Q&A: Give me a chance to prove myself

In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini in Kuala Lumpur last week, Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir has a message for the people in Perak.

Below are excerpts from the more than an hour-long interview at a hotel in the city.

Malaysiakini: You were speaking about changes. In Perak specifically, what kind of changes do you propose to do?

Zambry: Well, to go back to the people. Go back in a sense of being people-centric, understanding the people on what they really want. It is not a question of going back to the people by having fresh elections. I think it is bigger and deeper than that.

Understanding their sufferings, (their) predicament. I have been saying this, like the issue of poverty for example. We can’t look at poverty in terms of colours or whether this is the rural area or this is the urban area. You have poverty not only in rural areas but in urban areas as well.

Poverty transcends all colours and races. I have been stressing that it is a universal problem. So you have to change your mindset of looking at poverty from the perspective of one particular race.

Is the new BN government going to continue implementing the policies that have been already implemented by Pakatan? For instance, the land titles, ketua kampung elections and things like that. Also what about funds for independent Chinese schools or allocation of 30 percent of local councillors to NGOs?

[Laughs] I know (DAP leader) Nga (Kor Ming) raised this issue in his ceramah, telling the public that they want to see if BN will follow or not. Whatever pronouncement that was made (by Pakatan), is it the continuation of the previous (BN) government? If you look at some of the policies (they practised), (we had that) even in our previous policy.

Apart from that, how different can your government be? How better will it be than the previous Pakatan government?

We will continue all the (BN) policies. I understand there are certain weaknesses in BN, you cannot say: ”Oh, it’s all perfect”. Only those who don’t have the right attitude say that they are perfect.

The most important thing to do is our commitment to improve thing. This is the only basic thing for us to do. I do not want to poison the minds of the people by giving all kinds of promises all the time.

It is important that we go back to the people and serve them. That is the most basic principle. To a question whether how good you are, how better you are, how best you are, let the people judge after a certain time.

Another point is that if you are a responsible leader, if you are thinking about your future or your children’s future, you cannot play this populist approach.

Although you can buy people with that, how long do you want to do it? But at the same time, you must have your short-term, medium-term, as well as your long-term plans.

This is not for ourselves or our party, but the moment you are entrusted with the responsibility of a leader, you have to look after the current and the future generation.

Of course, people will be critical. But it has to come back to the policy, that’s why before you go further, we have to go back. Whether we like it or not, it is fated for us to take care, to continue.

We must study how we can go back to the people. I mean, to create proper channels and avenue for the people to come and express their views. There is also this third force or the third political force, people like the opinion leaders and NGOs representing different sections of society.

This is the time for us to go and engage these people and listen to them. Some of them are critical in their views but not necessarily anti-government.

You said you need to attract more youths to support BN in a larger picture. The youths may want to know more about the people running the government. So, in that context, how clean is your government? How clean are your exco members? Would you be willing to have a statutory declaration of the assets you have?

It is not a problem. I have always stressed on integrity and being clean. It all starts from here (points to his heart). You cannot just put some make-up on your face and tell the whole world you are clean, the government itself must practise integrity.

So, all your exco members will subscribe to that philosophy?

I have been preaching this, without forgetting that we are human beings. Even people say I’m a preacher. I don’t want to go to the public and say: “Look, I’m very clean, we will fight against everything, we are the best models.”

The moment you take up the responsibility, you are accountable to the people.

We appreciate that you have that kind of personality in you. But how can you assure us that your exco members are also with you?

We have to be continuous in telling the people. It is a process of educating, you cannot turn things in a split second, we cannot turn people. You have to educate them, it is about human character. It comes from here (points to heart).

But at the same time, your government has decided to accept two independents who are facing serious graft charges. Would they bog down your administration?

They will not because after all it is about the political understanding. Whatever the law process that will take place, that is according to the proper legal process. As far as I’m concerned, in running the government, we have to run as usual.

You have left a few exco positions vacant. Will you be appointing any of the BN-friendly independents to the positions?

[Laughs] Well, you may speculate on that. But you have to understand that it is about political understanding. What we have formed, when we form, it’s part of the process. The most important thing is that you have to look at the government and see how it is run, see whether it is effective enough or not.

So you are not denying that there is a possibility the three of them (three BN-friendly independents) could be appointed to the exco?

Well, it is not only three, I have four vacancies.

That is right, but will the three of them be appointed excos?

Well, I have another 20 possibilities also. [Laughs]

I know you have not been paid your salary for the past two months, that’s what we have been told.

Who said that? I have been doing my job as the menteri besar, so I have been receiving my pay as the menteri besar.

We are under the impression that the PAC actually suspended the salary of the menteri besar.

PAC? I don’t know about that. [Laughs]

Do you have any official car yet?

I have an official car and I have been using the official car.

It is not a Camry?

It is not a Camry. To me, it is not a question of Camry or not.

What was your relationship like with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim - since the Abim and Umno days.

[Laughs].

You were arrested under the ISA (for defending Anwar). What made you change your mind about him?

Yes, I was detained under the ISA also. It’s not really (that I have changed my mind). I have been very persistent in my struggle. You asked Anwar whether he has changed his mind or not.

So you think you have not changed and Anwar has?

I haven’t. I was just being persistent in my struggle and my idealism. I am Zambry, like Zambry before. [Laughs]

What about the state of finance in Perak? Are you getting any new investments?

We are, we are. Of course, they have been saying that they managed to attract investments to the state coffer. They forgot that when we left our coffer to them, it was more than RM700 million.

Also, we have this investment from UTP (Universiti Teknologi Petronas), where they are going to expand their university to a world-class university. And they are coming with a total investment of about RM4 billion.

This project is very dear to me because I have been working on it during my exco time, when I was the exco of education. I personally pursued this idea of the possibility of working with them for the past three years.

You know how difficult it is to work with them, with Petronas. But finally, they are convinced with the idea and it is already at the implementation stage. So, we are going to have a new city opposite there. The first phase of investment is going to be RM1.3 billion and the total investment upon completion would be about RM4 billion.

Another investment is the Dinar Emas centre, where we worked with the Bahrain government. We already launched it last month.

At least two of the questions that you posed to the federal court was regarding the tree assembly and this was not answered. Therefore, some legal practitioners argued that the court has legitimised the tree assembly, as well as the resolutions passed under the tree assembly.

The Federal Court has already passed the judgment. You know it is not only the oral judgment. It is also the written judgment. There are two things... to wait the total judgment. Only then you know.

Even when the Federal Court decided against us, we didn’t say anything. You know, when we referred matters in the case Nizar vs Zambry to the Federal Court using the different provisions, and the Federal Court said we should refer back to the High Court. We don’t question that.

Because when you question you are subject to contempt and we don’t do that.

Do you think BN should contest in Penanti?

That’s a good question. Before we answer that, we ask ourselves, why must we go into this? The whole process has made a mockery of the system.

Yes, we have problems in our party, every party has its own problems. No doubt about that. But it is not the way to solve your problems and you waste the public money. And for the past five by-elections, they have cost the country about RM31 million.

So you are in no position to say whether or not Umno should contest Penanti?

If you ask me, I don’t feel the necessity.

Some people say forcing an elected representative to quit for the right reasons show transparency on their part.

Do you think so? This is the guilty or not guilty process, you are not guilty until you are proven otherwise.

One last question, since you are not going to call for fresh elections, what is your message to the people in Perak?

I want to tell the people that the new government is now formed and let us work together for the betterment of our state and maintain peace and stability.

This is what we want for the state. I want to plead to all the people, give us - give me and my team, the opportunity to prove to the people what we can do.

I think there are certain areas where we have to improve ourselves. Let us work together for the sake of the people.

THE ZAMBRY INTERVIEW

Part 1

No clowning about: 'Pangkor Pele'

Q&A: It's like a children's story

Part 2

Zambry: Lessons from Bukit Gantang

Q&A: I’m not a liar

Part 3

'We need to go back to the people'

Q&A: Give me a chance to prove myself