not an issue for a corporation of this scale. But if not handled with wisdom and accountability, it could spark widespread anxiety across all areas along the national gas pipeline—and worse, cause the public to lose trust in the government.
Petronas may not have a fully equipped crisis advisory team. But I believe that Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim does. He understands the gravity of this incident. My hope is that a journalist, media outlet, or influential individual will bring this matter to the attention of the relevant leaders. May this crisis be handled with greater seriousness, transparency, and true responsibility.
Share this so that the victims’ voices are not drowned out.
Our voices, everyone’s safety.
Discover one of India's most astonishing hidden gems – a sacred site where history, spirituality, and mystery intertwine! Join me as we explore a powerful Shaktipeetha housing not one, but nine ancient temples dedicated to God Shiva, along with numerous other shrines.
This incredible place, steeped in legend and lore, is home to Goddess Jogulamba, depicted in her fierce form, seated on a corpse, a testament to her immense power. Intriguingly, an underground water tank surrounds the temple, believed to cool the Goddess's intense energy.
But the story doesn't end there.
This sacred complex bears the scars of history. In 1390 CE, the Bahmani Sultans partially destroyed the temple, building a graveyard and a mosque within its grounds. These structures remain today, a poignant reminder of the past, with remnants of ancient Vigrahas scattered throughout.
Situated on the banks of the holy Tungabhadra River, the site is also surrounded by other historic temples, including the Sangameshwara Swamy Temple, Papanashana Temple, and Surya Narayana Swamy Temple, which we'll also explore.
the 6th-century saint Rasa Siddha, known for his ability to transmute base metals into gold, played a role in building these temples with the help of Chalukya King Pulakesi II.
‘‘We Don’t Know What to Do or How to Pray. We’ve Had Enough of Massacres!’: The Muslim Persecution of Christians, February 2025 03/31/2025 by Raymond Ibrahim
Raymond Ibrahim : The following are among the abuses and murders inflicted on Christians by Muslims throughout the month of February 2025.
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Democratic Republic of Congo: The beheaded corpses of seventy Christians—men,
women, and children—were found inside a church. Earlier, on Feb. 12,
Muslim militants of the Allied Democratic Forces, which is affiliated to
the Islamic State, rounded up and marched 70 Christians to a Protestant
church in Kasanga.
There, the Christians were “tied up and decapitated with knives.” According
to a regional expert, “This was not just an act of terror. It was a
targeted massacre of Christians, and it will not stop here… The ADF is
part of a growing extremist network that wants to wipe out Christianity
in the region. If nothing is done, more attacks will follow.” For his
part, a local church elder said,
“We don’t know what to do or how to pray; we’ve had enough of
massacres. May God’s will alone be done.” The same Muslim militants
slaughtered another 355 Christians “for their faith” in 2024.
Nigeria: Some accounts of the “pure genocide” experienced by Christians at the hands of Muslims follow:
In the very early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 2, Muslim tribesmen
stormed a village, setting fire to homes and opening fire on Christians,
killing at least 16. Discussing this and other recent attacks, Edwin Ochai, president of a diaspora group from the area, said the Muslim terrorists were “leaving a trail of bloodshed, destruction and despair”:
The most recent attack in Okpamaju, a hitherto peaceful
community in Otukpo LGA, has claimed the lives of several innocent
villagers, reduced homes to ashes, and shattered families. We condemn in
the strongest terms the deafening silence and inaction of our leaders
at all levels – local government chairmen, state legislators, federal
representatives, and the senator representing Benue South.
On Feb. 5, Fulani herdsmen—referred to by locals as “Muslim bandits”—
“killed three Christians in Kaduna state, a week after three others
were slain in the same area.” They also kidnapped “dozens” of
Christians. According to spokespersons,
We suffered yet another devastating attack by bandits in
which lives were lost, and many more were left traumatized. We strongly
condemn this heinous act, which is a blatant disregard for human rights
and the safety of rural dwellers in our region. Has our government
turned a deaf ear to our plight? We demand urgent action and protection
for our communities!…. The killings and kidnappings by Muslim bandits
have become a daily routine in Kauru Local Government Area.
On Sunday, Feb. 9, Muslims from the Boko Haram terrorist organization murdered
a Christian pastor. The Rev. Bala Galadima was in his home when gunmen
in black robes broke in around 1 am and shot him to death while he still
lay in bed. “Our hearts are heavy, as we are left alone in a
complicated world with the killing of our pastor,” said one church member to Lami Sabo. “His courage, advice, teachings and generosity will be highly missed by us his church members.”
According to a Feb. 12 report, at least 22 Christians were killed in a series of Muslim attacks on Christian villages. “We are killed because we are Christians,” one resident insisted:
“Fulani are not attacking Muslim farmers in Plateau state, but
Christians are attacked daily, and we don’t have guns to defend
ourselves.” The report adds,
The Nigerian government has not officially attributed
these attacks to any ethnic or religious group, but media analysts have
drawn comparisons between these armed groups and Boko Haram, citing a
pattern of violence aimed at displacing Christian communities.
On Feb. 22, Muslim herdsmen stormed
into Elyon Paradise Ministry Church in Delta state, where they shot and
injured Pastor Divine Omodia and kidnapped six church members.
Raymond Ibrahim : Muslims are still trying to “avenge” themselves — including through acts of terrorism — against historical Christian victories over Islam from more than a millennium ago, such as the battle of Tours in France, 732.
Meanwhile, the city council of Vienna has been — in the name of combatting “Islamophobia” — more than happy to appease Muslims against the man who saved Vienna from Islam in 1683. I discuss it all below, with a special look at what Vienna has become since opening its doors to Islam:The Siege of Vienna - my favourite chapter in your book! Get chills just thinking about the cavalry charge with the winged hussars.
It is beyond annoying how our so-called 'leaders' in Europe keep bowing and scraping to Muslims instead of honouring such glorious victories as Tours and Vienna.
Corporal Zainuddin Ahmad is the only known survivor of the deadly ambush which plucked away 15 lives. I visited him in his home today. Had a deep and meaningful converstion with him. 3 rounds hit him, below his armpit, his left knee and one more round which severed a finger of his right arm. He cannot converse long as he runs out of breath, he is supported by oxygen continuously. He wishes to extend his profound gratitude and thanks to all who have supported him through these trying times. Thanks to MACVA, the Sarawak state government, Lt Col Ratnam, Lt Gen Stephen Mundaw, Sarawak Veterans and General Zamrose.
The Enemy with captured 7th Ranger
Weapons after the ambush, all weapons were recovered. All the Enemy who
were posing with arrogance in this picture were later killed by 7th
Rangers
At that time, 7th Ranger’s main fighting force was operating in the
Serian area in a special operation under 3rd Malaysian Infantry Brigade,
Kuching, Sarawak. In the ambush, 15 soldiers were killed, 4 were
wounded and the CT group captured a number of weapons and a TRA 906
radio set.
As this news dawned upon the unit’s fighting echelons in Serian, blood
boiled past threshold levels. Having lost 15 of our soldiers there was
little we could do from Serian, some 150km away from Lundu where 7th
Rangers was stationed. Under our breaths we wowed revenge. Operation
BELA was launched.
The truck is a Bedford Truck, it
was completely destroyed, most of the casualties were from this truck.
It was one of the vehicles on the road
Kesan tembakan bertubi-tubi ke arah trak Bedford di belakang Land Rover membuatkannya gagal dikawal lalu tersadai di tebing sebelah kiri jalan yang juga merupakan kedudukan musuh. Tembakan musuh telah mencederakan 928353 Rjr Zainuddin bin Ahmad yang diciumi oleh tiga butir peluru di lutut kiri, jari telunjuk kanan dan dada di bawah ketiak sehingga darah membuak keluar dari mulutnya.
Ambush Position
Sejurus kemudian beliau jatuh tertiarap ke atas lantau. Sementara itu, tembakan musuh telah mengorbankan serta merta pemandu trak Bedford kedua sehingga mengakibatkan kenderaan tersebut terbalik di tebing sebelah kanan jalan. 930474 Rjr Shahar bin Yayaha yang diciumi oleh peluru musuh terus pengsan. Dalam keadaan begitu kelam-kabut, Kpl Yahaya telah terjun dari kenderaan dan menyembunyi diri.
Serangan ini telah mengorbankan beberapa anggota serta merta dan ada yang cedera parah.
Setelah memastikan wira-wira negara sudah lumpuh, satu kumpulan pengkhianat negara turun dari lokasi serang hendap dan naik ke atas kenderaan untuk merampas senjata-senjata dan set radio. Menurut 928353 L/Kpl Zainuddin bin Ahmad, kedudukan kenderaan berada dalam zon membunuh menghalang mereka bertindak balas.
Beliau selanjutnya memberitahu beliau yang tertiarap di lantai kenderaan dan menyamar mati, dicampak oleh musuh ke jalan raya bersama mangsa-mangsa lain bak membuang sampah. Sungguh zalim! Mengimbau kembali insiden ini, beliau menceritakan tanpa diduga bak cerita filem, tiba-tiba hujan panas turun dengan lebatnya selama lebih kurang lima minit seolah-olah mahu membersihkan jalan laterit yang dibanjiri dengan darah pejuang-pejuang negara!
Menurut L/Kpl Zainuddin lagi, beliau dan 452752 Rjr Alimin bin Ibrahim dimuatkan dalam Ferret Scout dan dibawa ke Lundu. Mereka terpaksa berdiri sepanjang perjalanan ke Titi Akar kerana kenderaan tersebut tiada tempat untuk penumpang. Dari Titi Akar mereka dipindahkan ke Hospital Lundu untuk mendapat rawatan.
Walau bagaimanapun, kecederaan mereka begitu serius dan Hospital Lundu tiada kemampuan untuk merawat mereka sebaliknya mereka perlu dihantar ke Hospital Umum Kuching untuk mendapatkan rawatan sewajarnya untuk menyelamatkan mereka. Persoalan yang dihadapi oleh 7 Renjer ialah bagaimana mangsa-mangsa dihantar ke Kuching.
Malam sudah menjelang dan penghantaran melalui jalan raya tidak dapat dilakukan kerana feri untuk menyeberang Sungai Lundu tidak beroperasi dari jam 6:00 petang hingga 6:00 pagi keesokan hari selain mengambil masa lama dan juga berbahaya. Pilihan terbaik ialah meminta perkhidmatan Nuri. Justeru, 7 Renjer telah menghubungi 3 BIM memohon supaya Nuri membuat penerbangan casevac malam itu.
Dua orang mangsa, iaitu Rjr Zainuddin dan Rjr Alimin dinaikkan ke dalam pesawat tanpa enjin dimatikan. Seterus, kapten pesawat berlepas dengan kaedah menaikkan pesawat secara menegak kepada ketinggian selamat dan seterusnya mengalih pesawat ke pantai seperti laluan sebelum ini untuk terbang balik ke Kuching. Pembantu juruterbang pula menala kompas radio ke frekuensi Radio Kuching.
Mereka mendarat di Lapangan Terbang Kuching yang diterangi oleh lampu landasan pada lebih kurang 11:00 malam. Mereka disambut oleh beberapa pegawai dari 3 BIM dan seterusnya kedua-dua mangsa dibawa ke Hospital Umum Kuching dengan dua buah ambulans. Rjr Zainuddin ditahan di hospital selama lebih kurang satu setengah bulan dan seterusnya dimasukkan ke Rumah Sakit Angkatan Tentera (RSAT) di Kuching selama satu setengah bulan sebelum kembali ke unitnya
This is one of the greatest losses experienced by the unit. It was one sorry episode. An adminstrative move early in the morning, turning into a bloodbath. It comprised of 1X Landrover, 1 X 3 tonner of engineers who were attached to 7th Rangers. The Engineers had completed some construction work at Camp Biawak. They had to return to Kuching. There were another two trucks of 7th Rangers. Most of the 7th Rangers personnel comprised of administrative soldiers.
The order of movement was the Engineer's Landrover leading, the second being their truck, the third and fourth vehicle being the Ranger's trucks. The Enemy did not open fire on the lighter armed Engineers, they waited for the Ranger trucks to get into the killing area, once the trucks were inside the killing area the Enemy opened up with everything they had from prepared positions, the Rangers ( 20 soldiers) did not have a chance, those not killed outright were wounded, some badly. The Enemy force was 30-40 strong.
The Engineers who were less than a section strong (less than 10 men), made a wise decision by speeding off to a place called Titi Akar, where there was a troop of 1st Reconnaissance Regiment soldiers, to seek help. One very brave individual, who was a Corporal from that troop along with his driver dashed off at first, on his own in his Ferret scout car.
The name of the Ferret Scout Car Comd was Kpl Jamalludin from 1 Recce (for this infor thanks to Lt Col Ratnam). Soon to be followed by the rest of the troop. When the Enemy saw the approaching scout car speeding toward them with it's sole gun blazing, made a hasty withdrawal. He single handedly was responsible for saving the wounded who had put up a futile resistance, on the verge of being slaughtered. The enemy's priority at that time was to gather equipment and weapons. They took away almost all the weapons. With the arrival of that brave individual and his driver from the 1st Recce Regiment, the Enemy did not have the opportunity to finish/kill off the rest of the wounded soldiers.
The news reached Battalion Headquarters, announcements were made throughout bars, theatres and the town to regroup the rest of 7th Rangers. Massive follow up operations were conducted, to track down the enmy. In the ensuing engagements with the Enemy, many of the Enemy were killed and also captured and the weapons recovered.This was aided by other friendly forces (Other units). It took a very long time to hunt and kill the enemy. The last of the weapons recovered was in 1986, almost 14 years ! See the names of the fallen, the Enemy and the ambush position....
This ambush happened on the 26th March 1972 along the Biawak / Lundu road. The cutting on the right shows the follow up operation conducted after the ambush. The enemy fired from prepared locations.* Note. I would appreciate it greatly if someone would help me correctly identify the Lance Corporal and his driver from the Recce Regt, the Troop and Squadron.If there are any inaccuracies please contact me. The above incident was related to me by Lt Col Zulakpli Abdul Rahman, who was then a subaltern in 7th Rangers. The follow up which was successful was conducted by Captain Sabdin Ghani.
THE first batch of Sabahans who served in the Malaysian Armed Forces as part of the Sabah Ranger unit were also involved in tracking down communists, both along the Thai border and in Sarawak. In fact, Capt (rtd) Abdullah Yusof, who was 23 when he joined the Rangers in 1963, remembers it like it just happened yesterday.
Now in his 70s, Abdullah said he and two other Sabahan officers serving in the ranger regiment - Major Sabdin Ghani and Capt Boniface Jingulam - were ordered to hunt down the communists responsible for ambushing and killing 15 members of the Ranger Seven unit who were on their way back from Sik Guruh, known as Mong Gajah.
All three were posted to the newly-formed Ranger Seven regiment based in Kluang Camp Johor.
"It was in 1970 and the unlucky team was headed back to Sungai Petani when they were ambushed by communists.
"Me and the other two Sabahan officers were assigned to track them down.
However, we were unsuccessful because the communists managed to escape across the Thailand border," he said.
But luck was on their side on another occasion when the Ranger Seven unit was sent to Lundu Sarawak for operational duty and another 15 Malaysian soldiers were killed - also in an ambush.
This was in early 1972. "We suffered the worst casualties when some 30 communists ambushed our convoy comprising office clerks and food transporters on the way back from sending supplies to our post in Biawak, Indonesia.
The regiment lost 15 men and several were seriously wounded.
We also lost weapons, and radio set. It was the first time the Malaysian Armed Forces lost a radio set this way.
He said the next day, they were assigned to track down the communists but three weeks passed without any results.
Abdullah said tracking down communists can be complicated because they sometimes disguised themselves as rangers in order to hoodwink the people.
"When they enter the villages for food supplies, the villagers couldn't tell if they were communists or rangers because of the uniform.
"The problem was made worse by the fact that both the rangers and the communists had various ethnic races as members like Iban and Chinese.
"Three weeks after the ambush, the regiment received information that a group of communists will move at night from Kg Perian to the main road towards Kg Bokak. At 11pm the commanding officer assigned us to track and ambush the terrorists.
There were 20 of us.
"At midnight, we managed to ambush the communists killing two terrorists during the attack.
We also managed to retrieve the radio set and several weapons."
Because of this, Abdullah was awarded the "Honorary Ahli Bintang Sarawak" by the Sarawak Government.
We also managed to kill two communists in Lundu District," he said.
Abdullah said life as a ranger was really challenging yet enjoyable.
Sometimes they are required to sleep in the jungle for weeks, sometimes for a month.
"We have permanent base camps built along the border.
These are equipped with all the necessary facilitiesÉwe even had a volley ball court.
"Its only when we stay in the jungle that we need to ration our food.
What we usually ate was baked beans from the tin, chicken or lamb curry.
But in those days, canned food was really heavy. One pack for five days in the jungle could weigh up to five kilos.
"We will be assigned to go to a certain spot to get new food supply, which will be sent by helicopter.
We usually carry food supplies enough for a week" he said.
Another danger they had to contend with were traps laid by the communists in the jungle.
He said the use of hidden traps was common during those days. These usually comprised empty tins filled with explosives, which could explode as far as 200 feet.
"The traps are commonly set near big trees because it is human nature to instinctively hide behind big trees when attacked."
Abdullah said the departing colonial administration formed two battalion ranger regiments called Sarawak Ranger One (Sarawak 1st Ranger) and Sabah Ranger Two (Sabah 2nd Ranger) in conjunction with the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
It was in August that year, barely a month before the formation of the new Federation comprising Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya.
The British decided to form a ranger regiment for both these States comprising some 600 native recruits.
The officer in charge of recruiting the Sabahans was Major Plain and staff of the British army.
Major Plain and his staff went all over Sabah and managed to enlist 120 young Sabahans for the first intake which had all races, including a few Chinese.
The 2nd Ranger battalion was formally set up at Ulu Tiram camp in Johor and most of the senior officers were drawn from the British army and Royal Malaysian Regiment.
He said both the Ranger battalions were commanded by Col Welsted while the Commanding Officer for the 2nd Rangers was Lt Col Wood MC.
The group then moved to the Gurkha training centre at Sungai Petani.
In 1965, at the time of Singapore's separation from the new-formed Federation.
The British government handed both Sarawak One and Sabah Two Rangers to Malaysia and some 160 Sabahan youths that choose to enrol in the Malaysian Armed Forces came to take the Oath of Allegiance to the nation.
It was then that the Sabah Ranger Two was renamed Ranger Seven.
The first Sabahan officer commissioned was Maj (B) Sabdin Ghani in 1964, followed in 1965 by Lt Col Chin Kee Fong @ Johan Chin, Abdullah Hj Yusof, Kapt (B) Terence Sthalman, Kapt (B) Boniface Jingulam and Kapt (B) George Lai from Tuaran.
Before joining the Rangers, Abdullah was telephone operator based in Queen Elizabeth Hospital and later was posted to work as a telephone technician in Karamunsing in 1961.
"When I heard of the recruiting exercise in 1963, I immediately resigned from my job and joined.
We were offered a salary of RM60 a month at that time.
"All our essentials were provided for by the Navy, Army Airforce Institution (NAAFI) including shoes, clothes, food, even the cigarettes were given free once a week. The salary I got was usually spent on things like bread."
Abdullah, who served as a ranger for 14 years, said among the first Sabahan soldiers to be killed directly or indirectly due to conflict was Ranger Mohd from Tuaran, who was killed by mortar bomb in Kg Mentadak, Pulau Sebatik.
He said the first Sabahan non-conflict casualty was Ranger Albert Matanjang from Penampang who drowned during a river crossing exercise at Sg Jenang Kedah in 1964.
He said many Sabahans joined the rangers in 1963 but his batch comprised the first Sabahans to join the Malaysian Armed Forces.
"But, sadly, a majority of us who served in those days did not receive any form of recognition from the State Government until today.
"I hope the State government would do a survey on those who served the country in the 60s.
We have an Ex-Servicemen Association of Malaysia but most of them are not the original members from the 60s," he said, adding they plan to celebrate the 50th anniversary in conjunction with the formation of the Rangers in Malaysia.
Charlie Kwan now also in his 70s and another former Ranger, joined the force in 1963 when he was 22.
"At that time it was the Indonesian confrontation.
I was looking for a job and thought I might as well join the army and fight to defend my country," Kwan said.
"I became a rifle man in 1965 but in 1966 I was assigned to work in the headquarters because I could speak and write English well.
My job was to manage the salary. Those days, salary was paid by cash and we will go around to the operation sites in trucks to distribute the money," he said.
From the Daily Express, plagiarized for the purpose of History, my sincerest apologies to the Daily Express, just could not resist for the sake of History had to remember the 15 fallen warriors, thank you Sherell Ann Jeffrey.
