Aarvidi’s Weblog

Raja Petra is in the limelight. Blogs everywhere write up on him. But I have yet to see anyone commenting on Syed Akbar the writer of 2 books. This report does not say, whether he was bailed out or still lingering in the prison. What are the charges. I have checked Malaysia Today and don’t find anything.

Unlike Raja Petra I don’t know him at all, or have read his books. He must be undergoing an ordeal and I thought this posting will make him known.

Before starting my blog, I have commented a lot on other people’s postings. Some of them short, sometimes lengthy, although rarely, trying to express my views. I can understand that when you comment the tendency is to be to the point, and sometimes this can be rude or out of context. I receive many such comments in my blog. Sometimes, I don’t even know, whether the comments are against on what I say or whether it is complimentary to what I write. Nevertheless, most of the comments to me is allowed, encouraging the commentator for the trouble taken.

I don’t know what category Syed Akbar is in. I hope somebody will give me feedback, to know all about his case and perhaps join him and offer what assistance is necessary. Maybe not financially, but the least moral support. Please think about this.

KUALA LUMPUR: Syed Akbar Ali (pic), the businessman who claimed trial to a charge of posting a seditious comment on the news portal of Malaysia Today, is a writer as well.

The 48-year-old published his first book titled To Digress A Little in July 2005 and his second book Malaysia and the Club of Doom the following year, according to two book review websites.

The former banker was charged in a Sessions Court here yesterday for a comment on Arabs and Islam that he had posted with Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s article on “Malaysia’s organised crime syndicate: all roads lead to Putrajaya”.

He was alleged to have committed the offence at Zeenath Begum Jewellers Sdn Bhd in Jalan Masjid India on June 5 last year.

Syed Akbar, who was born in Ipoh, was a newspaper columnist for eight years for an English and Malay daily. He is married with two children.

The writer received his early education at the Anglo Chinese School and finished his schooling at the Penang Free School.

He obtained his undergraduate degree from a university in the United States.

Syed Akbar an author of two books

I feel sorry for the Pasir Mas voters who voted in this monster of a person without any sympathy for those who are not as lucky as him. This is the malady of those voted in for office, once in, they show their true colours, and Ibrahim Ali you are no exception. I am sure there are disabled people in Pasir Mas who crossed their votes in his favour, and if they knew his antics would curse him. But then the elected people think, I am already in and nothing can change my position in the next 4 or 5 years. Many people have failed in this, as the election result showed, your sins or omissions are remembered with the advent of blogs and the Internet.

Assuming he was carried away, or to quote our Home Minister Hamid, throwing ideas, towards Karpal Singh, and today clamouring to show love for the disabled, from the bottom of his heart, would any disabled person believe him. It would be needless to say they don’t. I am not here supporting Karpal, but what Ibrahim feels and thinks, is quite ludicrous. All people who are disabled for one reason or another, stick together. They are comrades in arms. Whether it is Karpal or any other disabled person the attack he made in Parliament affects every person who has a deficiency. So he can’t hate Karpal and love others. Something is missing here.

I should suggest MADD continue to make this monster understand the seriousness of his utterance, get together offer him roses to show your love to a person who despise you. There is no better punishment.

What if you are disabled one day, who can tell, my only hope this does not happen to Ibrahim.

KUALA LUMPUR: A commotion broke out in the Parliament lobby Thursday when Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Independent - Pasir Mas) stormed out of a meeting with a group of disabled people demanding for his apology to Karpal Singh at the Parliament lobby at noon.

The group, known as Malaysians Against the Discrimination of the Disabled (MADD), urged Ibrahim to retract insulting statements he made against Karpal recently when he asked the latter to stand when speaking in Dewan Rakyat.

Ibrahim had apologised to the group initially for hurting their feelings over the remarks he made in the Dewan Rakyat to Karpal.

However, he refused to say sorry to Karpal.

“My problem was with Karpal Singh and never with all of you. I have never offended you and I love disabled people from the bottom of my heart.

“But if you all have misinterpreted my meaning, I extend my sincerest apologies.

“I hope you don’t misunderstand this because there are groups trying to take advantage of you,” he said, referring to several Pakatan Rakyat leaders, Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Lim Lip Eng, Loh Gwo Burne, Gobind Singh Deo and others, who had escorted the group into Parliament.

Ibrahim even added that he would propose that the Government allocate a RM500 monthly allowance to the disabled. This was greeted with cheers.

A huge spat soon ensued, however, when Lim Lip Eng (DAP - Segambut) questioned Ibrahim if he would offer a similar apology to Karpal Singh.

To this, Ibrahim shouted: “No! No! No!”

“I will not apologise to Karpal. You cannot force me. I will not apologise for the benefit of the Opposition party,” he retorted, and stormed off from the meeting.”

In response, the group shouted back at him: “What if you are disabled one day?”

A representative from MADD later handed over a memorandum to Opposition Leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Last week, Ibrahim critised Karpal for not standing up to speak when Bung Mokhtar and Karpal were engaged in a heated exchange of insults in the Dewan Rakyat.

Ibrahim apologises to disabled, but not to Karpal Singh

From day one this program has been jinxed. Nothing short of bringing a voodoo man, a bomoh, or some religious mumbo jumbo, can change the misfortunes of this program. I think this is the doing of God who has definitely not given his blessings. So, even these magic men can’t do much. Based on our limited human understanding, if things don’t work out the way it should, thrash the whole idea, and introduce something different.

A trainee complains of stomach ache at 3 PM. Patient dies at 10.45 PM, just after 7.45 minutes. Another matter to be noted, she was send to the hospital at 8.30 PM, still alright, and the hospital said she could go home, but God intervened and within 2.15 minutes she was gone. Dead man tell no tales, only Too Hui Min knows what happened.

Let us not point fingers, she is the 17th person, and before it tallies to the 18th, save the boys and girls who join up to do good service but end up in the morgue. Najib and Lee Lam Thye, enough is enough, please come down to earth, admit the whole program is a dismal failure and close shop. The youths will praise you. Other commercial ventures are available.

KUALA LUMPUR: A National Service trainee who complained of an upset stomach after having lunch, died nine hours later at a hospital.

National Service Training Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil said Too Hui Min, 18, died on Wednesday at 10.45pm at the Slim River Hospital in Perak.

The teenager and 177 other trainees from the Geo Kosmo Camp in Kuala Kubu Baru, had chicken rice for lunch while training at the shooting range in Jugra Banting, Selangor. They arrived at the range at 1.45pm,

However, at 3pm, Too complained of an upset stomach and was checked on site by a paramedic on standby. Too, he said, was not allowed to continue with the shooting training and was given medication for wind.

She was then taken back to the camp before she was driven to the hospital.

“Too was the only one who suffered an upset stomach. We are quite puzzled as the rest of the trainees are fine.

“We convey our deepest condolences to the deceased’s family. However, we are not taking this lightly and will conduct a thorough investigation.

“But we will not pre-empt anything and will be speaking to everyone including the food caterers, health and NS officers,” Abdul Hadi said at a press conference here Thursday.

Too, he said, reached the camp at 5.30pm and was checked according to procedure by a Health Ministry medical officer.

“She was conscious all through and not in critical condition. She was then sent to the hospital at 8.30pm and placed in the observation ward,” he said, adding that her family was also informed.

Abdul Hadi said the hospital staff told the NS officers that they could leave the hospital as her condition was not critical.

“She became critical at 10pm and died at 10.45pm,” he said, adding that Too had suffered constipation on March 19 but did not have any other medical problems as far as they knew.

On why Too was only sent to hospital at 8.30pm, Abdul Hadi said medical procedures were followed and she would have been rushed immediately if the situation warranted it.

Too, who is from Kuala Selangor, celebrated her birthday last month and was just one month short of completing her NS training stint.

There had been 16 deaths since National Service started in 2004, including two this year. The deaths included those who went on holidays or had accidents outside the camp.

Abdul Hadi said he met with the Health Ministry’s officials three days ago to discuss all aspects of NS trainees’ health and had suggested a required medical check-up for all trainees before they entered the camps, a suggestion that was raised last year.

“Currently, parents have to fill up a declaration form and identify whether their child suffered from any of the 32 ailments listed. If yes, then they have to undergo a check-up,” he said.

The Ministry’s National Service health technical committee would look into the proposal before it was discussed at the NS Training Council meeting on June 3.

NS trainee dies after upset stomach

Raja Petra agrees to post bail

PETALING JAYA: Raja Petra Kamaruddin has agreed to post bail after his wife Marina Lee Abdullah met him at Sg Buloh prison on Thursday.

Marina finally got to see her husband this morning after he twice refused to meet her on Wednesday.

She is on her way to the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court to post bail for him.

Raja Petra agrees to post bail

Let me add my two cents worth of comments on Bernas. Some 8 or 9 years ago in Ipoh, I was told I could get my supply of rice from Bernas and that this rice will be good quality and cheap. I drove down to the Bernas centre and enquired on a certain brand and was told there was no stock. The storage area was practically empty of rice and out of curiosity enquired from one of the talkative staff why this is so. The gist of the information was, the bulk of the rice stock is send to the wholesale merchants and this is a deal direct from supplier to the merchants and Bernas is only a facilitator or agent. Surprised, I left the place. The rot was there in Bernas for a long time, and now it is out in the open. The CEO or Director should be held responsible.

I refer to the Malaysiakini report Gov’t to subsidise rice price.

Why are we being burdened about rice? Where is the explanation by the government? How could our padi land become gazetted development zones? Is the global demand to be blamed again for our own misfortune? What has the Agriculture Minister to say about the current and future status of our rice stockpile?

Where are the arrests of those who have sold rice above the authorised price? It is a well-known fact that Malaysia is unable to be self-sufficient in rice so it has turned to imports. Bernas was supposed to manage the rice by ensuring a healthy balance of domestic production and imports but instead it has betrayed its trust by raising the price of rice without approval from the government.

This happened during the time of Muhyddin Yassin when he as agricultural minister but he did not come out to condemn the unauthorised price increase nor was any justification provided. Why?

Bernas has leased land to cultivate padi in foreign countries as perhaps importing it into Malaysia is more profitable than increasing our own domestic production. Couldn’t the PM think of this before? Bernas should be dismantled and a transparent policy instituted for an open market with the cake being fairly shared by padi growers, millers and others.

Since it is a controlled commodity the government must be able to dictate a fair margin of profit for padi farmers who have be left at the bottom rung of the economic ladder for far too long while millers and traders exploited the market for their own gains. As always, the workers come last and given the lowest priority over corporate and government interests.

The perils of food shortage in the whole world is real and the worst is yet to come. Malaysia has not been self-sufficient in food production so it is vital that the national agenda be shifted to ensure that home grown food is enough for us to be self-sufficient and that we reduce imports. Why has the government not done this earlier?

Perhaps these imports support many companies, perhaps it is good for the economy and balance of trade with other countries. And all those national priorities for the citizens have been forgotten and instead the government has cared only for the interests of corporate cronies and national economic interests rather than the real threat of being not self-sufficient in domestic food production.

If a government can’t put the interests of the public first, then it has no business to be in authority.

Rice price: What was Bernas doing?

Many years ago my wife and I were washing the car, which I had purchased recently. An elderly gentleman, a recent arrival from India, commented ‘a new wife will clean and dust and wipe anything and everything she sees, but as she gets older will not even clean her own surroundings’. Nowadays, it is common to say a new broom sweeps well. Such was my reaction when I read that tolls may be lowered. I am happy but may have to wait for another 3 months before anything happens. How could Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed be so cruel and contradictory to the views of his predecessor Samy Vellu, who felt and believed Malaysians enjoyed paying toll. Whatever feelings the people had towards Sam as the Works Minister, one thing remains crystal clear. He was the father of tolls and if not for him, many a toll concessionaire would still be repairing and tarring broken down roads throughout the country. Sam helped them, and now with a clear conscious they can present Sam with a memento of appreciation now that he is not remembered that well. Something to uplift his low spirits and disposition.

This man has suffered. The people have been very unkind and have inhumanely removed Samy’s:

• Sungei Siput position as MP for over 3 decades
• exemplar performance at Parliament for the same period
• importance as an Indian leader for the Indians
• iron grip of MIC
• statements do not carry the same weight as before March 8
• pride, arrogance, and most of all his self-confidence that what he says and does is correct…correct…correct.

Come on dear citizens have a heart.

TOLL rates and highway concession agreements which burden the people are being reviewed in view of the rising cost of living.

Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed said a toll review mechanism to gauge traffic volume and toll collected at the 22 highways nationwide could result in lower toll and re-negotiations of the agreements.

If the traffic volume is high, there should not be a need to increase toll rates at any particular route, he said at a press conference at Parliament Lobby yesterday.

Among matters being looked into is the Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (PLUS) highway concession, where the toll rate hike scheduled for last January has been delayed for a year.

Mohd Zin said parts of the PlUS highway would also be re-designated as “urban link” such as the stretch between Rawang and Nilai and “inter-urban exchange” such as stretches of highways passing within the areas of Ipoh, Seremban and Johor Baru.

“Also being considered is the highway traffic volume, the respective clause in the concession agreement, the toll rates, and the concession period.

“The ministry is also giving a re-look at the (concessionaires’) financing of loans, maintenance and operation (costs).”

Mohd Zin said the review would focus on the revenue from toll collection as against the cost involved in the management and maintenance of the highways.

“And, if this can lead to a reduction of toll rates.”

The New Straits Times Online…..

I do not know why we must be concerned with Jamry Sury anymore. The mystery has been solved. He is a thorough pure bred UMNO man, and under the circumstance how can he bow down and show obeisance to an opposition party. His loyalty is toward UMNO, and possibly owes his present position as Director to being an UMNO stalwart. Do you want him to be a traitor and be ungrateful to his political background. Surely not. Give him a chance. Don’t pressure him, because he has enough pressure submitting and pretending to be a good civil servant by working for an alien government, yet at the same time nurture and take steps to ensure the power of UMNO prevails. I would not like to in his position now. The unfriendly environment of the bosses and his suspected loyalty will take its toll soon. He sure is regretting coming back to face the music as such.

POH: Datuk Jamry Sury officially resumed his duties as the state Religious Department director after clocking-in at 7.30am at Kompleks Islam here yesterday.

It is believed that he had finally received his “appointment” letter signed by State Secretary Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim a day earlier.
However, it looks like the whole episode of him being transferred out immediately and subsequently being reinstated a week later is not quite over just yet.
Jamry’s ability in carrying out his duties in a fair manner because of his status as an Umno member has now been questioned by a group of Pas members from the party’s Ipoh Timur division.
“We are suspicious (curiga) after learning that he is a Parit Buntar Umno member. He might be biased against the present Pakatan Rakyat-led state government,” division chief Salman Saleh told reporters outside Jamry’s office here yesterday.

Reading from a memorandum which was earlier handed over to the department’s deputy director Mohd Yusop Husin, he called upon Jamry to work with the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government in a professional manner.
“We also question his failure to fully co-operate with the state government as he must carry out his duties in a responsible and trustworthy manner.
“He must set aside both personal sentiments and narrow political ideologies and accept the rakyat’s decision,” Salman said.
He also called upon Jamry to relinquish his post in a graceful manner should the latter fail to provide the fullest co-operation and service to the state government.
“Jamry must place the interests of the people, especially Muslims, above everything else,” Salman said.
When contacted, Jamry only said that he wished to thank the media for highlighting the matter throughout the week.
“I do not want to say anything more as I do not want to be in the limelight,” he said.
Last Monday, he was ordered to be immediately transferred out to the state secretariat by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin for failing to co-operate with the state government.
Perak Raja Muda Raja Nazrin Shah, acting on behalf of Sultan Azlan Shah, summoned Nizar to the palace on Friday, where the latter was ordered to reinstate Jamry.
The following day, Nizar said he would seek an audience with Sultan Azlan Shah as soon as possible to apologise for Jamry’s transfer.
The menteri besar was told he was obliged to seek an audience with the Sultan and Raja Muda to seek their consent before taking any steps in relation to Islamic affairs or Islamic bodies and agencies.
These include appointments, placements and transfers of officers and staff who manage Islamic affairs.

The New Straits Times Online….