
Inmate named Aidiladha among 54 freed ahead of Aidiladha celebration
The 26-year-old had been convicted of minor drug trafficking last year and was sentenced to 14 months in prison.
Having been in and out of prison three times, he was originally scheduled for release this August.
"I'm grateful to be released earlier than expected, but this Aidiladha feels meaningless as my family has remained silent.
"They didn't come to pick me up after my release.
"I'm fortunate to have secured a job immediately upon my release today. I want to begin a meaningful new chapter in life, especially one free from drugs," he said.
He was among the 54 inmates from Bentong and Penor Prisons in Kuantan who were released during the PBSL Ihsan Madani 2025 ceremony, held in conjunction with Aidiladha at the Dewan Perdana, Bentong Prison, recently.
Another inmate, Ayu, 30, was also released under the same programme.
She had been sentenced to 12 months in prison for drug-related offences and had previously served time once before.
Ayu was initially scheduled to be released in August.
"I miss my two children, aged 10 and 13. I can't wait to celebrate Aidiladha with them. I'm sure they miss me too," she said.

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No bull: Trader loses RM100,000 to fake ‘Datuk' promising lucrative cattle rearing investment
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New Straits Times
09-07-2025
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KUALA LUMPUR: Mara chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki today served a letter of demand on Wan Muhammad Azri, better known as Papagomo, over allegations that he had abused his power and misappropriated agency funds. In a Facebook post, Asyraf said the notice was delivered by his lawyer to Wan Azri at his residence at 2.15pm today. "Enough of the culture of hateful politics and baseless slander. We must instil a sense of responsibility for one's words and actions. "Even if one has no fear of consequences in this world, may there still be some fear of Allah's punishment for spreading lies. "See you in court!" he wrote in the post. Earlier, Asyraf, who is also Umno secretary-general, had announced in a video post that he would be filing a RM1 million lawsuit against Wan Azri for defamation. He also refuted claims that he had awarded Mara food supply contracts and other projects to UMNO division leaders, or used agency funds for the recent sacrificial slaughter in Gerik in conjunction with Aidiladha. He said that not a single sen of Mara money was used for the religious ritual. "Instead, many individuals came forward to donate as a charitable act for the people of Gerik. One of the sacrificial cows was my personal contribution to the local Mara office," he said.

Barnama
26-06-2025
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- One Crash Too Many: Why We Can't Wait For The Next Tragedy
26/06/2025 10:34 AM Opinions on topical issues from thought leaders, columnists and editors. By : Mohd Zaidi Md Zabri On June 9, fifteen Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students were killed and 33 others injured in a road accident involving a chartered bus near Km53 of the East–West Highway. They were on their way back to campus after the Aidiladha holidays. The crash shook the nation. For me, it struck even closer. By happenstance, Gerik is my mother's hometown. When I saw the images of the twisted bus, the bent guardrails, and the familiar hills in the background, I felt a chill of recognition. This wasn't just a tragic headline. It was personal. Notwithstanding my personal connection, the experience behind the tragedy is all too relatable for university and boarding school students across Malaysia. We've all taken those overnight buses. It was nerve-wracking to say the least. We've felt the driver speeding or overtaking on winding roads. We looked at each other, uneasy. Most of the time, we slept, or in my case, pretended to with my eyes shut, because I usually have trouble sleeping in a moving vehicle. It was easier not to see what was unfolding outside the window. But ultimately, we said nothing. The reason is simple. We were too young to speak up. And too scared of the consequences. Those who have experienced such journeys will know that the power distance between driver and passenger is real. Speaking up felt rude, even disrespectful. Worse, we feared being told to get off. And when you're young, broke, far from home, and without alternatives, silence often feels like the safer choice. Public outcry and official response This time, the silence didn't last. The crash triggered an outpouring of grief, anger and demands for accountability. On campuses, and across social media, the public made itself heard. On June 13, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) announced a key enforcement shift. From October 1, all express buses, tour buses, and heavy goods vehicles must pass inspections to verify the use of functioning speed limiters. I don't know about you, but for me, it begs a simple yet powerful question: why did it take a tragedy to enforce such a rule? What's truly mind boggling is that speed limiters were first proposed by then Transport Minister (now Tun) Ling Liong Sik about two decades ago. Three measures that could save lives While the government's response marks progress, systemic reform is still needed. The following three measures are essential if Malaysia is serious about preventing another tragedy. First, with speed limiters now mandated for all chartered and long-distance buses, the next step is to link them to a real-time GPS system and make the data public -much like how Flightradar24 transformed transparency in air travel. A similar system for long-distance buses could allow families, schools and passengers to monitor routes, speeds and delays in real time. This would not only build public trust but also create a culture of accountability where dangerous driving can no longer hide in the dark. In Rwanda, this exact policy of mandatory speed limiter led to a 60 pr cent reduction in accident rates and 70 per cent fewer road fatalities within a year of implementation. In Bangladesh, similar reforms cut road accidents by 40 per cent and fatalities by half. Malaysia must follow this example with full enforcement and no exceptions. Second, Malaysia must create a transparent driver registry that records traffic summonses, safety violations, and disciplinary actions. This database should be accessible to schools, universities, companies, and the public. In Australia, following the 2023 Hunter Valley crash, safety reforms now include visual seatbelt alerts and new design rules for passenger coaches. These came alongside growing calls for transparent driver safety records. Such tools help restore trust while holding repeat offenders accountable. Commercial drivers with repeated offences must be permanently disqualified from transporting passengers. Third, seatbelts must be compulsory for every seat, not just those in the front row. In the United States, federal law has required lap and shoulder belts in all new motorcoaches since 2016. Scotland made seatbelts mandatory on school transport under the Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Act 2017. Australia will require seatbelts on all new coaches from late 2026, with audio-visual reminders to ensure usage. To be fair, such a move would impose significant costs on operators. Western Australia addressed this by allocating AUD87 million (RM265.35 million) to retrofit all school buses. Malaysia should adopt a similar approach. Targeted grants or tax incentives can help offset retrofit costs and make compliance feasible. From an Islamic economics perspective, such public support promotes fairness, or 'adl, by ensuring operators are not unfairly burdened. It also serves maslahah, or public good, by protecting vulnerable passengers and supporting the welfare of the wider community. From silence to systemic change The Gerik crash is more than just another tragic headline. It is a sobering reminder of how fragile the lives of young passengers can be when systems fail them. It also exposes the quiet power imbalances that shape how public transport is experienced. When passengers feel too intimidated to question authority or too poor to risk confrontation; that is not just a cultural gap. It is a structural failing. When fear of speaking up outweighs fear of the road, the system is broken. Let this be the moment we fix it. Let Gerik be the last time silence rides with us. -- BERNAMA Dr Mohd Zaidi Md Zabri is the Interim Director at the Centre of Excellence for Research and Innovation in Islamic Economics (i-RISE), ISRA Institute, INCEIF University. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of BERNAMA)