Zainuddin Maidin, the former Information Minister and one-time Editor-in-Chief of Utusan Malaysia, said that Lim, the father of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, greeted him: “This person (Zainuddin) is dangerous. Najib is getting stronger.”
Zainuddin laughed. “Who am I?”
“He (Najib) is only strong among Umno leaders but not among the people. That’s his way of building solidarity in the party. Saudara, you know better.”
Zainuddin said that Lim appeared to agree. “He (Lim) is privy to the secrets on how to build solidarity in a party. His ways have also been labelled dictatorial.”
Zainuddin, busy conversing with the DAP veteran, forgot to have a picture taken with him for his blog. “It would have provided material for speculation in the social media. It may have read, ‘New Zam-Lim Kit Siang Conspiracy’ after similar ‘conspiracies’ with former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and former Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin.”
Zainuddin also gathered many stories from a rickshaw rider and a taxi driver who sent him from Penang Airport to his hotel. “The Penang Government’s approach is better than BR1M and probably Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) either haven’t noticed this or couldn’t care less.”
“Taxi drivers get financial aid every year, fishermen are assisted with changing their nets every six months and mothers who have just given birth also get financial handouts from the Penang Government.”
Zainuddin pointed out that in all the years that the Gerakan-led BN Government ruled Penang, from 1969 to 2008, it never reached out to the people in such a manner to win their hearts and minds. “The Penang Government is working discreetly to keep the people on its side.”
During his two days in Penang, said Zainuddin, he hired the rickshaw rider to take him through all the little lanes on the island. “These lanes have a certain nostalgia, there’s romance about them, and they are clean, beautiful and artistic.”
“There are many 3D studios here which illustrate the creativity of the art scene and the state government’s innovative approaches in maintaining their attractiveness while creating opportunities for entrepreneurs.”
Zainuddin, waxing lyrical on the old shops here and there in Penang, said he found their walls illustrated with drawings and metalwork designs which draw hordes of camera-toting tourists.
Interestingly, Zainuddin learnt from his rickshaw rider that 80 per cent of people like him remain unmarried, sleep in their vehicles or rent a room somewhere with other rickshaw riders. “Pak Din, my rickshaw rider, has no health problems although he sleeps in his vehicle.”
Zainuddin took an interest in Pak Din when the latter not only recognised him but disclosed that he regularly read his blog. “I left as Information Minister seven years ago. I don’t expect people to still remember me.”
“I can no longer write for Utusan Malaysia or Mingguan Malaysia under the democracy a la Najib government.”
Still, said Zainuddin, he can breathe and write through the blog. “I prefer to be recognised as a blogger and writer by people like Pak Din who are not carried away by sentiments but remain level-headed in their views.”
The rickshaw rider does not see Zainuddin as anti-Najib or tied to anyone in its views.