KUALA LUMPUR: For 20 years, she was the 'Iron Lady'. She stood up and spoke forcefully on issues that mattered to the country, not giving an inch without getting a yard.
Yesterday, it was no different. For close to 40 minutes Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz was her confident self, poised and regal when answering questions thrown at her.
She was feisty and, if the question was not to her liking, sarcastic.
But when it was time to end the press conference and say her goodbyes, the tears flowed.
Earlier Rafidah, the world's longest serving international trade and industry minister, showed why she is called the "Iron Lady" when she stoically accepted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's decision to drop her from the new cabinet.
"I accept Abdullah's decision with an open heart because everybody should know when it is time to retire," she said.
"I was told at 9am on the day of the announcement that he would not be including me in the cabinet.
"I asked him why and he said it was because he wanted new faces. I accepted it because I have already served for so long and the time for retirement has arrived."
Rafidah said she didn't say anything to Abdullah, except to thank him and wish him luck with his new cabinet.
Not only did Rafidah dismiss speculation that she would step down as Wanita Umno chief, she vowed to defend her post.
She also denied that she had been made a scapegoat for Barisan Nasional's poor showing in the elections.
However, Rafidah, who was accompanied by more than 20 senior Wanita Umno members, indicated that there was a lot of unhappiness with the prime minister's decision.
"I advise all Wanita members at all levels to stay calm. I know that many of them will have doubts and sadness.
"My advice to those who have expressed their concern, is to hold your peace. Accept this with an open heart. We are still Umno members. We have to stay united."
She said that she wished Abdullah had told her not to contest in the general election if he had no intention to include her in the cabinet.
"I'm speaking very frankly. He didn't say I should not contest. He allowed me to contest.
"I'm a human being, you know. When I was chosen to contest, I did not imagine that I would be dropped from the line-up."
Rafidah said she was not sad, as she had spent half her life working for the government.
"There's a sense of happiness. I can hold my head high and say I have served with integrity and accountability."
She bristled when asked about a letter she purportedly wrote to the prime minister, discussing her cabinet post.
"I can write it in all frankness. That's it. No copies made. Recipient received. Finished. What comes out of it, is not my doing."
She also vehemently denied that the decision to drop her had anything to do with the handing out of approved permits for imported cars -- an issue which was harped upon by the opposition over the last few years.
"You are all barking up the wrong tree."
She paid tribute to the women's wing and said BN would have fared much worse in the elections if not for the work they put in.
RAFIDAH ON...
• The absence of Wanita Umno representatives:
“I am shocked. This is the first time in history that Wanita Umno doesn’t have a representative in cabinet. I feel saddened and let down. But more importantly are the Wanita members who have never seen a scenario where their leader doesn’t have a spot in the cabinet.”
• Wanita Umno’s support for the party leadership:
“Oh yes. It is party discipline to support the leadership.”
• How much longer she would be involved in politics:
“You cannot ask questions like that. Any of us can drop dead as we walk out the door. Of course I don’t plan to retire. As long as Wanita wants me, I will be there. I will continue to serve as Kuala Kangsar MP.”
• Whether she has any grudges towards the party leadership:
“Don’t even bother to ask if I will merajuk (sulk). I don’t even do that with my husband, what more with the party! There is no need to judge the prime minister. Choosing the cabinet is his absolute right. He has made his decision, so we must accept it.”
• Attempts by the opposition to woo Wanita Umno members to defect:
“Members have reported to me that people had approached them with money and monthly allowances to jump ship and help them form grassroots support. That is why I’m going down to the ground. To remind them to remain loyal to the party.”
• Whether there had been any attempts by the opposition to woo her:
“You must be out of your mind! Don’t even think of that silly question. They wouldn’t dare.”
• Her memories of more than 20 years as international trade and industry minister:
“Twenty years! I will have to write a book on it! If I ever do write a book, my memoirs will contain a number of things about many people. A number of them are still alive. Some of the things may not be nice to say. I don’t like to hurt people, so my memoirs will probably be never written. But I will write a book on the light and funny things that happened during my tenure.”
Rafidah is a woman with power and with intelligent as well, from her speeches and way of conducting herself, she is no lesser than the Thatcher of Malaysia. However due to long years in the cabinet and enormous seduction and opportunity of the luxuryto be captivate, she made some poor decision.
Over all, I give her a 5/10 rating as a minister
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