Once a rising star in Umno, former Malacca chief minister Rahim Tamby Chik talks about the power struggle surrounding his resignation about a decade ago. He also shares his views on the return of two opposition politicians, his political plans and the impression that he is a 'womaniser'.

Malaysiakini: What made you offer yourself for a supreme council post during the last Umno election?

Rahim: When I retired, there were a lot of allegations against me (like the) sex scandal (and) corruption, so I had to relinquish my posts to clear my name. Even though the court and the Attorney-General's Chambers have stated that I am innocent, the perception that I was guilty is still there because there were too many media attacks against me.

I had to go to court and spend eight years on legal action against the DAP, Time , Asiaweek and Keadilan's Ruslan Kassim. The case is over now, so I've returned to the party. My return has been well-received, as I won 14th place in the supreme council even when I did not hold any government post. I am just a freelance council member.

The perception of guilt in the sex scandal is still there...

Previously. Before I took my case to court, certain quarters did not trust me (that I am innocent).

Do you regret having relinquished your posts especially since you were cleared of the charges later?

I took the action in the interest of the party. At the time, people levelled accusations against me and I had to fight that big wave (of accusations) which was like the tsunami. In the interests of the party, the nation and the government, I had to retire. I had to clear myself and to prove that allegations hurled against me were baseless and unfounded.

Was it grassroots support in Malacca that voted you into the Umno supreme council?

The decision to contest a seat in the supreme council was my own. I am the ex-Umno Youth chief and council member. I still have friends and supporters throughout the country - in Sabah and Perlis and among my old friends - are still strong for me. This is the basis of my victory... not (just) from Malacca, it is from the entire country.

What is your vision since returning to Umno?

I returned to Umno to continue my struggle. The party has contributed a lot to the country. I am only in my 50s, so I still have time to help in strengthening the party in the context of Malaysia, with my experiences as a former Malacca chief minister, in the supreme council and Umno Youth.

At the moment, you are a supreme council member but don't have a post at the divisional level. How is that?

This is very extraordinary. I work on the basis of being a party member without a position in the division but it is a tremendously difficult situation. In Malacca, there were some efforts to block me and they have been blocking all the way, they don't want to see me in the political race. But Umno members outside Malacca gave me support and helped me to win.

What do you mean by 'block' and 'blocking'?

Some people are not keen to see me in the political race.

What is the reason?

I don't know, but they should treat me as an asset, not a threat.

Is this a game of politics?

It's up to the media (to decide, since it) is better in (interpreting) this matter. Things that didn't exist were created (by the media). I shouldn't have suffered but I suffered. There are people who organised a scam, so it's up to the people to interpret, not for met to say.

Are you referring to the alleged sex scandal?

Whatever, be it scandal, corruption or not.

How do you see grassroots support for yourself?

Very good, otherwise I can't be there in the supreme council which is the highest decision-making body. Nobody will vote for you unless they appreciate and recognise you... they feel you can contribute and they will vote for you.

So what is your political ambition now?

I have no ambition (laughs). My ambition is to support the leadership of Pak Lah (Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) because he is a very reasonable continuity of Mahathir's (former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad) leadership, which has contributed to the success of the Malays in many fields - economics, education, etc. Mahathir cried and said before that 'I changed Malaysia (and its) infrastructure, but I was unable to change and correct the Malay character'. Pak Lah has taken up the challenge to change and has pushed for anti-corruption, good governance, transparency, new emphasis on agriculture, Islam Hadhari and Malaysia as a nation that is cemerlang, gemilang and terbilang.

You are still in your 50s and perhaps not considered old. Don't you wish for a higher political position?

50 is no longer young (chuckles).

But it looks like you are only halfway to the peak of your political career, you haven't reached the peak.

I have been a chief minister and Umno Youth chief and given good service to the nation. From my experience, as a supreme council member I can participate in implementation. The fact that I transformed Malacca from a sleepy hollow to a vibrant economy is testimony to my ability, so I should be treated as an asset. Whether or not I have ambitions is irrelevant. I want to make sure that Pak Lah's visions can be translated meaningfully, effectively or rapidly now, that's my concern.

Just being a supreme council member do you think you can play that role sufficiently?

This is my role, because the supreme council is the highest decision-making body.

What about contesting for the post of vice-president or something higher in the next term?

I am not interested at all (chuckles).

The cabinet reshuffle is expected to be announced by October.

That's just speculation.

It is said that you might be brought back to the cabinet.

It is not my speculation, it is their speculation.

Did the party ask you to return to the cabinet?

If the party requires me in the government, then I have to be in the government.

Moving on to DAP, (secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng has returned to the DAP. What's your view?

If DAP members have placed their trust in Lim Guan Eng, it is their right to give him a chance to be the secretary-general. To me, it is nothing. They are doing their job. Umno has shown trust in me as a supreme council member. I do my job as well as possible for my party. After Lim Guan Eng was jailed, he obtained the trust of party members, I believe he will do a good job.

Do you think DAP has a chance to re-establish its foothold in Kota Melaka? What are its chances in the next general election?

Very difficult to say. Depends on how DAP and BN perform. It depends to what extent you can satisfy the needs of the constituents. If BN can maintain good rapport and fulfil promises and always make people happy, I think we should be able to maintain (our base of support). Otherwise, there will be gaps and these gaps can be exploited by the opposition including DAP.

Do these gaps exist?

I haven't carried out my research (laughs).

Perhaps it means that Lim does not have the same powerful impact of the past...

His impact is still there but it doesn't mean he will win back Kota Melaka. A politician's influence has got a lot to do with his diligence - whether he is hard working to meet with the people - as well as whether the issues championed are of interest to the people. If it is not to the taste of the people, then the person will not be popular.

What is your advice to the Malacca government? What should they do?

I believe Datuk Ali (Rustam, Malacca chief minister) is similar to me. We use our efforts to fulfil our promise and satisfy the needs of the people. The (situation of the) Kota Melaka parliamentary constituency is very sensitive. We won the seat after 30 years because it used to be the stronghold of DAP. Maybe DAP still has the ambition and dream to return to Kota Melaka. Hence, I urge the BN-led Malacca government to continue giving strong competition. Its leaders should not be disunited... not just those from Umno but also from parties such as MCA and Gerakan.

What about Anwar Ibrahim (ex-deputy premier and currently PKR advisor)? How do you see his return to politics?

My opinion is that if Anwar wants to return to Umno, it might create a tragedy because he was involved in a terrible episode while in the party. If he returns, there is a possibility that this will split the party again over whether or not to accept him - unless it can be proven that his presence will bring more strength and benefits to the party. However, it was proven that when Anwar was still in Umno, he had a personal agenda and that it split Umno badly. Maybe Anwar's aim is to become prime minister. How does he want to achieve that goal? He has his own agenda in Umno.

But so far there seems to be no indication that he is going to return to Umno, which has also turned down the possibility of accepting him back.

There is no other way (except to re-join Umno) if Anwar wants to become prime minister. If you are not in Umno, you can't be the prime minister of Malaysia. So, at the end of the day, whatever he does, he wants to return to Umno too.

So you believe he still has intentions to become PM?

This is what people believe.

Does he still wield influence within the party?

I don't know, but it looks like (Anwar still has political influence), based on the PAS offer for him to lead the opposition. But in Umno, I don't know... maybe his influence is much weaker compared to the past. We had a misunderstanding previously because, when I reached my peak as the Umno Youth chief and was supported by the prime minister then, there was an allegation that Anwar claimed I had defamed him in front of Dr Mahathir.

He also alleged I was trying to poison Dr Mahathir's mind and that I had given a bad impression of him. That was in 1994. Unfortunately at the time I was not given a chance to defend myself, even though I was the Youth chief for the Wawasan team. These allegations were not true but maybe Anwar believed them. Actually as the deputy president, he should have asked me to defend myself. He didn't give me that right. He didn't give me the opportunity to be heard and investigate whether the claims were true or not.

People have an impression that you are a womaniser. What would you like to say about this?

I don't know about the impressions of the people. I am an ordinary person, I do the best I can. Womaniser... in what way? You've never see me in public, in a disco, in a karaoke lounge, nothing. Have you ever seen me (in these places)?

Maybe this is linked to what you said at the outset of the interview, that people still have the perception that you were involved in the alleged sex scandal.

Perception is created by the media. At the time, the media took 52 days to condemn me before any decision was made. I was the victim of a media assault. That's why I am not interested in many people making allegations. I was a victim of allegations. Due to the media attack, I was punished before the decision is made by the court... that is very bad.

And because of that you had to resign...

That's it, it is too much. It was also because of my misunderstanding with (Anwar). So the media was solidly against me before the decision was made. I know I am not wrong, I didn't do anything wrong at all. For 52 days, I was branded a criminal in newspapers and on television... that was the perception (created).

So was it Anwar's attack against you?

I don't know, but at that point, unfortunately I had a problem with the deputy prime minister, that pulled me down from the posts of chief minister and Umno Youth chief.

You became Youth chief in 1993?

Yes, and that (episode) happened in 1994.