Iron Lady takes a step back

TAKING IT EASY: Rafidah speaks to The Malay Mail at her Bukit Damansara home — Pic: Arif Kartono

KUALA LUMPUR: Former cabinet minister and Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz muses about the nation’s future and emphasises her refusal to return to active politics

MM: So, no plans for a political comeback?

R: No! None! Zero! I don’t want, habis cerita. I’m 68, it’s time for me to really live my own life. I have more private time with my husband. Now, we have time for the family which we didn’t have before. It’s private time to do what you like, what you want at whatever time. Go where you like, whenever you like for how long you like.

MM: Well, we suppose you have given a good amount of your life to public service.

R: Yeah, but my husband tells me, that both he and I have given enough of our life to public service. He was there all the time. I think that’s fair. At 68, age is the criteria. People talk about young ... change ... it’s time to phase in the young, let them take responsibility. I came to public life at 22. I became senator at 30, appointed by Tun Abdul Razak. Why? Because for eight years I was already in public life. You don’t get appointed senator just like that, right? Eight years ... I also never expected that you know?

MM: Are there concerns that people who don’t want you back may bring up old stories?

R: I’ve always held very strong principles. That has always guided me along. To me that’s basic. When you have basic principles that are good, discipline and everything will come into place, integrity and honesty included. When you take the oath of office you say God’s name three times: Wallahi Wabillahi Wataullahi. That in Islam is a very, very heavy oath. It’s the ultimate pledge to God when you enter the government or hold office in a party, and that is no small matter, I’m very frightened of that. I don’t think you should play around with the trust given to you. As a party person, you got to do it properly. You don’t play around.
(Granted) We’re only human, there will be temptation. So build your nest egg, make hay while there is sunshine ... but do it rightly and honestly.

MM: Can you share your thoughts on affirmative policies?

R: We have come to the stage where I, as a Bumi, am embarrassed to demand anything more. Because we’ve got all the opportunities and we still demand after so many years of this policy? Something is wrong with us. I tell the young Bumi fellows: “Hey! Be proud! You’ve already got your education. Compete equally. If you’re still given a handicap, you are useless.”

MM: You had often led business delegations and now still give talks abroad.

R: Yes, and I can tell something to Malaysians abroad. See all these young entrepreneurs who come with me? They didn’t demand anything you know? They come on their own right here. Their fathers maybe at that level. Now no more already. They’d be too embarassed to say: “Oh you got your 30 per cent quota.”

MM: How did the kids react?

R: Very good because then they know it’s pride. My children, they’re all straight-A students. Without any quota you know? It’s merit. To them it’s “what bumi quota?” So, they have that sense of pride as individuals. That’s what we should teach our young today. That is what 1Malaysia is all about, with people are proud of their achievements, of their excellence

MM: Youngsters still relate to you and remember you as the Iron Lady. Could mean you are still relevant.

R: No, that one you judge. I’m not saying whether I’m relevant or not. My perception is that the youth of today don’t really mind the age of the leader or the age of the person. They just want somebody they can relate to, somebody they can depend upon in whatever sphere.

MM: Someone who won’t give them any bull ... That’s what they want.

R: No, that’s why I say whether a person is relevant or not, that’s it. That’s the gauge. If you are a credible person, if the young or even the old feel that you are fighting for a cause that they share, which they think is a national cause, you are relevant in their eyes. Students invited me (for a talk in London). I was surprised.

MM: They would want to know, why the country has come down so much ...

R: I don’t think it’s right to say the country has come down so much... What do you mean by come down? We are in a much better position than most countries of the same genre ...

MM: Our economy, our ethnic relations were never an issue during your time in government.

R: You see ... why is it an issue? During Tun Dr Mahathir (Mohamed)’s time it was always an issue. It’s just that ... we ...

MM: Suppressed it?

R: No, we said look: “You want to talk about this or do you want to talk about bigger issues? You think that is more important to you, but we think this is more important. Nothing to do with race lah. Up to you lah, you are the leader of the Chinese, you are the leader of the Indians, you go back and tell your people.” That’s how we dealt with it. It’s always been there! But today because that is not done, the media has full liberty ... look, you go to my constituency (Kuala Kangsar), nobody talks about race anymore. We have our Chinese New Year event in a hall next to a temple. Why? It’s a big place. So what? The Malays go there. Nobody questions why are we next door to a tokong. You know why? Because that’s how they’ve been nurtured. But here in KL, it becomes a KL issue because all the leaders of the Opposition are here! And that’s dangerous. People like to play up the racial issue because that’s the one that seems to gather a lot more momentum. Gather a lot more support, for some reason or another ... It’s easy to whip up.

MM: So how should we deal with it?

R: Every leadership whether government or outside should tell its followers: Do not use racial issues as a pawn for anything. Do not just bring up racial sensitivities. It’s just not right and there are enough crazy people out there throwing pig’s heads and all. There are oddballs in this country, like everywhere else in the world.

MM: But if it was under Mahathir, he would have nipped it in the bud. Some of these leaders would have gone into ISA by now.

R: No, they would have been told: Do what is right in that sense. Of course Tun would have his way of doing it. But all of us collectively moved towards making sure that people don’t ... because you’re trying to manage the country, the economy. It’s not easy. We sit down and solve issues. So, we took this approach of let’s solve this issue together. So, what issue really irks you? So, we serve that issue first. You just want to expand your surau, whereas this one doesn’t have anything at all. You just want carpets for your surau, but this tokong is going to be demolished. So what are the priorities? The carpet or saving the tokong? If we prioritise the tokong, it doesn’t mean we favour one religion over another. You must talk logic and get down to basics. You’re dealing with people, not robots. Stop politicising everything.

MM: But we’re not handling it well, the government isn’t handling it well ...

R: I don’t want to make any ... maybe people have understood differently what freedom of expression is. So lets learn the bitter lesson of the Middle East. Freedom doesn’t mean bringing your country down. Okay, you throw out your leader, what have you got now? Zero, negative ... Is that what you’re talking about? Freedom? No ... Are you saying you want an angel to come and lead you and the country? It will never happen. Perfection is the characteristic of God. So, you have to understand when the government is made up of people, it’s not the government as policy makers in the wrong. Those implementers you know can do more damage. By delaying, by sabotaging ... these are the things that you’ve got to correct. I do not believe that there is anything so grievous in Malaysia that somebody really wants to go all out to topple the government.

• Part two of the Rafidah interview on Monday