Thank You Malaysia.
Salam everyone!n I have 5 mins of using internet in Crown Plaza Hotel in Amman Jordan. Rakan-rakan seperjuangan, barisan pemimpin-pemimpin Malaysia, Rakyat Malaysia keseluruhannya, sy mengucapkan jutaan terima Kasih atas segala usaha dan berkat doa mengiringi konvoi Talian Hayat Utk Gaza. Jutaan terima kasih kerana mengadakan pelbagai usaha termasuk solat hajat demi memastikan 12 orang ahli konvoi Malaysia selamat dan keluar dari Israel. Pada masa sama, terima kasih kepada semua media dan saudara wartawan di Malaysia yang sedikit sebanyak meringankan kerisauan mama dan papa dengan bertemu secara peribadi dengan mereka di Alor Setar. Objektif konvoi adalah menyerahkan bantuan kemanusiaan kepada penduduk Gaza secara terus, dan sy dan Samsul Kamal berperanan mengetengahkan realiti sebenar kehidupan dan mesej kepada dunia agar kepungan dan dasar Israelisasi rejim Israel dapat dilumpuhkan. Namun kami gagal menjejakan kaki di bumi Gaza.
Kini sy berharap agar semua pihak berdoa agar kapal Rachel Corrie milik Tun Dr Mahathir dapat menembusi sekatan Israel di perairan Gaza. 6 warga Malaysia terdiri drpd aktivis PGPO termasuk Abang Shamsul Tocang semuanya atas kapal kini bertarung nyawa untuk hantar bantuan ke Gaza dalam gelombang kedua Flotilla. Sy berharap semua berdoa keselamatan mereka terjamin.
Ashwad Ismail
Wartawan Astro AWANI
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Burma Political Climate
June 2010, will be a historic democratic transition in Myanmar since 1989. However, the famous Aung San Suu Kyi won’t contest it due to her house arrest.
This election will help Burma regain its rightful place in the regional and global mainstream. At least, break out of their isolation in international geopolitical landscape.
US interest on ASEAN post Bush era step in to the new paradigm. Normalisation of Myanmar will not only inject new momentum to ASEAN, but also invigorate the relationship between ASEAN and supranationalist bloc of US-EUROPE.
Progress towards democracy, however, the transition will not occur overnight. One thing for sure, military rulers, the junta do not give up power easily.
ASEAN has to play big role on helping Burma especially in aspect of participation of the generals in democratic politics should be allowed. Or else, absolutism and totalitarianism will remain as a pillar of Burma.
LAUNCHING OF MEASAT 3A
While the world is struggling with the highly dangerous swine flu H1N1, I was in Russia and Baikonur, Kazakhstan for 6 days to witness the launching of our fourth communication satellite, MEASAT 3A.
Those are some historic moment and places I visited.
M3A
Before blast off...
Mon and me in action
Earlier, we went to visit our M3A at the launching pad…
ASTRO Team at the launch pad in Baikonur Cosmodrome
We visited some other places as well in Baikonur.
Launching pad for Vostok in 1961 for First Man on Space Yuri Gagarin
In this completely deserted (no wonder got a lot of camels) windy area, we’re staying at Sputnik Hotel…
Arrived at Sputnik Hotel
Back in Moscow..We visit Red Square, Starcity Space center.
Starcity
Astro Guerilla Movement
During briefing at Starcity....centre, COO MEASAT, Paul Brown Kenyon
Kremlin
With Mon and Christina from The Star
Astro Team in Red Square, Centre: Salina
- Red Square
Restaurant at Red Square...Pectopah, actually Russian spelling of restaurant
- Inside the restaurant, makan time ..with salina Berita Harian and Puru
Press Team during Welcome Dinner at Marriot Aurora
Last but not least, Thanks to Adrian, Puru and Mon, Pleasure working with you guys! Best of the best , creme de’ la creme production…
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Logging In Belum: Stairways To Catastrophe
IT was what I would refer to as “a heaven on earth”. Six adolescent years later, it has morphed into another cloudy and turbid river.
I’m referring to Sungai Chiong, once considered by many as one of the best fishing spot located at the National Park Belum Rainforest, Grik in Perak.
My recent visit to the virgin forest for a fishing trip with Papachik and Pak Ngah Min was an eye-opener experience. I was shocked by the current situation in Sg. Chiong. The site which I literally grew up in, thanks to my late Tok Papak who would take me on his numerous fishing excursions, has lost its magic. It was as if Mother Nature had forgotten to work on her magical wand to make the place as beautiful as it used to be.
Gone are the sights of a world-class rainforest which had provided me valuable and unforgettable memories. This is due to the greed and narrow millennium-minded responsible in “killing” our mother nature through logging activities which had taken the place by storm.
If this massacre activities persist without any actions taken by the authorities, I bet another river will face the same problem.
My plea, save the National Belom Rainforest before it’s too late. I’m worried, that it will inevitably lead to another destruction akin THE state political crisis.
We’ll just wait and see…
Pulau Tujuh
From Sungai Chiong, we advanced to Pulau Tujuh and continued our fishing trip along the ravine.
We had a great deal of enjoyment during the 2 day-1- night back-to-nature retreat. 13 Sebarau says it all. Deep in our hearts, we knew that it was important to keep the spirit of Tok Papak alive.
The three of us unanimously agreed that Pulau Tujuh still has its uniqueness or simply said, “hutan masih dara”. Thank goodness…
As I’m posting this edition, the loggers are doing what they do best … cutting down “the balaks” at the good ole’ Pulau Tujuh…
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