Dr Ismail an example of a towering Malay, says Musa

Dr Ismail an example of a towering Malay, says Musa

By MEERA VIJAYAN

meera@thestar.com.my

JOHOR BARU: The late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman is a man to be emulated and the newly launched book on him should be recommended reading for all current and aspiring politicians.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam said the book The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail was the best available resource about a man who put service to his people above himself.

“When you want to serve as a politician or as a public leader in any manner within society, it should be service before self,” he said at a press conference after the launch of the book at Danga Bay.

Musa said he hoped even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would read and recommend the book to others.

Gift: Musa (left) receiving a book from Dr Ismail’s son, Mohd Tawfik, after launching the book. Looking on is author Dr Ooi Kee Beng.
He said Dr Ismail was the perfect example of a towering Malay personality that Abdullah spoke about and the glocal Malay that Najib often brought up.

“We should use this book as a reference as this is the best example of what he did, how he thought and of his contributions,” he said, adding that Dr Ismail was an inspiration to him..

When asked to comment on whether the book had any lessons for bilateral relations between Malaysia and Singapore, Musa said it was important to look towards the era of Dr Ismail and former Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Goh Keng Swee.

He said both countries need to discard suspicions or paranoia of each other and yet recognise that there would always be an agenda which may be different.

“These differences should be taken in stride as we are neighbours.

“We were very close before. We are not close now politically, but we are still very close economically whether we like it or not,” he said, adding that healthy competition between the two countries would uplift each other.

Commenting on the Iskandar Regional Development, he said that if the Singaporeans were forward looking enough, they would be keen to contribute and participate.

“We must welcome them especially,” said Musa who said that it was important for Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to work together as a modern “regional state”.

He explained it as a state with political divisions and yet united economically as a regional state.