
Chinese veterans group urges more community members to join armed forces
MACVA president Lieutenant Colonel (R) Wong Ah Jit said previous generations of the Chinese community had also served and defended the country.
"A military career is not an easy path, but it builds character, instils discipline, develops leadership and, most importantly, provides an opportunity for young people to be directly involved in nation-building and shoulder the responsibility of protecting the people.
"The current generation should continue this tradition and ensure the Chinese community continues to have a voice, presence and contribution in the armed forces," he said in a statement today.
Wong said MACVA called on Chinese families and community organisations nationwide to support their young people in exploring military service, and encourage them to don the uniform proudly and build meaningful careers in national defence.
"This is our country, our land, and national defence should not be without the presence and contribution of the Chinese community.
"Joining the military does not mean giving up on dreams. It means choosing a different path with greater challenges," he said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Chinese centenarian sisters, separated for decades, reunite via video, move many online
SHANGHAI: Two centenarian sisters, one in Taiwan and the other in eastern China's Jiangsu province, have been reconnected via video after losing contact for decades. The reunion came about thanks to netizens on a leading mainland social media platform and the police. The reconnection was enabled by an influencer from Henan province in central China who lives with her Taiwanese husband in Taipei. She released a video at the end of July, which has captivated mainland social media. In the video, the elder sister, Wen Sue, 101, who is the influencer's neighbour, said she hoped to find her younger sister, Wen Quanmei, aged 100. She said they had not been in contact with each other for several decades, the Modern Express reported. The elder sister, who speaks in the strong Jiangsu dialect, said she lived in Changzhou, Jiangsu, before moving to Taiwan in 1949. After the video went viral, a netizen based in Jiangsu left a comment that her mother-in-law matched the personal information given by the elder sister. Police in Changzhou set about looking for Wen Quanmei and soon confirmed that the netizen's mother-in-law is the younger sister of Wen Sue. Since the two centenarians both have poor eyesight and cannot hear clearly, direct video calls were not appropriate. However, the Changzhou police asked the younger sister to make a short video clip that was sent to the influencer in Taipei. The influencer, who uses the alias @zhongyuannvzizaitaiwan, then showed the video to the elder sister. 'Sister, we have not contacted each other for many years. I did not know if you were still alive,' the younger sister said in the video. 'How is your health? I have always missed you,' she said. According to the younger sister's son, his aunt came back to the mainland in 1989 and lived in their home for a while. But they lost touch after his home was demolished. 'I remember when she visited us in 1989, she gave us a watch, a necklace and a ring,' the son was quoted as saying. 'My mother remembers what food my aunt likes to eat and is always concerned with her health,' he added. At the beginning of August, the Taipei influencer shared a video showing the elder sister saying: 'I have finally seen my younger sister. It is fine. Thank you.' The influencer said whenever she meets the older sister on the street, she always asks her if her younger sister has called. The elder sister's children visit her once a week because her carer is a foreign worker who does not speak Chinese, said the influencer. The police in Changzhou told the media that they are liaising with the local Taiwan Affairs Office in a bid to let the two sisters meet offline. Their story has resonated on mainland social media. 'I am moved to tears when one calls the other 'Sister',' said one online observer. 'Their family has a longevity gene,' said another. - South China Morning Post

Barnama
18 hours ago
- Barnama
Widow Keeps Husband's Legacy Alive By Flying The Jalur Gemilang
By Habsah Ismail KOTA BHARU, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- For most people, the Jalur Gemilang, proudly flown every August, is a symbol of love for the homeland. But for one elderly woman, every flag raised around her home carries a far deeper meaning. For Tuan Yah Tuan Yeh, 66, the red, white, blue, and yellow of the national flag not only represent her pride as a Malaysian but also embody the struggle and sacrifice of her late husband, Zahari Abdullah, who once stood as the nation's shield against the communist threat. She recalled that for more than a decade, her husband, who served 13 years in the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), was among the busiest people in Kampung Kubang Bongor, Melor, during the national month. He would tirelessly search for bamboo or wood to make flagpoles to fly the Jalur Gemilang. 'Every year, before August 31, my late husband would begin decorating our house, the padi fields, and the farm with the Jalur Gemilang. He even hung independence-themed banners until Sept 16 to create a festive atmosphere in the village. 'Although he had to spend about RM600 from his own pocket to buy more than 500 flags of various sizes to decorate the fields and our home, he never once complained. 'Three years ago, he even built replica cannons and traditional moon kites from recycled materials, decorated them with the Jalur Gemilang, and placed them near the padi fields and quail pens — all to reignite the spirit of independence,' she told Bernama when met at her home recently. However, since last year, the arrival of August has never been the same. Her husband passed away mid-year after a fall at home, leaving behind cherished memories and an unbroken legacy of patriotism. Determined not to let her husband's spirit be buried with him, this year Tuan Yah — a former nurse at the 1Malaysia Clinic in Jelawat, Bachok — has taken on the responsibility of continuing his efforts to spark patriotism in the village.


The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Disabled farmer finds success in aquaponics
A DISABLED man has turned adversity into innovation, running a successful aquaponics farm with knowledge he picked up online, Makkal Osai reported. K. Murugan built his aquaponics rigs to grow vegetables and fruits. He also created a food waste barrel that turns kitchen scraps into fertiliser. Despite numerous challenges, the 51-year-old from Johor also dedicates time to impart his knowledge by teaching schoolchildren about aquaponics and sustainable farming practices. The former excavator operator lost his right leg to an infection last year after working in the field for three decades. With encouragement from his wife, A. Kogilavani, he turned to farming, an interest sparked by watching online videos. The Johor Agriculture Department has recognised his efforts with 10 awards, including a gold medal at a competition. Murugan hopes to save enough to buy a sturdy hydraulic prosthetic leg, which costs about RM20,000. 'Working long hours on the farm is tough with crutches, and normal prosthetics are not suitable for this type of work,' he said. The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this ' >'sign, it denotes a separate news item.