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Fourth Annual CIPE International Youth Essay Contest Winners Announced
Press Release
Washington, DC – The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) has announced the winners for its Fourth Annual International Youth Essay Competition. The nine winning essays were selected from over 400 entries in three categories: Corruption, Democratic Transitions, and Economically-Sustainable Development. Entries were received from 65 countries, including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Egypt, Indonesia, Moldova, and Uganda.
Corruption
1st Chukwunonso Ogbe (Nigeria)
2nd Riska Mirzalina (Indonesia)
3rd Ruth Nyambura Kilonzo (Kenya)
Democratic Transitions
1st Vikas Prakash Joshi (India)
2nd Kirsten Han (Singapore)
3rd Judith Aduol Nyamanga (Kenya)
Economically-Sustainable Development
1st Sarita Sapkota (Nepal)
2nd Babatunde Oladosu (Nigeria)
3rd Michael Olumuyiwa Kayode (Nigeria)
Winners were selected by an international panel of judges including CIPE’s partners from business associations, think tanks, and other international development organizations around the world, as well as CIPE staff. CIPE will publish the winning essays as Economic Reform Feature Service articles, and profile winners on the CIPE Development Blog (www.cipe.org/blog) in the coming months.
Community
Palestinian woman involved in disturbance at Wisma Transit Malaysia apologises
A video on social media shows Palestinians confronting security personnel at Wisma Transit, Kuala Lumpur, with some behaving aggressively by throwing slippers and damaging property. A woman later apologised in a TikTok video, attributing her actions to emotional distress from being unable to contact her children in Gaza.
MALAYSIA: A Palestinian woman involved in a disturbance at Wisma Transit, Kuala Lumpur, has issued an apology and expressed deep regret for her actions.
According to NST, the woman, identified as Aminah Muhammad Nafi’ Jamal Abd Rabah, was one of 127 Palestinians brought to Malaysia for medical treatment after sustaining injuries in the ongoing conflict with Israel.
A video that has been circulating on social media since 2 October shows a group of Palestinians involved in a confrontation with security personnel.
Some of them were seen behaving aggressively, including throwing slippers at an enforcement officer and damaging property.
According to reports, the incident was driven by frustration after the group was denied permission to stay outside the designated Wisma Transit Kuala Lumpur (WTKL) premises.
The Woman Apologizes for Disturbance, Attributes Actions to Emotional Distress from Family Separation
Speaking in a TikTok video, Aminah explained that her actions stemmed from personal distress, specifically due to her inability to contact her children, who remain in Gaza.
She emphasised that her behaviour was not intentional, and that it was a product of the difficult situation she and her fellow Palestinians were experiencing.
“I apologise and deeply regret what I did. I swear to God, I did not do it intentionally. We are going through a very difficult situation that only Allah knows,” she said in the clip.
Aminah further expressed her gratitude towards Malaysians for their generosity and respect.
She acknowledged that the treatment she and others had received from the country had been exemplary.
“I swear in the name of Allah, we are receiving the best care. What I say comes sincerely from my heart. You have treated us Palestinians with kindness, respect, and appreciation. ”
“You have fulfilled your duties responsibly, but we were the ones who wronged you,” she added.
@tahreergh Dengan segala hormat kepada ATM dan semua pihak yang terlibat dalam kes perempuan Palestin yang menjadi viral 2 hari yang lepas di Wisma Putra Malaysia.. saya nak kongsi video perempuan yang sama tapi kali ni content video dia lain sangat dari video yg viral tu .. Rasulullah SAW bersabda: كُلُّ ابْنِ آدَمَ خَطَّاءٌ وَخَيْرُ الْخَطَّائِينَ التَّوَّابُونَ. Maksud hadis ini adalah: Setiap anak Adam (yakni manusia) pasti melakukan kesalahan, sedangkan sebaik-baik orang yang melakukan kesalahan adalah orang yang bertaubat. Hadis riwayat Al-Tirmizi. Ujian besar buat manusia adalah keupayaan untuk memaafkan orang yang membuat salah kepada beliau .. semoga Allah memberi keupayaan ini kepada kami semua.. Walau menjadi apa2 pon, kami rakyat Palestin tetap sayang Malaysia dan rakyat Malaysia.. ikhlas dari hati tahu 🥹🇲🇾🇵🇸 TahreerGh Gh
The disturbance at Wisma Transit has drawn significant attention, leading to a formal apology from the Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia, Walid Abu Ali.
In a statement, he reassured Malaysians that the incident did not reflect Palestinian values.
“I apologise on behalf of all Palestinians in Malaysia and back home for what occurred. This is not our culture, ethics, or beliefs,” he stated.
Walid emphasised the deep gratitude Palestinians feel towards Malaysia for its continuous support of their cause.
Since August 2023, Malaysia has taken in 127 Palestinians, including 41 individuals injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Many of the patients were transferred to Tuanku Mizan Military Hospital for treatment, while their relatives were accommodated at various hotels.
“For their own security and safety, the patients were kept in the healthcare facility with restricted movements and limited visitors,” he said.
Many have been in Malaysia since their arrival and have had limited opportunities to leave the hospital.
Walid noted that the patients, having come from war-torn Gaza, were under significant emotional stress, which may have contributed to their behaviour.
He also highlighted that some individuals were struggling to adjust to a completely new culture and environment, exacerbating their emotional challenges.
The Palestinian Embassy in Malaysia, according to Walid, has been closely coordinating with Malaysian authorities to support the patients and their families.
Embassy staff regularly visit the patients and assist with their needs to the best of their ability.
Walid also reassured the Malaysian public that the embassy is working to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
“My message to Malaysians is that such an incident will not happen again. We love Malaysia and its people. However, please consider that these individuals have come under immense pressure due to the ongoing war. They need special care,” Walid stated.
Community
Part of Marine Parade experiences flooding after water pipe damage
Flooding occurred in Marine Parade on Friday morning (4 October) after a water pipe was damaged during lift retrofitting works near Block 67 Marine Drive. MP Dr Tan See Leng confirmed repairs are ongoing, with no disruption to water supply. Road access was restored later in the day.
SINGAPORE: On Friday (4 October), parts of Marine Parade, including Marine Drive and Still Road South, experienced flooding following the damage of a water pipe.
The incident occurred at approximately 11.40 am during lift retrofitting works at the pedestrian overhead bridge near Block 67 Marine Drive.
Videos shared on social media show floodwaters extending onto surrounding roads.
Dr Tan See Leng, Manpower Minister and also a Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC, in a Facebook post confirmed that a damaged pipe led to water flowing onto Still Road South and nearby HDB blocks.
Dr Tan said the damaged water pipe has been isolated, and repairs are currently underway, with no disruption to water supply for local residents.
Staff at the Marine Parade Community Centre are in the process of restoring counter services, having previously faced difficulties accessing the area due to flooding.
Dr Tan noted that contractors from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are collaborating with the Marine Parade Town Council to clean the affected region, aiming to complete the cleanup by Friday evening.
In an update posted at 4.53 pm, Dr Tan announced that road access along Still Road South had resumed, expressing gratitude to PUB, the Marine Parade Town Council, and the dedicated workers for their swift action in clearing the area just in time for peak hour traffic.
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