Sakmongkol AK47 speaks with Tun Daim

Meeting Tun Daim Zainuddin.

I am now writing on a slightly different matter. It is about my meeting with Tun Daim Zainuddin. I have read several books on him. They are written in Bahasa Melayu and English. There, you have an impression of the man.

My own impression of the man has not been out of this world. When he was serving as our finance minister he appeared to be absorbed in his work most of the time. It is said, that if you ask him a question, he will give a very short answer. He is very sparse in his words. Once or twice I saw him in person during the UMNO General Assembly, Tun Daim who is small in physical stature, seemed to be walking with stooped shoulders. It seems the problems of Malaysia are placed on his shoulders. He has no time for small talk and idle conversation.

I have never met him in person for any substantial amount of time. When he was the finance minister he wasn't accessible easily. I hear whenever one gets to see him, one gets to talk while he will continue doing whatever he was doing.

So when his minder, the very able Mei Chuan called me to say, that Tun Daim is able to accommodate me, I was excited. This venerable assistant to TDZ even e mailed me to supply a map of TDZ's office. Its located at Wisma YPR.

Now, where is Wisma YPR and what does YPR stand for? Later I just remembered that YPR stands for Yayasan Pok Rafeah, TDZ's mother I think. I think this gesture tells a lot of this smallish man. The place when I later discovered was once a hotel I think.

My appointment was at 4pm on the 23^rd of February. My wife (Mamasita) and I drove from Kuantan on the 23^rd at 11 am and made it some 20 minutes before 4pm. I have heard that TDZ is fastidious about punctuality as he is about money. So I wouldn't want to begin with a wrong step on this one.

We were ushered to his 9^th floor office at Wisma YPR. It is a very tastefully appointed office but not opulent. We waited at the reception area which to me looks like an art gallery. It has several paintings on the wall and other objects d' art strategically placed. One notices quickly TDZ's tastes in abstract paintings mostly of women figures in several strange poses. As I am not an art connoisseur, I am afraid I am not able to appraise the meaning of such paintings.

'TDZ shall be here shortly, said Mei Chuan. He is on the way from a meeting'. I breathed a sigh of relief. Better I wait than TDZ does.

A few minutes later, Mei Chuan told me that TDZ is ready to see me. You have 45 minutes with Tun. That's great I said silently. I would be lucky if given 15 minutes.

I was ushered into a large room that serves at TDZ's personal office. It is simple. TDZ sits behind a large desk with a computer on one side. As he was sitting, you are not aware of his smallish-ness. But one thing you quickly grasped- TDZ has a presence. He was dressed very simply. He has a British India chequered shirt on, green in colour. Normally one would see him wear a batik shirt.

My actual impression this time is that Tun Daim looked very relaxed. Apart from his usual silver crown of hair with a dash of black here and there, Tun Daim looked very presentable and regal. On his desk, I saw a pile of blog articles printed no doubt by his assistant, Mei Chuan. He must have been reading them.

Then he said his first words. Yes, what I can I do for you? I said, Tun, let me say it is a singular honour for me to be able to see you. Secondly, I am coming here, under no great pressure, for I am not here to ask from you anything. I am here to just exchange some ideas on current issues. He let out a laugh at the second part of my statement. Tak de apa nak beri pun…haha

After a few pleasantries, we started talking. There was never a doubt to my mind that we shall be talking with candour. I would later discover, this larger than life figure possesses a rapier sharp mind. But most of all I would be disarmed by his willingness to speak easy. It was obvious he was not restrained nor constrained.

I first asked Tun- Tun, I have been meaning to ask this jackpot of a question as to how, before March 2008, you cautioned the government about the trouble in 5 states. And after the elections, you were proven right. And if I remember, many political leaders were very dismissive of you. Yes, TDZ said, that Khir Toyo even said, what does Tun Daim know, he has been out of politics.

Tun Daim said he felt the pulse of the nation then. A lot of grievances were detected on the ground. Business people were coming to tell him lamenting of grouses. There were many issues not favourable to the government.

Indeed Tun Daim said he went to see and talked to Pak Lah. He asked why Pak Lah wants to call General elections when he still has time in his favour. The economy was not doing well; there were so many issues not settled- the Hindraf thing, and so on. Pak Lah said he was confident of securing a 2/3^rd majority.

The 2004 landslide victory was actually a curse to UMNO and BN. It made them complacent and arrogant at the same time. That is a lethal combination.

I shall continue another time. My 'interview' with TDZ covered my things which will be interesting I hope. We talked about politics, about the management of the economy, even about the Perak political crisis. Do you know that TDZ at one point in time was considering to appoint Zambry Kadir as his political secretary?

That would have to be later, please.