INTERVIEW
Major Zaidi Ahmad may never fly a fighter jet again after being
discharged from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), but the pilot said
that he holds no grudges against those who had him sacked.
Zaidi appeared devastated when the military court announced that he would be discharged, but still reciprocated when the prosecution team comprising RMAF officers offered to shake his hand.
"We don't want to be hostile. In the concept of dakwah (missionary work) in Islam, today they may not stand with us, but perhaps they will in future.
"So, let us maintain that relationship," he told Malaysiakini.
He
was found guilty of speaking to the media without the military
council's authorisation and disclosing a RMAF about disciplinary action
against him.
Zaidi, after voting in the last general election, had lodged a police report over the Election Commission's (EC) supposed indelible ink which could be easily washed away.
His action gained widespread media attention, landing him in hot soup with the RMAF.
Even though Zaidi said he was prepared for the worst during his trial and expected to be sacked at the very least, he appeared visibly sad after his sentencing.
Painful reality
Acknowledging this, Zaidi said despite his preparedness, the reality of him losing 26 years of service with the RMAF finally sunk in.
"Of course I was sad, I served for 26 years in the military and rarely took days off... but I was repaid in this manner.
"It is sad but I accept it, what else can be done? I accept the reality," said the 47-year-old father of four.
Zaidi also had kind words for Colonel Saadon Hasnan, who presided over the five-men panel which convicted him.
"I have never worked with him before, but we both have the same spirit as pilots.
"The spirit of pilots is where we are trained to be brave, independent and resilient in facing tough situations.
"It
is just that our political affiliation may be different... most people
are more comfortable conforming to the system," he noted.
Saadon had courted controversy after he allegedly asked Zaidi to become a rubber tapper in a Facebook comment while the trial was ongoing.
Zaidi has refused to appeal his sacking - citing bias - and his lawyer has filed a judicial review at the Kuala Lumpur High Court over the military court's alleged injustice.
From piloting to politics
The sacking was a bitter pill to swallow as Zaidi's childhood dream had always to be a pilot.
As a child, Zaidi would never miss a chance to catch fighter jets flying over his home village of Kampung Permatang Tengah, Kedah, heading to the RMAF's Butterworth air base in Penang.
Nonetheless, Zaidi said he has left the RMAF satisfied, as he had climbed up the ranks to become a pilot instructor.
Zaidi added that he is worried about his family's livelihood, but is earning a source of income through direct selling, on top of authoring a book with another in the works.
The norm for pilots who have ended their career with the RMAF would be to join the civil aviation industry, but Zaidi said this is an unlikely path for him to take.
Zaidi is fixed on "contributing to the political process", adding that he has received offers to join PKR, PAS and DAP.
However, Zaidi said he still needs to wait for his civilian identity card, and has yet to decide which political party he will join.
"When the present party ruling the government is not fit to rule any more, you need to come out with an alternative and obviously the alternative is Pakatan Rakyat," he said.
Zaidi noted that even in Pakatan there were "glitches", but said he is prepared to help the coalition in terms of military advice.
He added that he will strive for the truth even in politics, as he did while in the military.
"If tomorrow I am sacked from Pakatan for speaking the truth, so be it," he said.
Part 1: Willing to die for Malaysia, but not lie for Umno
This interview was jointly conducted by Nigel Aw and Ahmad Fadli KC.
Zaidi appeared devastated when the military court announced that he would be discharged, but still reciprocated when the prosecution team comprising RMAF officers offered to shake his hand.
"We don't want to be hostile. In the concept of dakwah (missionary work) in Islam, today they may not stand with us, but perhaps they will in future.
"So, let us maintain that relationship," he told Malaysiakini.
He
was found guilty of speaking to the media without the military
council's authorisation and disclosing a RMAF about disciplinary action
against him.Zaidi, after voting in the last general election, had lodged a police report over the Election Commission's (EC) supposed indelible ink which could be easily washed away.
His action gained widespread media attention, landing him in hot soup with the RMAF.
Even though Zaidi said he was prepared for the worst during his trial and expected to be sacked at the very least, he appeared visibly sad after his sentencing.
Painful reality
Acknowledging this, Zaidi said despite his preparedness, the reality of him losing 26 years of service with the RMAF finally sunk in.
"Of course I was sad, I served for 26 years in the military and rarely took days off... but I was repaid in this manner.
"It is sad but I accept it, what else can be done? I accept the reality," said the 47-year-old father of four.
Zaidi also had kind words for Colonel Saadon Hasnan, who presided over the five-men panel which convicted him.
"I have never worked with him before, but we both have the same spirit as pilots.
"The spirit of pilots is where we are trained to be brave, independent and resilient in facing tough situations.
"It
is just that our political affiliation may be different... most people
are more comfortable conforming to the system," he noted.Saadon had courted controversy after he allegedly asked Zaidi to become a rubber tapper in a Facebook comment while the trial was ongoing.
Zaidi has refused to appeal his sacking - citing bias - and his lawyer has filed a judicial review at the Kuala Lumpur High Court over the military court's alleged injustice.
From piloting to politics
The sacking was a bitter pill to swallow as Zaidi's childhood dream had always to be a pilot.
As a child, Zaidi would never miss a chance to catch fighter jets flying over his home village of Kampung Permatang Tengah, Kedah, heading to the RMAF's Butterworth air base in Penang.
Nonetheless, Zaidi said he has left the RMAF satisfied, as he had climbed up the ranks to become a pilot instructor.
Zaidi added that he is worried about his family's livelihood, but is earning a source of income through direct selling, on top of authoring a book with another in the works.
The norm for pilots who have ended their career with the RMAF would be to join the civil aviation industry, but Zaidi said this is an unlikely path for him to take.
Zaidi is fixed on "contributing to the political process", adding that he has received offers to join PKR, PAS and DAP.However, Zaidi said he still needs to wait for his civilian identity card, and has yet to decide which political party he will join.
"When the present party ruling the government is not fit to rule any more, you need to come out with an alternative and obviously the alternative is Pakatan Rakyat," he said.
Zaidi noted that even in Pakatan there were "glitches", but said he is prepared to help the coalition in terms of military advice.
He added that he will strive for the truth even in politics, as he did while in the military.
"If tomorrow I am sacked from Pakatan for speaking the truth, so be it," he said.
Part 1: Willing to die for Malaysia, but not lie for Umno
This interview was jointly conducted by Nigel Aw and Ahmad Fadli KC.
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