The Malaysian Insider :: Features
The Malaysian Insider :: Features |
| Insight into British policing through volunteerism Posted: 07 Jul 2013 06:43 PM PDT It was a cold spring morning when, a group of Malaysians arrived at the Territorial Army Centre in Kensington, London - the venue where several young Malaysian police cadets were to share their experiences in the world of police cadetship and training. As soon as the group reached the centre, which was not too far from the Kensington tube station, they were whisked off for a tour of its training grounds. The Malaysian delegation, which included young police cadets from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), were briefed on the voluntary activities for young Britons in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, an urban district in central London. After a short tour of the centre, the Malaysian police cadets also presented before their host a special performance of their silent drill, which had been perfected with the help of the Malaysian police. After seeing the Volunteer Police Cadets (VPC) of the Kensington Borough go about their business at the centre earlier in the day, we began to understand why the centre was chosen to provide exposure to Malaysian cadets - who were scheduled to meet the young VPCs of Kensington and Chelsea later in the evening. The VPC voluntary programme, developed by the Kensington and Chelsea police departments, is aimed at raising awareness among young people about the responsibilities of both the community and the police towards ensuring safety in their respective boroughs or districts. The programme also serves another purpose: it assures parents that their teenaged children have taken the right direction and are using their time productively.
"We come here every Thursday evening and sometimes stay on to watch our children learn about not abetting crime and fighting against it together. Besides that they also practise marching and enjoy the drills, which instill discipline in them," said Sheila Taylor, whose teenage daughter is a volunteer cadet in the centre. "It has given me better, non-sleepless nights because I can now rest assured that my child is not involved in any unwanted gangster activity or is hanging out with the wrong kind of friends till late after school," she continued. "These teenagers are given the opportunity to learn more about being part of a community and respecting each other's right to be comfortable and safe," Taylor added. She sends her 13-year-old daughter, Gemma Waklin, to the centre for "adequate and the right exposure", where the district police supervise the extra-curricular activities of minors between the ages of 13 and 18. There are two VPC centres in Kensington and Chelsea, with more than 50 cadets attending the weekly programmes.
"My daughter looks forward to her time here at the centre. She also enjoys meeting police cadets from outside this district - just like tonight, when cadets from a foreign land will share their experiences with our children," said Taylor, while sitting with other mothers awaiting their children. With such a voluntary programme in place, the community has also become more aware of the functions of its neighbourhood police officers, who carry out their duties to ensure safety in their community.
Every Thursday, the cadets hold a meeting in Kensington between 6.30pm and 9pm. These meetings usually include a drill or inspection, physical activities, and a guest speaker discussing a police-related topic, as part of the training programme. These young, school-going cadets often perform duties in support of local policing objectives, particularly those related to Safer Neighbourhood initiatives. The UK's VPC programme was launched 21 years ago. A unit has been set up in every borough in London - as the central component of the London Metropolitan Police's youth outreach programme.
The cadets can perform tasks under crime prevention initiatives, including delivering messages or leaflets on crime prevention and also getting involved in non-confrontational local events.
For the visiting Malaysian university police cadet team from IIUM, comprising 18 boys and girls, sharing their thoughts with their counterparts and other volunteers from London was an invaluable experience. After performing the silent drill, much to the amazement of the little crowd gathered at the centre, the Malaysian police cadets went on to mingle with the British teenagers. "We performed our very own silent drill. The teenagers here were thrilled to see us perform and our formations amazed them. Even their instructors and senior officers were excited. Furthermore, we performed wearing our full uniforms," said 23-year-old Mohd Radzlan Mohd Rodzi, the head cadet of the visiting Malaysian team, after the performance that lasted for close to 20 minutes. He said the Malaysian cadets go through hours of drills and the toughest of disciplinary exercises under the watchful care of their trainers from the Malaysian police force.
Jayne Richardson, a police constable who has served the Metropolitan Police Service in England for more than 10 years, said the discipline the young cadets are put through during the trainings greatly help them become better citizens. The Metropolitan Police Service covers an area of about 1,606 square kilometres, and serves a population of more than 7.2 million in the Greater London area. It has 31,000 officers, 13,000 police staff and 2,500 VPCs. "These young cadets are willing to travel to the centre every week and that shows their serious commitment. Our young cadets mostly live in or attend school or college in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea," Richardon stated. "However, we advise those who live outside the borough but wish to join our VPC to make sure that their journey to the centre does not take too long. This is to avoid any personal safety implications," Richardson told the visiting Malaysian team. The IIUM cadets were accompanied by their Deputy Commandant, Supt Dr Akmal Khuzairy Abdul Rahman, who is also the Dean of Student Affairs and Development Division at IIUM; officials from the university and the Royal Malaysian Police; and their trainers and drill instructors.
For some of the volunteers, pursuing a career in the police force has become a natural course to follow. One such cadet is 17-year-old Alfae Bance, who is the head cadet at the centre. Bance, who has been a VPC for four years, spoke of his ambition to become a police officer in the near future. "I am looking forward to that day, actually, after I complete my studies. The responsibilities of police officers today are certainly not easy to carry out and fulfil, but it is a noble profession," he said. "The safety of the borough and its community is in their hands, and working together with the community at large would certainly promise all a more secured and satisfying life. The incentives are good, too," Bance added. While not all voluntary police cadets, whether in Britain or Malaysia, will decide to opt for a career in the police force, their days of training in discipline will certainly give them an understanding of what policing is all about and how they could lend a helping hand in jointly preventing and combating crimes. - Bernama, July 8, 2013. |
| Cambodia’s Khmer healers get schooled in ancient methods Posted: 07 Jul 2013 06:25 PM PDT  Huon Chom (L), professor of Cambodian traditional healer, teaches students at the National Centre of Traditional Medicine in Phnom Penh on May 21, 2013. - AFP picA lizard dipped in wine may not seem like an obvious asthma remedy, but as Cambodian traditional healers strive to turn their ancient wisdom into a professional industry such treatments are finding their way into the classroom. For generations, the secrets of "Kru Khmer" traditional remedies have been passed down by word of mouth -- often from father to son -- with each expert tweaking the methods along the way. But in an attempt to freshen up the ancient art and better regulate the industry, Cambodia's Ministry of Health has opened a traditional medicine school, with funds from a Japanese foundation. Cambodia is home to thousands of Kru Khmer practitioners -- medical plant experts whose mysterious concoctions of roots, barks and leaves are used to heal common ailments. The school, which opened in 2009, has trained some 345 Kru Khmer so far, with a particular focus on hygiene and anatomy. "It's good to have training like this because it teaches us correct, safe methods," said Kraing Dhein, a student at the school. A certain kind of tree bark is said to help breast-feeding women produce enough milk, while the pungent durian fruit is well-known as a treatment for rheumatism. Other remedies are potentially dangerous -- in the worst case, powerful homemade rice wine is known to have been recommended to pregnant women. "This training is more professional than what students learn from their ancestors," said Kong Sokdina, project manager for CatMO, a traditional medicine organisation that manages the courses. "They are taught many subjects, such as the ethical code of treatment... they wouldn't know otherwise." During the five months of training, students are taken on regular field trips to study local varieties of plants and learn about their natural healing properties -- such as those that can act as antibiotics or have antiseptic qualities. The final trip on the course is to southern Kampot province, home to many unique plant species. "We can find roots that no longer exist elsewhere," said professor Ky Bouhang, chair of the Cambodian Traditional Healers Association. Some 80 percent of Cambodia's population live in rural areas, often in villages with no doctors, let alone a hospital. Even where local healthcare is available, many villagers cannot afford professional medical care. Traditional healers offer a cheaper alternative -- and business is prosperous. On the outskirts of Phnom Penh's Orussey Market, many Kru Khmer man tables heaped high with dried plants and animal parts, roots, barks and other traditional treatments. Tauch Sreythoeun opened her stall at Orussey soon after she finished training. "Some (customers) want plants to help reduce fever, for example, so I mix them a treatment from several roots," she told AFP. Patients usually seek out a Kru Khmer for help with minor gripes, such as stomach aches and exhaustion, which do not demand the attention -- and expense -- of a proper doctor. "Traditional medicine can help treat the poorest people because people (living) in the country do not have enough money to go to the hospital or see a doctor," said Soung Kimsath, still a Kru Khmer student. But some adherents claim the discipline is so powerful that it can replace modern medicine entirely. Pov Rany has regularly consulted traditional healers ever since she discovered she had a cyst in her chest. "I believe in traditional medicine, I think it is effective and good for my health," she said. "I don't use modern medicine because drugs contain chemical substances and counterfeit products." Some doctors warn about the dangers of relying solely on traditional healers -- especially for serious illnesses. But in Cambodia, the pull of traditional medicine is strong. Many see it as tried and trusted ancient wisdom in contrast to the country's myriad local pharmacies, which dole out expensive and often counterfeit Western medicines, with no proper advice or prescription. The most obscure power of the healers pertains to the spirits. Many Cambodians believe Kru Khmer have the capacity to literally blow bad spirits out of the body. "I cured a woman who had shingles with my magic breath," said Ky Bouhang. "Today, she can work again in her farm while no other treatment had been a success." - July 8, 2013. |
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