Scout's Presence

According to Krishan Francis from Yahoo news last Thursday, a boy scout in Maldives made his presence felt when he saved the life of the president. The 15-year-old Boy Scout who foiled the assisanation attempt by grabbing the attacker's knife.

Wearing his blue boy scout uniform, Mohammed Jaisham Ibrahim, was among Maldives crowd waiting for the president when the attacker lunged out from the crowd. The attacker hid a knife in the Maldivian flag. The attacker tried a second time until he was overpowered by security guards. President Maumoon Gayoom was unhurt.

"Jaisham our national hero saves the president," the Midhu Daily newspaper cheered in a headline.

Maldives is an island country with1,190 coral islands in the Indian Ocean.

I used to be a boy scout when I was studying in Immaculate Concepion Parish School, located in Lantana Street, Cubao, Quezon City. I remember going on “camping expeditions” in Mt. Makiling. And the Maldives boy’s act of bravery definitely exemplifies the values of the boy scout movement.

The Boy Scout Movement was founded in 1907, when Lt. General Robert Baden-Powell held the first “campigng” on Brownsea Island, South England. Baden-Powell also wrote “Scouting for Boys” which described the Scout method of using outdoor activities to develop character, citizenship, and personal fitness qualities among youth.

Gayoom had ruled since 1978 and helped turn it into a major tourist destination.