Latest news with #Aidiladha
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Maritime agency puts up RM1mil to develop Trong village
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has allocated RM1mil to develop Kampung Temerlok in Trong, near Taiping in Perak, under its Madani Adopted Village programme. MMEA director-general Admiral (Maritime) Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah said the agency's efforts now extended beyond maritime security, with renewed focus on uplifting inland rural communities. 'Our role goes beyond safeguarding the seas. 'We are also committed to serving the people through community-based programmes and targeted outreach efforts,' he told Bernama. The initiative, funded by the Finance Ministry, supports five key projects including repairs to the Sungai Tok Lin jetty, a vital economic lifeline for local fishermen. Other improvements include roof repairs at Al-Mahmudiah religious school, upgrades at the flood relief centre in SK Temerlok, maintenance and repair works at Masjid Al-Mahmudiah as well as cleaning of the mosque grounds and the nearby Muslim cemetery. The mosque also received two air-conditioning units, installed in its meeting room. Mohd Rosli said the agency had previously donated three cows for Aidiladha, with meat distributed to 200 residents. More than 150 MMEA personnel joined villagers in a gotong-royong to clean the village, mosque and cemetery.
New Straits Times
09-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Asyraf serves RM1mil legal notice on Papagomo over alleged slander
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
- Barnama
- 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)
CNA
23-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
‘I feared the worst': Malaysian evacuees from Iran share feelings of relief, déjà vu, amid Middle East conflict
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians stuck in Iran amid an escalating conflict with Israel have spoken of their anxieties in trying to leave the country, as well as relief after they were finally evacuated by their government. The group of 17 Malaysians arrived back at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Sunday (Jun 22) night, along with six Iranians and one Singaporean. For one Malaysian evacuee, there was also a sense of déjà vu. It was the second time 72-year-old Suraiya Ali had been caught in a conflict in the Islamic republic. The first was more than 40 years ago during the Iran-Iraq war. 'Forty years ago, after I got married and finished my studies, I lived in Iran. I was there when the Iran-Iraq war broke out,' she told the New Straits Times (NST) when met at KLIA. 'I even worked there briefly but had to return to Malaysia when my son was just two years old.' 'I never returned (back to Iran) until two weeks ago, and once again, war broke out. I was trapped twice, 40 years apart,' Suraiya recounted. Suraiya had travelled to Iran on Jun 13 with her husband to celebrate Aidiladha and visit her family. Aidiladha is a major holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide for three to four days. She and her husband were scheduled to return on Jun 18 but flight cancellations and airport closures had left them stranded. In a major escalation, Israel on Jun 13 launched airstrikes against Iran's military targets and nuclear programmes, as well as targeting scientists and generals. Explosions were seen and heard in the capital city, Tehran. 'We didn't know what to do. My husband bought tickets to Dubai for Jun 29, but the situation kept deteriorating,' Suraiya told reporters as quoted by NST. Her prayers were eventually answered when her son in Malaysia informed her that the Malaysian Embassy in Tehran and Malaysia's Foreign Affairs Ministry Wisma Putra had arranged an evacuation. 'ARDUOUS LONG JOURNEYS, DANGEROUS ROADS' IN 1,000KM OVERLAND JOURNEY 'We boarded a 15-hour-bus ride from Shiraz to Tehran to meet the embassy's departure deadline,' Suraiya recounted. 'The embassy staff treated us like family. It wasn't easy, we endured long journeys and dangerous roads but we were never left on our own,' Suraiya added. On Sunday, Malaysia's Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a news release that the group comprised one Singaporean, 17 Malaysians and six Iranians who are dependents of Malaysian citizens. They crossed the Iran-Turkmenistan border on Saturday and arrived at KLIA via a Malaysia Airlines flight. Malaysia's ambassador to Iran, Khairi Omar, who led the group, told the media on Sunday that they had to travel about 1,000km by land to exit Tehran. According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, all 24 individuals crossed the Iran-Turkmenistan border on Jun 21 and boarded Turkmenistan Airlines Flight T5 647 on Jun 22 to Bangkok before continuing their journey to Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Airlines flight MH781. The Malaysian embassies in Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat and Bangkok facilitated flight arrangements from Ashgabat to Malaysia. 'We chose a route away from the source of the attacks, which were coming from the west, so we headed east. Thankfully, we received strong cooperation from the Turkmenistan government, which allowed foreign nationals to cross the border,' Khairi said, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today. For 33-year-old Fadli Yusni, the crisis pushed him to make a bold decision to attempt to fly to Iran to evacuate his wife Zainab, an Iranian national and student in Malaysia who had been stranded in the Islamic Republic while visiting her parents. 'I couldn't just wait here (in Malaysia). I wanted to go to her and bring her home myself,' he told NST. 'The past 10 days were filled with panic. I kept checking the news, my phone. Every time I couldn't reach her, I feared the worst,' Fadli said. The 33-year-old eventually sought help from the Malaysian Embassy in Tehran, which was in close contact with Khairi - the Malaysian ambassador - who assisted Fadli in registering his wife Zainab for evacuation. Both Khairi and Suraiya had expressed their appreciation to the embassy and everyone involved in the evacuation. The group of evacuees were welcomed by Malaysia's foreign ministry's deputy secretary-general of bilateral affairs Ahmad Rozian Abd Ghani on Sunday at the airport. The foreign ministry meanwhile expressed its appreciation to the governments of Iran, Turkmenistan and Thailand for their cooperation which enabled the smooth return home for the Malaysians. 'The inclusion of a Singaporean citizen in this operation, along with the assistance extended to the citizens of Brunei Darussalam, further reflects Malaysia's readiness to provide support to nationals of fellow ASEAN member states, in line with the spirit of regional solidarity,' read the ministry's statement on Jun 22. This is as the ministry confirmed that the Malaysian embassy in Ashgabat had assisted in the repatriation of Bruneian citizens from Turkmenistan to their home country. According to Khairi, Malaysia's ambassador to Iran, around 12 Malaysians were still in Iran, and the foreign ministry was closely monitoring their situation to ensure their safety, Free Malaysia Today reported. On Saturday, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hassan ordered the temporary closure of the Malaysian Embassy in Iran, instructing the embassy staff in the country to return home immediately. THREE OTHER SINGAPOREANS EVACUATED TO OMAN: SINGAPORE'S MFA On Monday, Singapore's Foreign Ministry in a statement also confirmed that a family of three Singaporeans was evacuated from Tehran to Oman's Muscat alongside a group of Omanis and other nationals. Singapore's MFA said that it has been providing consular assistance to Singaporeans in Iran, including exploring evacuation options in the absence of a Singapore diplomatic mission in Iran. "The Singapore Embassy in Muscat and the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur worked closely with their host governments and embassy counterparts to facilitate the Singaporeans' departure from Iran," it said on Monday, expressing its gratitude to the governments of Oman and Malaysia. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, its foreign ministry confirmed that the individuals evacuated from Iran will be flown home in phases on Monday, reported Antara news agency. 'The first batch of flights by commercial airlines will depart on Monday and arrive in Jakarta on Jun 24,' Director for the Protection of Indonesians Judha Nugraha said in his written remarks on Sunday. Those evacuated comprised 93 Indonesians, three Indonesian embassy staff and an Iranian spouse of an Indonesian, who were evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan. Photos published by Indonesia's foreign ministry on Sunday showed its top official Rolliansyah Soemirat accompanying the evacuated Indonesians to Astara, Iran, before crossing the Iran-Azerbaijan border on Saturday evening local time.
New Straits Times
23-06-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Malaysian evacuated from Iran recalls enduring similar trauma 40 years ago
SEPANG: A sense of relief sank in as the 24 people, including 17 Malaysians, evacuated from conflict-stricken Iran stepped foot at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport last night. For some, it was a return to peace. For others, it was déjà vu as the evacuees from Iran recounted their ordeals. Dr Suraiya Ali, one of the evacuees, said the evacuation marked the second time she had been trapped in conflict in the Islamic republic, the first being over four decades ago during the Iran–Iraq war. "Forty years ago, after I got married and finished my studies, I lived in Iran. I was there when the Iran–Iraq war broke out. "I even worked there briefly but had to return to Malaysia when my son was just two years old. "I never returned until two weeks ago, and once again, war broke out. I was trapped twice, 40 years apart," she told reporters when met at KLIA. Dr Suraiya had travelled to Iran on June 13 with her husband to celebrate Aidiladha and visit her family. They were scheduled to return on June 18, but flight cancellations and airport closures left them stranded. "We didn't know what to do. My husband bought tickets to Dubai for June 29, but the situation kept deteriorating," she said. Her prayers were answered when her son in Malaysia informed her that the Malaysian Embassy in Tehran and Wisma Putra had arranged an evacuation. "That same night, we boarded a 15-hour bus ride from Shiraz to Tehran to meet the embassy's departure deadline. "I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Malaysian government and Wisma Putra. "The embassy staff treated us like family. It wasn't easy, we endured long journeys and dangerous roads, but we were never left on our own," she said. Meanwhile, for 33-year-old Fadli Yusni, the crisis pushed him to make a bold decision. He attempted to fly to Iran to be with his wife, Zainab, an Iranian national and student in Malaysia who had been stranded while visiting her parents. "I couldn't just wait here. I wanted to go to her, to bring her home myself," he said. But his effort fell short. Fadli only made it as far as Uzbekistan before the conflict forced him to abandon the mission. "The past 10 days were filled with panic. I kept checking the news, my phone. Every time I couldn't reach her, I feared the worst," he said. Fadli eventually sought help from the Malaysian Embassy in Tehran, staying in close contact with Ambassador Khairi Omar, who assisted him in registering Zainab for evacuation. "I told her to immediately get in touch with the embassy. Alhamdulillah, everything went smoothly after that. "I'm truly grateful to everyone involved," he said. The evacuees' journey involved a 1,000 kilometre overland route from Tehran to the Iran–Turkmenistan border, an overnight stop, and flights from Ashgabat via Bangkok before finally landing at KLIA. They were greeted by their loved ones at KLIA's arrival hall, with smiles and sighs of relief as families reunited after their arduous journey across borders and multiple countries.
