MALAYSIANSKINI | Entertainers trying their hand at politics is nothing new. In the last decade of Malaysian politics alone, the likes of singer Herman Tino, comedian Afdlin Shauki, and entertainers Azwan Ali, Hans Isaac and Dira Abu Zahar emerged as electoral candidates.

Internationally, Ukrainian comedian-turned-president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan and former American presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump all used their celebrity status to dive into politics - with different levels of success.

However, when rapper Altimet (above) announced his candidacy for the Ampang PKR division chief post in April 2021, it did raise some eyebrows.

More often than not, critics accuse rap of sensationalising violence and gangsterism, but the performer has never let such claims stop him.

Indeed, Altimet is ever willing to prove that he has what it takes to be a good politician and believes that the concept of rap music is often misunderstood.

For example, he referred to the hip-hop group, Public Enemy, which writes on social issues faced by working-class families.

“I know there is this sensationalism of certain topics and tropes in hip-hop music that gives people a negative misconception but the stories are not fiction, they are real life.

“They are just describing what they see around them, like everyday life,” Altiment said in an interview with Malaysiakini.

Debuting in 1999 with the Teh Tarik Crew, Altimet, whose real name is Syed Ahmad Syed Abdul Rahman Alhadad, made a name for himself by spitting bars about the harsh realities faced by Malaysians.

From the catchy “Amboi”, a tale of people who would rather take shortcuts than work hard to live luxuriously; to “Bunga”, a song on the lengths people will go to obtain wealth.

Having retired from the entertainment industry in Nov 2018, Altimet, 43, joined PKR in April 2021 and swiftly climbed up the ranks in Ampang.

The rapper went head-to-head with actor Hans Isaac and controversial party figure Daing Muhammad Reduan Bachok during the party elections in June this year.

Initially ranking third, he was given a second chance when Daing was disqualified for vote-buying.

Altimet triumphed in the re-election as the new Ampang PKR division chief, thus opening the door for him to prove to Malaysians that he has more to offer than just entertainment.

The rapper will work alongside Batu Tiga state assemblyperson Rodziah Ismail, who has just been named PKR’s candidate for Ampang’s parliamentary seat in the coming general election.

A simple, nomadic childhood

Altimet was born on Nov 27, 1978, in Petaling Jaya, Selangor and spent most of his childhood hopping from town to town.

The eldest of his siblings, his parents divorced when he was just seven years old.

Growing up in Subang Jaya, Muar and Shah Alam, the PKR politician pursued a degree at the International Medical University in Bukit Jalil.

“Life changes when you move from one place to another and the structure of your family changes. I had to adapt,” Altimet shared.

The rapper shared how his love for music was ignited by his mother, who was an avid radio listener.

“She listened to anything and everything but it was mostly pop music,” said Altimet.

Soon, Altimet found himself being part of the melodic hip hop and R and B ensemble Teh Tarik Crew, alongside Mizz Nina, DJ Fuzz and Fiquetional.

Dubbed “TTC”, the group released three albums and several popular songs like “Doodat” and “Phat Family Anthem” in its eight-year stint.

The dissolution of the group in 2007 sparked rumours that members were on bad terms with each other. On that note, Altimet dismissed the possibility of a future reunion for the group.

“There are two members who don’t want to do music anymore; Mizz Nina and myself.

“But there is a misconception that we are not on good terms, which is untrue. We don’t see each other as often but the love is still there. I still consider them my family,” said the rapper.

Music for the people

When he ventured into politics, fans worried about him handling the vicious political world while spectators wondered if he had ill intentions up his sleeves.

Altimet, however, had a different take on the matter - being a rapper is no different from being a politician.

“I actually believe that hip hop is urban folk music. I mean, when you think about folk music, you think about one person on the guitar like Bob Dylan, for example.

“When you think about Malay folk music, you think about somebody singing about the jungle.

“But Chuck D (from Public Enemy) once said that rap music was like the ‘ghetto CNN’ because we report what goes on (in) the streets.

“Rap music isn’t about fictionalised characters,” he stated.

When it came to composing songs, Altimet was advised by a friend to speak with regular Malaysians to learn about their struggles.

“I had notes that were turned into ‘Syukur’ and ‘Kalau Aku Kaya’, and many more,” said the rapper.

Pivoting from rap to politics

There used to be a perception that those in the creative industry had no interest in politics, Altimet recalled.

“All they want to do is sing and dance, right?” he added.

He observed the increasing trend of people from all classes and industries being politically cognisant, especially those in the entertainment world. In the end, it was expected for them to be politically active.

“With more people from the entertainment industry becoming more politically active, others will tell them that they are not cut out for this,” Altimet argued.

The country is all too familiar with career politicians, said the rapper, who reminisced an era where politicians were civil servants, farmers, teachers, labourers and middle-class people, among others.

Touching on politics, Altimet said the government should have a balanced line-up of career politicians and people without political backgrounds.

“I learned a lot while I was in the entertainment industry.

“When we did shows, my team and I would charge less so we could go out more and meet people outside of Kuala Lumpur. It helped me see the different issues in the country.

“This is one of the similarities between being a leader and an entertainer. You need to be on the ground, (and) have your finger on the pulse.

“I believe, despite my limited time in the world of politics, the paradigm I have in the entertainment sector will serve me well,” said Altimet.

Being Ampang PKR’s division chief

To Altimet, being the Ampang PKR division chief has been a steep learning curve.

He also said many seniors at the party have given him advice throughout his journey.

“First of all, they taught me about self-belief. The first person that needs to believe you is yourself.

“Our politics is rooted in democracy so there will be a lot of different opinions, some opinions may not be in line with your beliefs.

“Just like when I was making music, I made songs based on what I wanted. When the song is finished, it’s time for me to decide which is the one I want to market. It is a team decision. It’s similar to politics,” said Altimet.

When asked how he felt about winning against Isaac, the rapper assured the people that there was no bad blood between him and the actor.

“We had to do an internal audit after the first election,” he said, referring to the re-election triggered by the vote-buying incident.

“Hans is also a sportsperson. He represents Malaysia in golf for certain tournaments so it's easier when you compete with somebody who's a sportsperson and gentleman.

“But once the final whistle blows, the game is over. It's time to be friends again and stop being competitors. So that's how I think the both of us approached it.

“I was one of the first people to congratulate him on his victory and pledged my support. When the results went another way, that kindness was returned.

“At the end of the day, we are still on the same team and not only are we on the same team but we're also in the same division.

Altimet told Malaysiakini that he was not yet ready to stand as an election candidate at the federal level but would consider the opportunity once he has more experience under his belt.

Hans Isaac

And Altimet described Ampang as an “interesting” constituency.

“If you look at the demographics, the age, racial and socio-economic demographics, it’s really a microcosm of Malaysia.

“I think that Ampang being under PKR shows that we can amplify whatever we do for Ampang to what we do nationally. We are known for good service and acting fast,” he said.

Politics and personalities

Altimet finds that the national interest in personality politics is mirrored in the entertainment industry, where bigger names tend to get the most attention but it also depends on the perspective of others for their credibility.

He cited American rapper Jay-Z - whom he described being one of the biggest names in pop music but is known in many parts of the world solely as pop singer Beyonce’s husband.

“They are both lauded for their work, it just depends on how people see them,” he said.

“I think we should, as a democratic nation, be mature and find the balance. We can consider a person’s charisma but we need to ask if they can work,” he added.

Altimet then described himself as being politically “somewhere in the middle” from growing up in an era that lauded centrist, neo-liberal politicians. Further, he also cited Prophet Muhammad as someone influential in shaping his political perspective.

“I liked how he governed Medina. He didn’t force his beliefs on the people. Of course, being a prophet, he had to do evangelical work but he never forced it.”

The future of Malaysia

The rapper expressed his intention to build a better Malaysia - for his three children and future generations of Malaysians.

“My father’s generation worked hard to develop the country for my generation. I’m trying the best I can to get to that same point.

“There’s a chance we’re going to fail because some people want a different Malaysia than I do, we cannot all be the same. But I just want to try and make it better,” said the rapper, whose father was an engineer at then-Malaysia-Singapore Airlines.

“Sacrifices and challenges are required to get to where you want to be. That’s the only thing I can guarantee will happen. When and where? I cannot tell you.

“You will fail but it doesn’t mean you can’t try,” he finished.

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