15 January 2001

Call to control martial arts

TANGKAK, Fri. - The Johor Government has directed the State Education Department to formulate clear guidelines which will strictly regulate the teaching of martial arts in schools.

Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said this is to ensure that the martial arts are taught by qualified instructors.

Ghani said this after a Hari Raya gathering organised by Ledang Umno division here last night.

He was commenting on an incident on Thursday in which a 15-year-old student of Sekolah Menengah Tinggi Segamat was slashed in the belly when a silat demonstration to encourage pupils to take up the art went wrong.

The 17-year-old Form Five "instructor" had attempted to cut into half a watermelon placed on the stomach of Form Three student Mohd Nasir Abdul Hamid. The parang stroke went too deep, and slashed the boy's stomach.

Ghani said silat students should not be misled into believing that they could become kebal (invincible) by learning silat. He said the mastery of any martial art could only be achieved by rigorous training, self- discipline and endurance.

The Menteri Besar has urged the State Education department to closely monitor silat classes in schools.

Meanwhile, Mohd Nasir, who has a 20cm cut across the stomach, has regained consciousness in the intensive care unit of Segamat Hospital. His condition is stable.

Sourced from http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-69185479/call-control-martial-arts.html

2 comments:

Ahm said...

I would love to give that 17 year old a piece of my mind. Our art is on the edge already, we dont need any bad publicity. Who does he think he is? He gives our art a bad name.

Anonymous said...

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

Apo kono pendek bona aka tu?! (Why such a short thinking?!) Mabuk bona nak menunjuk-nunjuk! (Too crazy of showing off!)