Malaysia’s first submarine “KD Tunku Abdul Rahman”, arrived at the Pulau Indah Royal Malaysian Navy base, Port Klang on September 3, 2009 and was received by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.
KD Tunku Abdul Rahman sailed from Toulon, France on July 11 and took 54 days to reach Malaysia, making stops at Jeddah, Djibouti and Cochin on the 6,000Nm journey, which included 32 days of submersion and 10 days of surfacing.
The submarine was jointly developed by the French company DCNS, and the Spanish company Navantia and is one of two Scorpene submarines acquired by the Malaysian government to strengthen the Royal Malaysian Navy.
With a maximum depth of 350 meters (1,148 feet), the Scorpene is able to achieve an average of 240 days at sea. The structure of the submarine uses high-yield stress-specific steel which allows for as many dives to maximum depth as necessary. Also the Scorpene allows for a greater load of fuel and ammunition thanks to the use of high-tensile steel that reduce the weight of the hull. The planning and design of the Scorpene was directed towards achieving an extremely quiet vessel with a great detection capability and offensive power. By using advanced hydrodynamics with an albacore bow shape the Scorpene has low radiated noise reducing risk of detection from enemy sensors. The equipment is mounted on elastic mountings and the noisiest systems have double elastic mounting. This greatly reduces the risk of noise profiles to be radiated outside the submarine.
Able to carry out anti-submarine or anti-surface ship warfare operations, as well as special forces deployment in coastal waters, the Scorpene is manned by a 31 man crew. The control room and the living quarters are mounted on an elastically supported and acoustically isolated floating platform. All living and operational areas are air-conditioned. The vessel is equipped with all the necessary systems to provide vital supplies, water, provisions, regeneration of the atmosphere, to ensure the survival of all the crew for seven days.
Levi Strauss is making it easier afford a pair of their red-tabbed jeans in India. They are offering Indian shoppers the chance to buy a pair of USD 30 (EUR 20.93) jeans in three installments. “This is the first time the world over that apparel is being sold on credit that will be deducted by the bank in three monthly installments,” Levi Strauss India MD Shumone Chatterjee. [AFP]
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Every year during Ramadan I always get the same reaction when people hear I’m fasting – “Oh dear, you poor thing, you must be starving”. But for Muslims the month of Ramadan is seen as a great blessing and we congratulate each other on its arrival.
When is Ramadan?
Ramadan, the month of fasting, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and lasts either 29 or 30 days. Because Muslims follow a lunar calendar, the official beginning occurs 11 days earlier each year. Throughout a Muslim’s lifetime, Ramadan will fall during bother the winter months (when the days are shorter) and the summer months (when the days are longer and the fast more difficult). In this way the difficulty of the fast is evenly distributed between those living in the northern and southern hemisphere. This year, Ramadan begun on Saturday August 22, 2009.
Why do Muslims fast?
In approximately 610 A.D., the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Prophet Muhammad and told him he had been chosen to receive the word of God. He received these revelations until his death and it is these revelations that form the Quran, the sacred book of Islam. For Muslims, the Quran is God’s literal speech, transmitted through mankind via the Prophet Muhammad, the last of a chain of prophets that included Adam, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus.
Fasting is one of the Five Pillars (obligations) of Islam. The Quran says that the main reason behind fasting is to attain taqwa, or God-consciousness.
“O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it has been prescribed upon those before you so that you may learn taqwa” (2 : 183).
What does fasting achieve?
During Ramadan, Muslims go through a period of intense reflection and devotion, seeking guidance and forgiveness. Sawm, or fasting, is practiced during the entire month, during which time eating, drinking (including water) and all bodily pleasures are forbidden during the hours of daylight.
When hungry and thirsty, Muslims remember the suffering of the poor. There is an increased compassion for those in need of the basic necessities of life, a sense of self-purification and reflection and a renewed focus on spirituality. Muslims appreciate the feeling of togetherness shared by family and friends throughout the month. It is an opportunity to practice self-control and to cleanse the body and mind. Perhaps the greatest benefit is the annual lesson in self restraint and discipline that can carry forward to other aspects of a Muslim’s life such as work and education.
So what’s involved?
The day begins whilst it is still dark and families will wake early for suhoor, a meal eaten before the sun rises. After sunset, the fast is ended with a meal known as iftar which traditionally includes dates, water, fresh fruits, appetizers, beverages and dinner.
Other duties during Ramadan include the obligatory five daily prayers as well as the recitation of the tarawih prayer, or night prayer. At mosques during Ramadan, about one-thirtieth of the Quran is recited every night as part of the tarawih prayers. By the end of Ramadan, the entire Quran has been recited. Some Muslims may decide to go into retreat for the last ten days of Ramadan when they spend their time in prayer and spiritual reflect and do not communicate with anyone until the end of Ramadan.
Who is expected to fast?
More than 1 billion Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan. Fasting is compulsory for those who are mentally and physically fit, past the age of puberty, in a settled situation (i.e. not travelling) and are sure that fasting is unlikely to cause any real physical or mental injury. From about the age of 12, all Muslim children will be encouraged to fast. However, there are some exceptions:
people who are mentally incapacitated or not responsible for their actions
the elderly
the sick
pregnant women and nursing mothers
women who are menstruating
those temporarily unable to fast, must make up the missed days another time, or feed the poor.
How can non-Muslim co-workers and friends help someone who is fasting?
Employers, co-workers and teachers can help by understanding the significance of Ramadan and by showing a willingness to make some allowances for its physical demands. Special consideration can be given to such things as requests for time off, the need for flexible early morning or evening work schedules and lighter homework assignments. Hospital workers should be aware that injections and oral medications might break a person’s fast. Patients should be given the opportunity to decide whether or not their condition exempts them from fasting. It is also important that Muslim workers and students be given time to attend Eid prayers at the end of Ramadan.
What happens at the end of Ramadan?
Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which this year will be round about September 20, 2009. Literally the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations (the other occurs after the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca). At Eid al-Fitr people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with friends and family. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims give Zakat al Fitr, a monetary contribution to the poor or their mosques.
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