Daim: Let Anwar 'syok sendiri'
'OBSESSION': Former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin has been 'appearing' in the Kajang by-election, courtesy of his successor as finance minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Daim, who will be 76 next month, was asked in a written interview with the New Straits Times to explain Anwar's fascination with him as a political topic
Question: Why is Anwar attacking you in his ceramah?
Answer: I don't know, I'm not obsessed with him, I have no interest in what he's up to, but the media, every time you see me, you will always ask about him. He is obsessed with me. Maybe he thinks I know too much about him. He finds me a convenient target as I'm not on the ceramah circuit to rebut his nonsense. I'm told he says that Dr M (former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) and I are scared of PKR winning in Kajang. That's his platform? Let's frighten a few old retirees and vote for PKR because that's going to scare these two old folks? Think about it, what is their platform?
First, because Anwar is Churchill to stop the Barisan Nasional onslaught. Then, Anwar is needed to save Selangor from what happened in Perak (with 12 seats in a 50-plus-seat assembly?). Then BN is scared of the cooperation between Pakatan parties if Anwar wins. Then Kajang is necessary for the road to Putrajaya. Then the court found him guilty because he would have won in Kajang, and then etc, etc, etc.
Every day is another justification for an unnecessary and pointless by-election.
Question: PKR had also alleged that you and Khalid (Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) had made a deal concerning Khalid's out-of-court settlement with regards to the latter's case with Bank Islam.
Answer: Let's put this in context. No adun (state assemblyman) is ill, dead or convicted. This Kajang move is to solve an internal party problem. (PKR deputy president Azmin Ali) Azmin wants to be menteri besar, Khalid does not want to go, so Anwar steps in and offers himself -- shows the shallowness of his leadership, not to resolve the issue internally but to take an egoistical solution that involves the public and public funds. The biggest loser here is Azmin. If Anwar had won, it was either Anwar or Khalid who would have been menteri besar, not Azmin. Now that it's (Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) Wan Azizah, it still will not be Azmin. Poor Azmin, all those years of loyalty... but it's typical Anwar -- all solutions lead to him. And if it's not him, then his proxy Wan Azizah steps in.
In attacking Khalid, they found that it has backfired, so the only thing left is to discredit Khalid's integrity. So they bring in Anwar's favourite bogeyman -- me.
I have not seen or spoken to either Khalid or (Tan Sri) Rashid Manaf (an ex-lawyer and corporate personality) for over 20 years nor do I know anyone in Bank Islam. This was totally orchestrated by Pakatan. They can spin it any which way but, in the end, it is still about PKR's internal problems, whether about the menteri besar's post or Anwar's impending court case at the time of the move.
Question: What do you think of this by-election?
Answer: Every reason given for the Kajang move has been debunked, so now they are going on the Court of Appeal's verdict. But the case was much earlier than the "move" and it seems quite a coincidence to hold the Kajang move during the dates that were set earlier. It's to distract people from the case, obviously. In this by-election, the circus has come to town. It's a party issue and if it's me, I would not participate in this circus and dance to every tune that he plays. If he wants to syok sendiri (self-glorification), let him lah, but that is just my own opinion.
Question: So you think it's a mistake for BN to stand?
Answer: Before this, Pas did not agree and DAP has been silent on this issue. With BN's participation, they have no choice but to support Anwar, and now Wan Azizah, and bring unity to Pakatan.
The irony here is that DAP has always accused MCA and Gerakan of dancing to Umno's tune. And here, what are they doing? When Anwar makes a decision, they fall in line.
Question: Will Wan Azizah win? Will Anwar's guilty verdict make a difference?
Answer: Let me put it this way, Anwar would never have stood in any place unless he was sure that he would win and win big. Now Wan Azizah is going for the sympathy vote, and I don't see anything much has changed since the last election to make Kajang voters change their mind. It's only a question of the majority.
As for Anwar, those who believe in him, believe he can do no wrong and that he can walk on water, and those who don't, won't.
But there is another group of people, the liberal middle class, who are not blind to Anwar's faults and weaknesses, but still think that regardless, they need to have him there because of their dislike for this government.
They want change and if he is the one to do it, so be it. They use him; he uses them -- a real symbiotic relationship. Morality does not matter to them.
But morality is important in a leader. Tell me, was (former US president) Bill Clinton the only man in America who committed adultery? Was Elliot, what's his name, the US A-G (Elliot Spitzer, the former New York governor and attorney-general) the only man in America who visited prostitutes? So why were they taken to account? Because we demand more from our leaders. That is why it is said that if you want to be a leader, there must be sacrifices.
You are not the man in the street. You are a leader and you have to lead by a strong moral code of conduct. Look at Italy under (former prime minister Silvio) Berlusconi; it was a joke.
Question: What do you think of the MoU on Langat 2 (water treatment plant)?
Answer: I think it's good and good for the people of Selangor. It was the right thing to do and the MB was brave to do it. PKR wanted to haul him up to explain to Anwar. I don't think I have heard that when (Penang Chief Minister Lim) Guan Eng does something in Penang, he has to go explain to (DAP chairman Karpal Singh) Karpal or (DAP supremo Lim) Kit Siang, nor does the Kelantan MB have to seek (Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang) Hadi's approval.
Question: You have recently been critical of Najib's administration.
Answer: Let me set the record straight here. Najib is a decent man who is trying his best under the most trying of circumstances. I think it was easier during my time to implement policies; now with a strong opposition and social media, everyone is an expert. One football team and 20 million coaches, me included.
If we are critical, it is because we want him to succeed. If he is to succeed, he needs a good team of advisers and I'm not sure he has that. The policies and statements that come out do not seem to be well thought out. If I were him, I'd bring in fresh, intelligent, well-educated but politically-savvy advisers.
He should clear his plate, so that he has thinking time, no need to hold on to so many portfolios and be bogged down by details.
He must have the big picture but details are worked out by others. I think also, that there are many policies that are not well explained and the PR (public relations) has been disastrous, but there is still time to do it right. He has the experience and intelligence to make things right.
source : nst
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