Nearly 40% were media: Not a publicity stunt?

'Azeez could have just sent the aid through Mercy Malaysia. But that couldn't happen, because then there would be no TV coverage.'

Azeez invites 'detractors' to Somalia, free of charge

Fellow Malaysian: So Putera 1Malaysia Club president Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim has finally decided to come out of hiding and defend himself.

But why make the ridiculous offer of sponsoring the opposition and news portals to Somalia? What purpose would it serve after the first horrifying experience?

No reporter in his right frame of mind should go and risk his life without assurances of military back-up and wearing proper protective harnesses. Even PM Najib Razak had rightly said that wearing a bullet-proof jacket will not provide 100 percent guarantee that you will be safe.

Azeez was lying when he denied that the mission was done for reasons of gaining some cheap publicity. That's the dire consequence we have to face when we embark on foolhardy missions.

Artchan: Azeez revealed that 74 media personnel had arrived at the airport on the day of departure but the military aircraft could only take 48, and so many "cried because they had to go home".

Come on Azeez, for a trip like this, you would have needed to confirm attendees long before the trip for logistics planning, accommodation, etc.

This is not a picnic in Port Dickson where people can go on a first-come-first-served basis.

Borg Kinaulu: This is a very informative interview, but it begs more questions:

1) Azeez said a military aircraft was used. Is that a normal benefit accorded to NGOs in Malaysia? Please do let us know how much percentage of the funding was from Umno and how much from taxpayers.

2) Eighteen out of 48 in the aid mission were media people. Azeez described that as "small"? According to what benchmark?

3) Eighteen journalists were selected out of 74 media organisations, some "in the name of friendship". Could you please provide a list of the organisations selected, and those excluded?

5) If you had to make room for journalists, you must have had to ditch others. May we know who they were and what specialty they possessed?

6) What's wrong with aid sent through Medicine Sans Frontier, Mercy Malaysia or Islamic Relief Malaysia?
7) This last is not really a question but just an observation: you didn't have a final list of travellers on the day of departure and a decision had to made at the last minute "in the name of friendship". That's just so typical, isn't it?

Vijay47: The question is - why the group was taken to a war-ravaged country with minimal safety measures in place?

If despite all the precautions, there were casualties, we could perhaps attribute it to sheer bad luck. But can Azeez claim that basic protection, at least bullet-proof vests, was provided?

I would be glad if he could explain two other points. He generously offered to take - free of charge - anyone interested in going to Somalia. Where will he get the funds from?

Secondly, out of 48 persons who went on the so-called 'mercy mission', about 40 percent were from the media. The actual proportion was 18:30, or 60 percent.

Does that ratio not stink of a cheap Umno publicity stunt?

SusahKes: Azeez spoke of his group's exemplary track record and KPIs (key performance indicators)? You mean one man lost his life because you wanted to achieve your KPI?

If you want to do charity work, why don't you go out to help the many Malaysian poor who, because of negligence by those entrusted to help them, turn to churches instead?

Instead, you demonise the good Samaritans. How about aiding the natives in the interior of Sarawak? What about the displaced urban poor?

Zainal: What percentage of the funds really goes to the Somalis? Or is the money mostly spent on 'administrative' costs such as paying for the 'syiok sendiri' politicians? As for the military plane used, how did the Kelab Putera 1Malaysia get hold of it?

Since Mercy Malaysia and Islamic Relief has been on the ground in Somalia for the past several years, why don't we just extend support to them?

Is Azeez suggesting that aid does not reach the Somalis unless his team get there to do it? What an insult to the hardworking NGOs which have been doing the work without any public relations stunt.

Dr Irwan Jusoh: We have read about dilapidated Tamil schools buildings where students sit on the floor and children of families resorting to eating soil due to poverty and old folks living in sheds in Malaysia.

Yet Azeez and his merry clowns had not lifted a finger to find help them. They take it upon themselves to get into unsafe war-torn zones in Gaza and Somalia with the media crew in tow. What nonsense is this?

Lover Boy: This was 100 percent for political milage. Mercy Malaysia had been helping the Somali people for the past 17 years.

If Azeez were sincere, he could have just sent the aid through Mercy Malaysia. No. That couldn't happen, because there would be no TV coverage or Bernama to cover their 'keramat' activity.

Tell the Truth: Azeez, why play hero when you are not equipped for this kind of work? Obviously you were seeking publicity, right? Your 'keramat' (sacred) party doesn't think you are not so keramat as a result of this tragic incident.

If you really cared, give the aid to those whose organisations are set up for this purpose and have years of experience. Even the US forces are afraid to go into Somalia. Who do you think you are?

Dr Jacob George: It's unbelieving despicable that Umno's Abdul Azeez continues to issue statements, and in this particular case gave an interview on BernamaTV's 'Hello Malaysia' programme that was politically loaded, arrogant and which showed no remorse when he extended an invitation to Malaysians who questioned this debacle, this misadventure, this stupidity, to join him in their next mission to the war-torn country.

So lessons have not being learnt?

Haha: Everybody has been commenting about the lack of preparation, protective gear, etc, for the team which went to Somalia and thus exposing their lives to danger. Azeez doesn't seem to get it, and here he is inviting more people to go there. - Malaysiakini