Wednesday, September 12, 2007


Petition to The Agong

Malaysia Today is going to send a Peoples’ Petition (Petisyen Rakyat) to His Highness The Yang di-Pertuan Agong. I really do not need to go into the host of reasons for the dire need of this Peoples’ Petition. Amongst some of the issues which are of concern to the Malaysian people are:

1) The recent shooting of two people in Kuala Terengganu.

2) The reported gang clashes in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johore over the 50th Merdeka celebration holiday that resulted in a few deaths.

3) The Auditor-General’s report that revealed gross and blatant abuses and transgressions in the management of the peoples’ money involving billions of Ringgit.

4) The state of affairs in the Royal Malaysian Police where even the former IGP Tun Hanif Omar admitted that corruption is a serious problem.

5) The state of affairs in the judiciary where senior judges have been bypassed in many promotion exercises in favour of candidates with blemished records.

6) The breakdown of law and order and allegations by serving police officers, who have signed Statutory Declarations or Affidavits, that the organised crime syndicate is running the police force.

7) The dangerous and alarming racial and religious divide.

8) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s implication in the Oil-for Food scandal.
9) The need for electoral reforms as proven by the incidences of gerrymandering and phantom voters in the many general elections before this and which will continue and prevail in the next general election.

Our concern is not confined to just these nine issues above but suffice that these nine demonstrate the urgent need for this petition. The actual text of the petition will be properly worded to meet the protocol requirements of a letter that is addressed to The Agong but the spirit of the petition will encompass the above.

If you support this Peoples’ Petition, please sign it in the blog below. You need not add any comments. In fact, we do not need your comments. Just add your name to it. If you do not support it then no need to do anything.

(Those not registered in Malaysia Today but would like to sign the petition just send me an e-mailed at raja.petra.kamarudin@gmail.com with the message "Signed" and your name.)

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Mahathir Cheerful
After Successful
Coronary By-Pass Surgery

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's condition is improving after successfully undergoing a five-hour coronary by-pass operation at the National Heart Institute (IJN) on Monday.

The 81-year-old former prime minister regained consciousness yesterday but is still in the intensive care unit (ICU) for post-operative observation.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin who visited him this morning said Dr Mahathir's wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Ali, told him that her husband was looking cheerful.

"I only managed to speak to Dr Siti Hasmah outside. Tun (Mahathir) was resting in the ward. She also looked very cheerful and spirited.

"We will continue to pray for Tun's speedy recovery," he said.

It was the second by-pass surgery for Dr Mahathir after the first one on Jan 24 1989.

Meanwhile, an IJN statement here says that Dr Mahathir has made significant progress and has been breathing on his own without respiratory support since 2.10pm yesterday.

"He is fully conscious, alert and able to converse with his family members. He is currently undergoing intensive physiotherapy to optimise his respiratory functions.

"In addition, Dr Mahathir is also doing light exercises of his arms and legs. His vital parameters continue to be stable," it says.

However, he will remain warded at the ICU for continuous observation.

The statement says that Dr Mahathir has been started on a liquid diet since this morning and after 48 hours of close monitoring by doctors and nurses at the ICU, the IJN is satisfied with his progress.

However, visitors are still confined to immediate family members.

-- BERNAMA

ATM Must Update Strategies
To Check Foreign Threats - Agong

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Thursday urged the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) to be sensitive to global challenges by updating and realigning its strategies.

He said failure by ATM in planning suitable strategies could expose the nation to threats from foreign elements.

"Threats against the nation do not only come in the form of military invasion but also via communication, social and culture," he said at a royal parade and presentation of appointment letters to 220 cadet officers at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional here today.

The Agong said in planning suitable strategies, the ATM personnel should be equipped not only with military know-how but also all disciplines of knowledge.

He said over-dependent on foreign powers had led to the collapse of several countries adding it should serve as a lesson to Malaysians who should strive to protect the sovereignty.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, ATM Chief, Jen Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal and Chiefs of the Royal Malaysian Army, RMN and RMAF.

-- Bernama

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

IJN Media Statement:
Mahathir Remains Stable

Institut Jantung Negara, 5 September, 2007: YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad remains stable following close overnight observation by doctors and nurses at the Intensive Care Unit of Institut Jantung Negara.

Doctors are happy with his rate of progress which is as expected in post-bypass surgery. All his vital parameters, thus far, are also stable as anticipated.

Tun Dr Mahathir is still however, within the crucial intensive observation period and will continue to be warded at the ICU.

IJN will continue to issue updates as and when there is significant change in Tun Dr Mahathir’s condition. Visitations continue to be confined to immediate family members only.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Attention Now On Second Phase
Says Mukhriz

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- The attention now was on the second phase (post-surgery) for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's recovery and the family hoped it would go smoothly and safely, said his son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

Mukhriz, the fifth child of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 81, who underwent a successful second coronary bypass surgery at the National Heart Institute here Tuesday, said the doctors gave 48 hours for Dr Mahathir to regain consciousness and get past the critical stage.

"This recovery phase is a "lifeline" for dad, because anything can happen during this time. So we need to pray harder and give special care and attention for him to pass this second test.

"The doctors said my father's situation is stable and that his heartbeat and pulse are normal. Tun (dad) can regain consciousness any time, we will keep the media informed of developments from time to time," he told reporters when met at the hospital's lobby Tuesday night.

Mukhriz, 43, also said that his mother Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali was very thankful to all Malaysians for their prayers and well wishes that this surgery would go smoothly.

He said Siti Hasmah was deeply touched by the SMS messages and e-mails of support the family received from Malaysians of all walks of life.

"She was so delighted when I showed her the SMSs and e-mails. Our family is very thankful to everyone for their concern," said Mukhriz, who is also an Umno Youth executive council member and chairman of its International Relations and Non-governmental Organisations Bureau.

He added that the doctors would not allow anyone to visit Dr Mahathir during this period as he needed a lot of rest and had to be monitored closely.

Dr Mahathir underwent his first coronary bypass operation on Jan 24, 1989 at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

-- BERNAMA

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.
A Successful Bypass Surgery:
Tun Mahathir Now In ICU


MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Institut Jantung Negara, 4 September... YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad has successfully undergone coronary bypass surgery at the Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) today.

Currently Tun Dr Mahathir is warded at the Intensive Care Unit of the IJN where his condition will be observed for the next few days as is routine in post-bypass surgery. The next 48-hours is the crucial period in his post operative care and hence he will be under close observation in Intensive Care Unit by a team of doctors and nurses. Overnight, he will be fully sedated.

Earlier, Tun Dr Mahathir was taken into the Operation Theatre Complex at 8.45am where immediate family members were allowed to see him before he was brought into the Operating Theatre. The operation commenced at 9.40am and was completed at 3.05pm. He was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at 3.30pm.

Doctors are happy that the procedure progressed as anticipated and his vital parameters thus far are stable.

Tun Dr Mahathir was operated on by a panel of surgeons led by Tan Sri Dr Yahya Awang. The other members of the surgical team are Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery of the Mayo Clinic, Prof Dr Hartzell Schaff, Dato Dr Rozali Wathooth, Dato Dr Azhari Yakub, Dato Dr Venugopal Balchand and Dr Mohamed Ezani Mohd Taib.

The anaesthetic team led by Dato Dr Mohd Hassan Mohd Ariff included Dr Sharifah Suraya Syed Tahir, Dato Dr Syed Abdul Aziz Syed Zain and Dr Nor Azlina Abdul Jalil.

The panel of doctors is headed by IJN’s Medical Director, YBhg Dato Seri Dr. Robaayah Zambahari and includes consultant nephrologists Dato Dr Zaki Morad Mohd Zaher, Dr Ghazali Ahmad and consultant gastroenterologist, Dr S Ganeshanathan.

Tun Dr Mahathir had been admitted to Institut Jantung Negara on Sunday for the elective coronary bypass surgery.

IJN will continue to issue updates as and when there is significant change in Tun Dr Mahathir’s condition. Doctors have also advised against Tun Dr Mahathir receiving visitors apart from immediate family members.

Monday, September 3, 2007

Dr Mahathir Operated On At 9.30am
Says His Special Officer

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad underwent his second coronary bypass surgery at the National Heart Institute (IJN) here at 9.30am today.
The operation by a team headed by his former cardiac surgeon, Tan Sri Dr Yahya Awang, is expected to take four to six hours, his special officer Sufi Yusoff told Bernama.
He said Dr Mahathir was wheeled into the operating theatre at 9am.Dr Mahathir, 81, underwent a coronary bypass operation at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital on Jan 24, 1989 following a heart attack.
Meanwhile, his daughter Marina in her blog, "RantingsbyMM", said the operation team would be assisted by Dr Hartzell Schaff, chief cardiac surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in the US."Dr Schaff has operated several times with Tan Sri Yahya at IJN before," said Marina.
She said that in December 2005, Dr Mahathir had a check-up by the IJN team led by its medical director, Datuk Seri Dr Robaayah Zambahari, who is currently heading the panel of doctors attending to Dr Mahathir, and the decision then was that he did not need surgery again."
However, after three episodes in fairly quick succession since, this decision was relooked at. Hence two weeks ago, he went in for some tests and an angiogram to determine the next course of action after which this decision to redo the bypass was made."
At 82 (Dr Mahathir will turn 82 on Dec 20), he is probably the oldest person to have a redo in Malaysia although Dr Schaff has done plenty in the US," she said.
Dr Mahathir, who retired in October 2003 after 22 years in office, was admitted to IJN on Aug 18 for a routine check-up and underwent comprehensive cardiac tests. He was discharged two days later.
On May 14, he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Langkawi Hospital after complaining of breathing difficulty and was flown to Kuala Lumpur for further treatment at IJN the following day.
Five days later, he was transferred out of IJN's Coronary Care Unit (CCU) to the Bunga Raya ward and discharged on May 24.On Feb 11, Dr Mahathir was admitted to IJN for a day after a bout of flu.
The former prime minister was admitted to the institute for mild myocardial infarction (mild heart attack) on Nov 9 2006 and discharged on Nov 14.In 1999, Dr Mahathir was admitted to IJN to rest and undergo full treatment for a lung infection which he suffered after returning from performing the haj.-- BERNAMA